SD Vision - Halyps Cement

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building will allow the interior lights to
fi lter through while, from inside, during
the day, it will show the changes in the
levels of daylight. The panels used in
Shanghai measure 500x1000x50 mm and
degree of transparency equals 20% of
their surface area. Compared with static
performance, based on tests carried out in
the laboratory, a three-point fl exural test
showed that the panels can bear an elastic
load of around 2 kilonewton; maximum
failure load as measured from tests was
around 8 kilonewton. Each panel weighs
about 25 kg. The properties of this material
are undergoing further investigation by
Italcementi Group researchers in order
to develop
additional and
more advanced
applications for
the product.
Used for the
fi rst time
“Transparent cement” in details
i.clime ® and the 100k€ House
The so-called “thermal cement” branded
i.clime ® is the latest innovative product
developed by Italcementi Group researchers.
It consists of an ecological product that
reduces energy consumption in buildings.
This material is intended for variety of
applications, from building structures to
curtain walls (internal/external), specifi cally
designed to optimize energy effi ciency
and environmental friendliness. i.clime ®
in Shanghai, future applications of this
material may include its adoption as an
architectural component with diversifi ed,
integrated functions, such as, for example,
internal lighting (shading/light diffusion
techniques).
The challenge of transparency confi rms
the innovative and creative dimension of
Made in Italy and has allowed Italcementi
Group to provide the Italian Pavilion with
know-how and solid business experience, in
line with its involvement in other important
architectural projects in the past.
«Every person is in daily contact with
cement. With an annual budget exceeding
13 million Euro, Italcementi Group research
strives to make cement a more sustainable
material able to create healthy environments
where living is comfortable. This is the case
of “transparent” buildings where the light
becomes the most prominent element»
says Enrico Borgarello, Italcementi Group
Innovation Director.
The transparent properties of cement have been made possible by special processing
technologies applied to the materials involved, i.e. cement, admixtures and resins.
The resulting mix features all those properties, including fl ow, that are needed to fi x
resins into the panels thus allowing optical conveyance of light and images without
altering the insulation and robustness properties of the cement-based material.
The resins are special polymers, which Italcementi Group researchers have found
to be particularly suitable for this type of application. These resins, which may have
different colours, interact both with artifi cial and natural light creating a soft, warm
light inside the building and a clear bright image on the outside. Italcementi Group
researchers have identifi ed the correct formula of a dry ready-mixed product
that allows inserting these plastic resins in the cementitious material, which is
naturally opaque, without creating cracks and jeopardizing the structure.
Without resorting to the more expensive optical fi bres, this solution is particularly suitable
for industrial use of “transparent cement” and offers a greater luminosity, since the
resins are able to exploit much wider angles of light incidence than optical fi bres.
Another peculiarity of the transparent cement designed for Shanghai is in the area of
casting operations. Despite the material’s complexity, this cement can be poured
straight into moulds at the building site resulting in signifi cant cost reductions.
Even the strength properties of the transparent cement are very interesting.
Currently, pre-fabricated panels, some of which are very large, are being developed.
delivers the durability and strength of
traditional cements with very low thermal
conductivity, high steam permeability and
appreciable thermal inertia, guaranteeing
a comfortable
climate all
year round. In
addition to its
intrinsic characteristics,
i.clime ®
is competitive
23 d World IUA Congress, Mario Cucinella
presenting the 100k€ House project
over the entire life cycle: aggregates
contained in the concrete do not come
from raw materials but are re-used from
other materials such as vitreous recycled
components that come from TV screens
and discarded computers. With respect to
the environmental sustainability, thanks to
its low impact on non-renewable resources,
it is possible to abate CO 2 emissions during
the production phase. And there’s more:
thanks to the ecological nature of the
material they can be completely re-used
after dismantling. The “thermal cement”
i.clime ® has been conceived for the 100K€
House, a 100-square-meter house for 100
thousand Euro designed by Italian Architect
Mario Cucinella. The 100K€ House is a
real “low cost” project that fulfi ls the
dream of every family of having a house
at an affordable price, attentive to power
saving and with a strong respect for the
surrounding territory and the environment.
The eco-sustainable house is modern and
suitable to accommodate different identities
and life styles. Each person can decide
the shape of the house by choosing from
the various available models. Each home
will fully express and refl ect the desire of
its owner: a customized pre-fabrication
project, with light structural elements and
moving equipment, such as sliding walls,
straight or curved, and special one-piece
closing systems, to diversify both the outside
and inside of the home. An open shape
that will allow each person to elaborate
and build his/her own home. Experts at
the Research and Innovation Center are
working in close cooperation with Mario
Cucinella Architects to tackle technical
issues involved in the project, developing
environmentally friendly materials at
sensible costs. The challenge is protecting
the environment while saving both nonrenewable
and economic resources. The
house is in fact able to produce power and