21.04.2022
In the heart of Hamburg's HafenCity, Germany's tallest wooden skyscraper is being built: "Roots". 181 apartments, 1,700 meters square of office space and 2,000 meters square of exhibition space on 18 floors. The best part? It's the perfect balance of sustainability and urban living! When completed in 2023, this building will feature 2,004 running meters of balcony glazing and glass railings from Lumon.
Lumon will install frameless glazing systems providing the residents seamless views of the port, HafenCity or the city center without any restrictions all year round. In addition to the visual harmony with the natural building material wood, the glazing of the outer surface also offers energetic and ecological advantages.
“We are very proud to have been chosen as the façade solution for this eco-efficient building,” says Antti Vänskä, CEE Business Director at Lumon Group.
“Studies have shown that the average energy saving from balcony glazing in Germany is 8.2%,” adds Kimmo Hilliaho, Head of HR Operations at Lumon Oy. Similar studies in Canada have returned even more impressive results. We’ve seen energy savings of up to 18.3% in Vancouver and up to 15.9% in Toronto — surpassing the findings of the Germany and Finland case studies!
“Balcony constructions in multi-storey buildings made of wood are more stressed by extreme weather conditions than traditional ones made of concrete. They should therefore be protected with panes of glass in order to achieve a longer service life.” In general, this is 60 to 130 years for a glazed balcony, depending on maintenance, but for an open balcony it is often only 35 years.
Another advantage of the Lumon glazing systems is the low carbon footprint: “On average, it takes three years and four months to offset the emissions generated during manufacture, transport and installation, when energy efficiency and protection of the facade are balanced. Glass and aluminum are also valuable, recyclable raw materials,” adds Kimmo Hilliaho.
From an ecological and energy perspective, this collaboration of Roots with Lumon glazing is already a success. But above all, the future homeowners will benefit tremendously. They can use their outdoor area as an extension of their living space almost all year round, since Lumon glazing protects against moisture, pollutants and strong winds. Even if the sun only shines for a short time, residents can quickly open their balcony glazing - and simply close it again if needed. Flexibility at it's finest! In this way, the unique versatility provided can help your customers enjoy seamless views without restrictions, even when the weather is typically unpredictable.
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