Silicones Reach New Heights
March 1, 2010
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| Burj
Khalifa Unveiled: Dubai
celebrates the opening of Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.
(PRNewsFoto/EMAAR, Charles Verghese) |
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Dow
Corning construction silicones protect Burj Khalifa tower from harsh desert
conditions.
As the world watched the inauguration of the Burj Khalifa
Tower in Dubai as the world’s tallest building on Jan.
4, Dow Corning silicones were helping to protect the skyscraper from the harsh
desert climate and promote its energy efficiency.
The Burj Khalifa, formerly called Burj Dubai, extends 828 meters (more than
half a mile) above ground level and is visible from 95 km in all directions.
The 160-level building will also house the world’s highest mosque (on the 158th
floor) and highest swimming pool (on the 78th floor).
The Burj Khalifa set the record for the tallest installation of an aluminum,
silicone and glass façade, and required record-breaking quantities of steel
bars and concrete for its construction. With more than 24,000 cladding panels
over a total curtain-wall area of 132,000 square meters, the building’s
shimmering façade minimizes heat transmission and saves energy. The cladding
materials were specially made using advanced engineering techniques and include
high-performance reflective glazing, silicone sealants and structural
adhesives, aluminum mullions, and textured steel spandrels with vertical stainless-steel
tubular fins.
“We’ve been involved in many of the world’s landmark buildings for more than 60
years, through curtain wall structural glazing, assembly and weatherproofing,
insulating glass assembly, and interior sealing. That experience and the proven
performance of our silicone technologies played a critical role in this
project,” said Ron Fillmore, global executive director for Dow Corning’s
Construction Industry.
The Burj Khalifa project proved unique in size, complexity and global industry
cooperation. The harsh environment presented another challenge, as the
construction materials must stand the test of time in the desert.
“We love these sorts of challenges at Dow Corning. They’re perfectly aligned
with the properties of our silicones, which are incredibly durable and ideal
for such a demanding environment,” said Jean-Paul Hautekeer, Global Marketing
manager for Building Projects. The solutions for the Burj Khalifa tower
included Dow Corning’s global project support services, which are now marketed
as an integrated program called Quality Bond®.
“Dow Corning® Quality Bond lifts silicone bonding and
sealing to a new level through the introduction of a collection of services and
commitments for all members in the construction project specification chain.
They offer guaranteed performance and peace of mind,” said Tim Efthimiady,
Construction Industry commercial director for Europe and the Middle
East. “The Burj Khalifa was the ideal opportunity to offer our
Quality Bond program to the various companies involved in the project — from
the curtain wall and glass contractor to the main contractor, architect, and
consultant.”
Dow Corning’s work is based on four decades of leadership in innovation, from
the first four-sided structural glazing systems to the latest research in
construction technologies. The company continues its commitment to investments
in silicone-based solutions that can create innovative, durable and sustainable
curtain-wall systems.
About Dow Corning Construction
For
more than 60 years, architects, building consultants, contractors and
construction material providers worldwide have turned to Dow Corning for
silicon-based, performance-enhancing materials and additives for glazing,
sealing, and weatherproofing new and existing construction projects. For more
information, visit www.dowcorning.com/construction.
About Dow Corning
Dow
Corning provides solutions to serve more than 25,000 customers worldwide. A
global leader in silicon-based technology and innovation, offering more than
7,000 products and services, Dow Corning is equally owned by The Dow Chemical Co. and Corning Inc. More than half of Dow Corning’s
annual sales are made outside the United States. For more
information, visit www.dowcorning.com.
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