Plastics in modern architecture. An option to remember.
Given the amount of materials that we can use in a project - which is quite varied - there is a material that some of us have forgotten, the plastic, which we normally associate with other minor uses in the architecture and that we inherently recognize it as an unsustainable and environmentally damaging element.
But, attending to the type of plastic structures that we use (Apart from some physical characteristics that can improve or contribute beneficial aspects to the construction) can be recycled …
Can we construct the skin of a building that can be recycled, or simply change it, or transform it over time? It can be an interesting question, considering that many of the materials that are used in architectural projects cannot present affirmative answers or simply the derived cost would be unaffordable for a modern construction.
The use ofrecycled plastics in architecture modern it is another reality and capacity that must be considered. Material cost reduction, Benefits before the environment and as a culmination, well raised we can present buildings as distinguished as the EFEEs (EcoArk in Taiwan) An exhibition building built - in part - with recycled plastic bottles, about 1.5 million bottles that make up the skin of the same.
We leave you a short video of the EcoArk so that you can check its magnitude:
Although we are not very aware of it, plastics in construction They are a make up an abundant material. In fact, approximately 20% of the plastics used in Europe are for products in the construction industry. And after packaging, it is in construction where they are used the most.
If we enter the world of architecture with plastic referring, not to mere pieces that complement, but to important parts of the building, we can see several examples executed deserving of applause. Like the one located in Pau de Vallecas in Madrid (Vallecas 51, work of the SOMOS Arquitectos studio)…. "One of the bets has been the use of polycarbonate panels, which play with three shades of green" where the plastic panels allow to obtain greater thermal and acoustic insulation.
It is a totally recyclable material, with a very low cost of manufacture, transport and maneuverability thanks to its light weight.
Or the edifice From the cover photo, The Watercube was perhaps the architectural monument that most surprised during the last Olympic Games in Beijing. It was designed by the architecture studio "PTW Architects" and follows the patterns of eco-architecture combining artificial and natural aspects.
The plastic cover makes it look like a huge soap bubble, as it is lined with plastic EFTE bubbles that resemble those in Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena. With a capacity for 17,000 spectators, it is a 6,700-ton steel cube where the pool changes color, thanks to the 16.7 million tones of the LED system).
Advantages and disadvantages of plastic in architecture:
Advantages of plastics in the architecture sector:
- Adapt the building to the environment without problems (Colors, sizes … etc)
- Design innovative structures for buildings.
- Easy installation and maintenance.
- They are durable and resistant to corrosion.
- They effectively isolate from cold, heat and noise.
- They are lightweight. They allow savings by reducing labor hours and do not require the use of heavy equipment such as cranes. They are also easier to handle, transport and store.
- They can be recycled or their energy recovered.
- The plastic material recycling is low cost.
- Plastics are easy to clean and maintain, as well as being impenetrable.
- Plastic components are often cheaper to manufacture, even when custom-made, than other products.
- The ease of molding plastics allows them to be combined into one so that they are easier to manufacture and install.
- To be able to design in the factory for later assembly on site at a relatively inexpensive cost.
Disadvantages of plastics in architecture.
- One of the worst disadvantages is durability (Assumable between 30 to 50 years)
- The environmental cost.
- While the plastics in construction They can be reused or recycled for the most part, the truth is that in many cases the cost of recycling is relatively high. Need for companies specialized in recycling, transportation … etc.
- The image: There is awareness that this material It is not very durable, firm and it is bad for the environment.
- High temperatures do not suit you at all. If it is true that they exist plastic materials whose resistance is high but translates into a higher cost of the material.
- Another highlight is the endurance versus classic materials in construction site.
The environmental impact of plastic on site.
In the case of plastic in architecture, as a material that comes from oil, presents a behavior similar to metals, high energy consumption and high contamination in the process of manufacturing. To these problems we should add the risks to the environment in the event of oil tanker accidents, as well as the geopolitical instability caused by their control.
Apart from the environmental aspects - which are important - and their advantages or disadvantages, we must understand that the uses of plastic in construction can take a greater role in thebuildings, being that the new materials and the technology are promoting the use of plastics as an option to consider in the design of different types of constructions, buildings or households that advance towards the plastic architecture.
Portal points of interest:
- Innovative materials for architecture … HERE.
- Optimum insulation thicknesses …HERE.
- Energy saving and efficiency measures in Buildings …HERE.
- Green Lighthouse building with LEED GOLD certification … HERE.
- Low consumption light bulbs, the heads and tails … HERE.
If you liked this article, share it!
