May 16, 2008—Cabot Aerogel, a business of Cabot Corporation, and Birdair, Inc., a global leader in tensile fabric roofing systems, announced the first installation of their new energy-efficient fabric tensile roofing product, Tensotherm with Nanoge aerogel.
The new insulated composite fabric roofing system will replace the air-supported fabric roof constructed in 1980, of the Dedmon Athletic Center at Radford University in Radford, VA. The project will enclose the sports arena’s entire 52,000 square feet roof area and will be completed by November 2008, just in time for the school’s NCAA basketball season opener, the companies note.
The composite fabric system is less than two inches thick, yet it has an insulation value of R-12, meeting Virginia energy codes. It also delivers 3.5 percent natural light transmission, which contributes to its high performing energy-efficiency by reducing the need for artificial lighting. The advanced system also offers maximum moisture control and superior sound insulation. All of these are permanent performance features that will not change over time to match the long-term efficacy of the PTFE membrane.
Nanogel is the brand name for the nano-porous feather-light aerogel material manufactured exclusively by Cabot. The aerogel is an extremely lightweight and versatile material that delivers thermal insulation while allowing transmission of a high-quality, uniform diffused light. Nanogel also insulates sound and permanently repels moisture and resists mildew. Its high performance features in these areas make it ideally suited for numerous applications. Nanogel translucent aerogel material is manufactured exclusively by Cabot Corporation in Frankfurt, Germany using a process based on Cabot’s patented surface modification and fine-particle manufacturing technology.
For more information visit the Cabot Web site.
