Sealing zero carbon
Dow Corning InstantGlaze hot melt silicone was recently specified on Britain’s first carbon-zero home constructed on a live development.
Built by Miller Homes at ‘The Pinnacle’ in Basingstoke UK, this home conforms to Code 6, the most stringent of the new government Codes for Sustainability which demands reduced energy usage, waste and pollution, CO2 emissions and water consumption.
Planning at an early stage enabled the design and production of high performance, thermally efficient, triple glazed composite window assemblies. InstantGlaze was selected for bonding the insulating glass unit to the frame which allows the rigidity of the glass to be transferred to the sash.
This enabled the window profiles to be constructed without the use of steel inserts which permits a reduced profile height and a slimmer, more aesthetically pleasing window line. This increases natural daylight, thermal efficiency and boosts solar gain. The bonding dimension and position of this silicone adhesive was calculated to achieve optimum efficiency and accommodate the loads undergone by the window assembly.
The bonded windows were fixed using Install & Go – a three-layer installation system comprising a flexible, weather- and UV-resistant silicone sealant for the exterior sealing, a semi rigid polyurethane foam for fixation and insulation and an Si-hybrid sealant for the internal perimeter pointing to ensure air tightness.
