Research & Development within the Group has primarily focused on sustainable design of buildings and the development of innovative façade systems in order to achieve this, looking at active and passive energy saving elements within facade systems which would provide improved solar heat protection, storage or reutilisation, sunlight filtering, improved u values, and others such as acoustic atenuation or material optimisation.
R&D
Featured project:
“Singer” Project
The aim of this Project is the DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTELLIGENT ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THROUGH REHABILITATION OF BUILDING ENVELOPES, in order to achieve high energy efficiency, INCORPORATING INTELLIGLASS TECHNOLOGY.
This R&D Project is developed in multidisciplinary co-operation with the CeDInt-UPM (Research Centre for Smart Buildings and Energy Efficiency , an associated department of The Technical University of Madrid), Svam architects, Zona de Expertos (architecture and engineering consultancy), and of course Intelliglass.
The role of Strunor in this Project has been that of the design of different kinds of building enclosures made up of aluminium profiles which are capable of accommodating Intelliglass glass panels. The iThermGlass panel, developed by Intelliglass, while maintaining the same appearance as a standard glazing, is a triple glazing unit, featuring two air chambers to provide insulation, and a third chamber filled with circulating water, which allows filtering infrared light and thus absorb temperature changes.
As a result, Strunor has developed six differentiated systems capable of accommodating IntelliGlass active glass, solving a variety of enclosure typologies both for interior and external use, as well as for various Intelliglass product ranges, and different aesthetic and design requirements:
- Indoor unitised partition system
- Unitised facade for double glazing units
- Unitised facade for triple glazing IntelliGlass units with cover cap
- Unitised facade for triple glazing IntelliGlass units capless
- Unitised facade for double glazing IntelliGlass units with with cover cap
- Unitised facade for double glazing IntelliGlass units with capless
The design process comprised the following stages:
CALCULATION STAGE
- Study of the structural behaviour related to own weight, of particular relevance since IntelliGlass glazing panels present higher weighs and thicknesses than standard glazing.
- Study of the structural behaviour related to thermal expansion in order to define the system design and singular integrating elements.
MODELLING STAGE
- Design of bespoke systems and aluminium profiles to accommodate active glazing.
- Detailing of facades and roofs generic and specific solutions of the systems.
- Production of a detailed catalogue for each system.
PROTOTYPE MANUFACTURING STAGE
- 3D virtual modelling of the bespoke systems.
- Production of the official technical documentation for the systems.
- Physical model production.
- Manufacture and installation of the prototype façade.
