Kalwall Translucent Daylighting Systems In The News

Kalwall is used in a multitude of new projects throughout the world, and many times Kalwall technology and projects are covered by the worldwide press. The following is a sampling of recent features, articles and awards.

In Dublin, Ireland, Kalwall distinguished itself at the Product of the Show Awards 2005, sponsored by Plan Expo, now in its twenty-third year as the leading exhibition in Ireland's construction industry.

NEW STUDY CONFIRMS POSITIVE EFFECTS OF DAYLIGHTING A recently released study by Canada’s Institute for Research in Construction confirms positive effects upon mood, performance and job satisfaction among office workers in a space with diffuse daylighting vs. light from traditional windows. In the study, an office was equipped with conventional double-glazing windows with a neutral tint and perforated roller blinds. An identical office was outfitted with Kalwall panels. Click here for more information. KALWALL COVER STORY: THE GUIDE TO MODERN DESIGN

The cover story of Metropolitan Home proclaims it a "uniquely engineered, four-story modernist tree house," daylighted by no less than two stories of Kalwall curtainwall. Literally hanging from a pair of steel columns 18 inches across, the home of acclaimed architect Travis Price, in an otherwise staid neighborhood of Washington, D.C., is a "collage of glass, steel, copper, galvanized aluminum and translucent Kalwall." November 2005 issue. KALWALL STANDS UP TO BEARS

Click on the thumbnail to see the Chicago Bears’ newly renovated Walter Payton Center in Lake Forest, Illinois. As recently as 1996, a Kalwall competitor installed a polycarbonate daylighting system that later yellowed and cracked. Tape disintegrating at the panel sills allowed vermin to get inside the Bears’ indoor football practice field. Project architect Pat Loughran of Chicago’s Lohan Caprile Goettsch solved the problem with the removal of 25,000 square feet of failed polycarbonate and replacement with Kalwall translucent panels, as well as some glass areas for clear vision. Kalwall so efficiently illuminates the interior space of the field with natural, diffused daylight (minus harsh glare, hot spots and shadows) that only minimal artificial lighting is required. The structural integrity of the Kalwall system will keep the Bears in and the vermin out!

LEED® ACCREDITED PROFESSIONAL

Michael Crowder, CSI, Regional Sales Manager for Structures Unlimited, Inc., recently demonstrated his knowledge of integrated design and his capacity to facilitate the LEED certification process by becoming a LEED Accredited Professional. Crowder will bring his understanding of green building practices and principles and his familiarity of the USGB and LEED requirements, resources and processes to projects for both Kalwall Corporation and Structures Unlimited, Inc. BUILDING LIGHT & HUMAN HEALTH The health effects of daylighting with Kalwall have been bolstered by a new medical discovery. The March 2004 issue of Buildings reports that a previously unknown, photoreceptive sensory system in the human eye, though not involved with actual vision, sends signals to the brain based on surrounding light. Too much or too little light at the wrong times can upset the body’s circadian (biological rhythm) clock, affecting health and productivity. Recently, the National Lighting Bureau gathered a team of professionals studying connections between health and light. The team suggested that further research into this discovery might show natural daylighting to be even more important in future building design than previously understood. In the same issue, Naomi Miller, of Naomi Miller Lighting Design, offers several tips on reaping the health benefits of daylight. “Spend time in brightly lit spaces,” she writes, “especially spaces with windows, skylights, courtyards, etc. These should be designed to control glare.” Glare prevention, of course, is one of the major advantages of daylighting with Kalwall. Click here for the full story. KALWALL TESTED AND APPROVED TO FEDERAL ANTI-TERRORISM/FORCE PROTECTION STANDARDS Kalwall panels were tested recently for compliance with standards specified by both the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) in their Unified Facilities Criteria: DoD Minimum Anti-Terrorism Standards for Buildings. Working with Baker Engineering and Risk Consultants, a world-renowned blast authority, the Kalwall panel system was subjected to, and easily passed, a rigorous series of tests based on the GSA and DoD criteria for glazing materials. Applied blast loads varied from 2 to 6 PSI with varying durations (impulse). The shatterproof nature of the panels is a perfect match for the design principle of minimizing flying debris in the event of an explosion. Several configurations of Kalwall panels were tested, including the energy-efficient, thermally broken panel construction. While the panels were damaged at the higher blast loadings, no flying debris was generated and the panels were retained in the opening. This qualifies them under the GSA guidelines for a “Hazard: None” classification. Up until now, the only glazing material allowed under the anti-terrorism standards was laminated glass, structurally glazed in a heavy steel frame. With the qualification of the Kalwall system, the advantages of translucent daylighting, combined with excellent thermal performance, are now available to the design professional. Download our 4-page brochure in .pdf format. Kalwall Receives SBIC Award Kalwall's "revolutionary new daylighting system", Kalwall+ Nanogel®, wins 2003 Innovative Daylighting System Award from The Sustainable Buildings Industry Council. For more information, click here. Residence/Studio Wins Honor Award For Design Excellence The Boston Society of Architects (BSA) recognized the Skolos/Wedell residence and studio in Canton, Mass., with a prestigious 2003 Honor Award for Design Excellence. The project prominently features Kalwall panels as both exterior and interior walls. According to Skolos, "The Kalwall panels act as a mediator between the ambient outside light. The resulting glowing panels add another dimension to the architecture - beyond shelter and space to energy and even joy." For more information, click here. Third Annual Housing PIA Awards Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, was recognized in the "Single-Family Custom" category for his innovative renovation design that includes Kalwall panels. The residence is in the historic center of Washington, D.C. According to the October 2003 issue of Architectural Record, "A sensitive renovation resulted in a thoroughly modern, warm, and intimate home with light-filled spaces" – thanks to translucent Kalwall panels. Civic Building of the Year Award Kalwall project recognized by SCALA (United Kingdom): Birmingham City Council's High Performance Centre.   LEED® Certified Projects One hundred and twenty skylights from Kalwall contributed to American Honda Corporation's Northwest Regional Facility receiving its Gold LEED rating. The multi-use building contains 18,825 square feet of office space, a 25,103-square-foot training center, and 168,960 square feet of warehouse space. The translucent skylights make artificial lighting unnecessary during sunny days. Kalwall has participated in numerous other LEED certified projects, including: Detroit Lions Headquarters and Training Facility, Allen Park, Michigan (Certified); USAF Physical Fitness Center, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana (Bronze); Steelcase Wood Furniture Manufacturing Plant, Caledonia, Michigan (Silver); Nidus Center for Scientific Enterprise, Creve Coeur, Missouri (Silver); Energy Resource Center, Downey, California (Certified); and Eco Works at Southlake Phase 1 (Certified). For more information, visit www.usgbc.org. Kalwall+ Nanogel® Features R-20 Insulation With 20% Light Transmission Kalwall and Cabot Corp., a world leader in specialty chemicals, have teamed up to produce a revolutionary new product: Kalwall+ Nanogel. This breakthrough in daylighting technology utilizes translucent aerogel insulation to create a translucent building panel with a unique ability to satisfy the most demanding new building code energy requirements. Kalwall+ Nanogel delivers R-20 with 20% light transmission. The insulating value, usable daylighting performance and structural integrity of Kalwall+ Nanogel far exceed all other materials or systems worldwide. Click here for more information.

Welsh Regeneration Award - Astral Court
The Welsh Development Agency recognizes the "regeneration project that achieves the highest quality of design and promotes broader sustainability objectives." Their latest award goes to Astral Court, a factory situated in an award-winning industrial park being developed on brownfield land, adjacent to a chemical plant. In their award they state, "The building is elegant, with its form and structure integral to the resolution of the passive environmental control system. The form is both simple and rational. The use of Kalwall panels within the facade has created a delightful quality of natural light internally... Its energy-efficient standards have been recognised by the award of an 'excellent' rating under the BREEAM scheme."

Kalwall Skyroof in "Extreme Home" Featured by HGTV
Divided into semi-circular sections connected by a bridge-like spine, a modular home designed by Edward Niles conspicuously protrudes from the Malibu, California, landscape. The interior is surprisingly homey, considering its 4,000 square feet of living area. The Kalwall Kalcurve^TM skyroof in the main living area lets in plenty of natural daylight while keeping out overpowering glare from the southern California sun. Corridors are covered in small vaulted Kalwall skylights. The owners say they feel they're outdoors rather than in.

Alberta, Canada, Best of 2002
When Alberta Construction magazine chose the top projects of 2002, they selected the Calgary Zoo's Destination Africa. Their TransAlta Rainforest features a Kalwall Roof System (featured on the cover of their Nov/Dec 2002 issue).

Britain's Better Public Building Award
Annually, the British Prime Minister's Better Public Building Award recognizes excellence in design and construction of publicly commissioned and funded building projects. The program aims to ensure that high standards of design, construction, delivery and performance are being widely achieved in public buildings and infrastructure projects. The 2002 award was given to the City Learning Centres in Bristol (Monk's Park and Brislington), designed by Alec French Partnership and featuring Kalwall translucent Curtainwalls. In making the announcement, the judges described each Centre as "a practical, adaptable and delightful building that adds fun and motivation to school classroom learning for a minimum cost." They called the design "a superb example of a functional building meeting all the project's objectives."

The House of the Future Has Arrived
Architectural Record, July 2002
Kalwall is working with MIT to develop a component system to replace conventional or panelized construction. The emphasis is on high-strength, high-performance, and lightweight new materials.