Extended French building regulations approval issued for laminated glass with SentryGlas® interlayer Including finite element calculations, high fire rating class, use of SentryGlas® sold on rolls and SEFAR® Architecture VISION mesh. PRESS INFORMATION

The application range of laminated glass using the high-strength SentryGlas® ionoplast interlayer from Kuraray has been substantially extended, according to a new Technical Application Document, published in July 2015 by the Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment (CSTB) which is in charge of issuing building approvals in France. Updates over the previous approval certificate (Avis Technique) from 2012 include the possibility to use finite element calculations and the calculation according to prEN 16612:2013 (Omega factor) to evaluate the load bearing capacities of laminated safety glass structures, as well as the permission to use SentryGlas® sold on rolls from European production sites in addition to the 0.89, 1.52 and 2.28 mm sheets, and SEFAR® Architecture VISION decorative mesh for safety glass applications. Beyond, the revision confirms a fire rating of B-s1 d0 for 1.52mm for SentryGlas®, and also reconfirms it as the only interlayer for applications with service temperatures of up to 80 °C.

This recent publication follows the initial approval published in early 2013 for the use of laminated glass with this high performance interlayer in France and all countries following French regulations as safety glazing in facades, overhead installations and balustrades. For Germany and those countries following the German regulations, a corresponding ‘Allgemeine bauaufsichtliche Zulassung’ had already been issued in 2009. SentryGlas® ionoplast interlayers are sold under exclusive license by Kuraray.

As Bjorn Sanden, Market Development Specialist Kuraray Interlayer Solutions, comments: “Thanks to this recent approval update, French building contractors now have even greater flexibility in capitalizing on the benefits of SentryGlas® for their projects, including enhanced post breakage performance, reduced laminate thickness and weight (or increased panel size), improved aesthetics due to the use of much less obtrusive fixing systems, long term crystal-clear transparency and an increased edge stability, even with open-edged designs in high- humidity environments, a higher maximum service temperature of 80 °C, and, below the line, lower cost.” SentryGlas® is an ionoplast interlayer for laminated safety glass applications, which was initially developed for the high building envelope protection required for hurricane glazing in the United States. Today, its use has expanded considerably due to the fact that its performance can be beneficial for many other aspects of a building, including facades, overhead glazing, balustrades, doors and partitions. Five times stronger and up to 100 times stiffer than conventional laminating materials, the SentryGlas® interlayer can make glass more of an active structural element in the building envelope, opening up design possibilities that didn’t exist before.

SEFAR® Architecture VISION is a quality decorative mesh from Swiss Sefar AG, which is highly compatible with SentryGlas® for lamination with clear, low iron and other glass types. Available in a variety of spectacular finishes incorporating metallic and distinctive textile patterns to achieve different looks and levels of privacy, its applications include commercial and residential windows, wall cladding, splashbacks, feature windows, signage, advertising, and facades.

The revised ‘Document Technique d’Application, Référence Avis Technique 6/15-2253’ can be downloaded in French from http://glasslaminatingsolutions.kuraray.com

September 2015

* SentryGlas® is a registered trademark of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates for its brand of interlayers. It is used under license by Kuraray. SEFAR® is a registered trademark.

The text can be downloaded from www.glasslaminatingsolutions.com Press contact:

Johanna Krauthauf, Head of Organizational Development & Communication Kuraray Europe GmbH Philipp-Reis-Straße 4, D- 65795 Hattersheim, Germany Phone +49 (0) 69 305 85-934 Fax +49 (0) 69 305 85399 Mobile +49 (0) 172 28 33 943 Email [email protected]

Laminated safety glass with SentryGlas® ionoplast interlayer is helping to ensure the safety and security of visitors to the recently upgraded glass floor and balustrades on the first floor of The Eiffel Tower – the most visited paying monument in the world. © L. Bargagli / Kuraray

SEFAR® Architecture VISION is a high quality mesh which is highly compatible with the SentryGlas® interlayer. Available in a wide variety of metallised and/or coloured standard or customer specific versions, it can offer unprecedented possibilities for giving facades and interiors a multitude of stunning and at the same time functional aesthetics. The image shows the façade of the SBB Railway‘s building in Bern/Switzerland, where SEFAR® Architecture VISION and SentryGlas are combined to create differently coloured safety glass slats. © Lorenz Held