The Atria Building adjacent to the Edinburgh International Conference Centre ( EICC) has a stunning glass atrium which has been created using CONTRAFLAM® by Vetrotech Saint-Gobain and sister company GLASSOLUTIONS Solaglas.
CONTRAFLAM® has a class A safety rating consisting of two sheets of toughened safety glass which are separated by a transparent advanced intumescent interlayer. When exposed to fire the interlayer turns opaque and expands to form a partially insulating heat shield. This effectively reduces the transmission of radiated and conducted heat. The layers also provide an integrity barrier against smoke, flames and hot gases for maintained integrity in excess of 120 minutes. The opaque insulating interlayer blocks the view of the fire helping to minimize panic and acts as a guide for emergency services to indicate the presence of fire. CONTRAFLAM® can be used for internal and external applications, for installation into steel, aluminium or timber frames, partitions and doors.
Manufactured by GLASSOLUTIONS Solaglas, in conjunction with sister-company VETROTECH, at their dedicated Coventry production facility, two formats of CONTRAFLAM® were supplied for the EICC project to suit the different requirements within the new atrium.
Installed by leading façade designer and contractor Charles Henshaw & Sons, the fire rated glass atrium provides a light and spacious reception point to allow access to the venue’s 1,600m2 multi-purpose Lennox Suite which accommodates up to 2,000 people.
Henshaws installed 1,500m2 of EI30 CONTRAFLAM (30 minute integrity and insulation) in screens within the main atrium and 250m2 of EI60 CONTRAFLAM (60 minutes integrity and insulation) in screens on the ground floor areas.
Graham Chung, Sales Director at Henshaws said: “The EICC was already a landmark Edinburgh building, but the impressive new Atria building makes it very special and it’s a project we’re proud to have been involved with. CONTRAFLAM® has enabled us to meet the demanding brief extremely well thanks to working with VETROTECH and GLASSOLUTIONS Solaglas.
The £85 million extension to one of Edinburgh’s most iconic buildings was designed by BDP Architects and completed by main contractor Sir Robert McAlpine, with project management by Mace Group.
VETROTECH is a leading producer of fire resistant glass products. Being a member of the Saint-Gobain Group, Europe’s biggest producer and processor of glass, VETROTECH knows all aspects of this material. With innovative research and development and state-of-the-art production technologies, solutions of the highest level of quality and complexity can be created. VETROTECH products comply with the strictest impact safety requirements and are also suitable for multi-comfort applications and meet the aesthetic demands of modern architecture.
CONTRAFLAM® is one of three product ranges in the Clear Fire Resistant range by VETROTECH. PYROSWISS® and VETROFLAM® make up the portfolio of products. VETROTECH also provide blast, bullet and attack-resistant glass in their PROTECT range.
All VETROTECH UK-manufactured products are UV stable and carry a Class A safety rating as standard. Available as single-pane or double-glazed units, they can incorporate acoustic or solar control options for added comfort, safety and practicality. There are also additional aesthetic options, including patterned, tinted and acid-etched glass.
Since July 2013, it has been mandatory for all UK construction products placed on the EU market to carry the CE mark as standard. Additionally, all VETROTECH products come with a Declaration of Performance (DoP) – an official document that contains the data relating to the performance of the product.
For more information on VETROTECH products visit their website www.vetrotech.com or call one of their experienced and friendly advisors on 02476547620.
CONTRAFLAM ®: http://www.glassolutions.co.uk/products/contraflam
Charles Henshaw & Sons: http://www.charles-henshaw.com/
Sir Robert McAlpine: http://www.sir-robert-mcalpine.com/projects/?id=32254
Mace: http://www.macegroup.com/projects/edinburgh-international-conference-centre
