Kaohsiung Stadium, the main venue of the 2009 World Games, made its spectacular debut in July 2009. Designed by Toyo Ito & Associates, one of the top architects in Japan, and Ricky Liu & Associates from Taiwan, the stadium can hold 45,000 spectators.
In addition to its eye-catching, horseshoe-shaped appearance, the building is the first stadium in the world powered by solar energy, and has been awarded the “Green Building Certification” by the Taiwan authorities.
Search for an effective panel fixing solution
In order to maximize the natural daylight, 8,844 solar panels were strategically mounted around the roof of the stadium. The solar panels generate more than one million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, which supports approximately 80 percent of the stadium’s energy needs. To achieve this success, architects and contractors needed to resolve a series of technical issues related to the built-in panels. The job required an effective panel fixing design with optimum energy transfer rate, plus excellent thermal and weathertight performance.
Four-sided structural sealant glazing saves the day
Dow Corning was consulted from the very beginning of the project, and ultimately recommended using four-sided structural sealant glazing to bond the glass solar panels to aluminum sub-frame. This approach maximizes the daylight exposure and hence the generation of clean solar energy by the solar modules. Each unit of the roof façade system has three glass panels, including two solar glass panels (containing solar cell and low-iron glass panels) and one blue tinted tempered glass pane. Dow Corning 983 Structural Glazing Sealant was used for bonding the solar panels and weatherproofing.
Key Participants
Construction Office, Public Works Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government
Toyo Ito & Associates
Ricky Liu & Associates
Fu Tsu Construction
Delta Electronics Inc.
Dow Corning - Silicone Sealant ProviderProducts
Dow Corning 983 Structural Glazing Sealant
With the proven, silicone-bonding technology, the structural silicone not only helps this horseshoe-shaped solar roof building withstand earthquakes, acid rain, typhoons, humidity and extreme heat and UV radiation, but also improves its thermal and acoustic performance by continuous and effective sealing the facade. Dow Corning provides a complete solution, including high performance sealants and professional technical support, which ensures correct sealant application and long-term performance.
Leading the way for more BIPV success
The Kaohsiung World Games Main Stadium was the first 4-sided structurally glazed BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaic) roofing project that Dow Corning participated in Greater China. It is one of the largest BIPV projects in Greater China. Dow Corning silicone structural sealants allow creativity and design freedom, combined with lower life-cycle cost and improved thermal and acoustic performance of the facade. Dow Corning structural glazing sealants are now widely used in major BIPV facades in China, including the 2010 World Expo China, National Pavilion and Theme Pavilion.
Click here to view a short animated presentation about how Dow Corning solutions and support helped to create this revolutionary solar-powered stadium.
Or, to learn more about the Dow Corning products featured in this case study, as well as our many other proven materials for the construction industry, please click here. To speak to your nearest Dow Corning representative, visit dowcorning.com/ContactUs. +
Related Stories
| Oct 23, 2013
AIA: Crowd-funding shows promise for financing real estate projects
The American Institute of Architects issued a statement on the SEC's recent 5-0 vote to propose rules aimed at letting startups tap large numbers of ordinary investors for small amounts of capital.
| Oct 23, 2013
Gehry, Foster join Battersea Power Station redevelopment
Norman Foster and Frank Gehry have been selected to design a retail section within the £8 billion redevelopment of Battersea Power Station in London.
| Oct 23, 2013
Some lesser-known benefits of metal buildings
While the durability of metal as a construction material is widely recognized, some of its other advantages are less commonly acknowledged and appreciated.
| Oct 23, 2013
Architecture Billings Index hits seven-month high in September
AIA's Architecture Billings Index was 54.3 in September, the highest level since February 2013
| Oct 18, 2013
Meet the winners of BD+C's $5,000 Vision U40 Competition
Fifteen teams competed last week in the first annual Vision U40 Competition at BD+C's Under 40 Leadership Summit in San Francisco. Here are the five winning teams, including the $3,000 grand prize honorees.
| Oct 18, 2013
A picture’s worth a thousand words… if you can find it
Photographs are becoming more essential to project communication and documentation. Recently, I sat in a local airport integration project meeting in which the owner outlined their expectation for construction documentation. One of the first requirements was to provide photographs throughout the building process.
| Oct 18, 2013
Researchers discover tension-fusing properties of metal
When a group of MIT researchers recently discovered that stress can cause metal alloy to fuse rather than break apart, they assumed it must be a mistake. It wasn't. The surprising finding could lead to self-healing materials that repair early damage before it has a chance to spread.
| Oct 18, 2013
Call for submissions: AIA Emerging Professionals Summit essays
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is seeking essays that will address what role architects will play in society in 2033.
| Oct 16, 2013
5 secrets of successful entrepreneurs
If you’re on the outside looking in, successful entrepreneurship may seem mysterious. But it isn’t. Here are five patterns of behavior that are common to successful entrepreneurs.
| Oct 15, 2013
High-rise Art Deco courthouse gets a makeover in Amarillo, Texas
Recognized as one of the most significant Art Deco courthouses in Texas, the Potter County Courthouse is modernized and restored to its 1930s aesthetic.