ClearVue Technologies obtains solar curtain wall certification in Australia and NZ
ClearVue Technologies will be able to sell its solar curtain wall technology throughout Australia and New Zealand after receiving certification for the product.
Building material developer ClearVue Technologies (ASX: CPV) has pleased shareholders this morning with news its “advanced glazing technology” was confirmed compliant with Australian and New Zealand building standards.
ClearVue says its solar curtain wall technology has been certified in accordance with the AS/NZS 4284:2008 standard, meaning the company has the green light to sell its high-tech solar curtain wall in Australia and NZ.
A glass curtain wall system is an outer covering of a building which is non-structural, designed to keep the weather out, and permits maximum natural light penetration.
Glass curtain walls are usually constructed to span multiple floors, taking into consideration design requirements such as resisting air and water infiltration, as well as diverting water away from a building and compensating for thermal expansion and contraction.
Glass curtain walls are also used to counteract “building sway”, to balance movement and forces acting on a building, to withstand greater wind loads, provide thermal efficiency for cost-effective heating – as well as mitigating other factors such as lighting.
To obtain the certification, ClearVue’s product was taken through a series of rigorous tests including wind and water pressure, structural integrity, air infiltration, water penetration and strength.
AS/NZS 4284:2008 is the mandatory minimum specification for glass curtain walls in Australia and NZ and serves as a mission-critical milestone that allows ClearVue to commercialise its solar window curtain wall technology.
“The successful rigorous testing demonstrating compliance of the ClearVue curtain wall product against AS/NZS 4284:2008 for the Australian and NZ markets demonstrates the adaptability of ClearVue’s IGU and means ClearVue can now supply its curtain wall for use in all of its upcoming demonstration sites,” said Victor Rosenberg, executive chairman of ClearVue Technologies.
“But, more importantly, ClearVue can now engage with customers in Australia and NZ for initial projects requiring a curtain wall solution – most modern mid to high-rise structures,” added Mr Rosenberg.
Solar build up
To-date, ClearVue has arranged two high-profile pilot projects that implement solar glass within a self-sustaining glass greenhouse, as well as permitting the solar PV technology to be used in a prototype micro-home, to be constructed by Mirreco.
ClearVue’s two projects are crucial because they pave the way for the company to demonstrate the viability of its solar curtain wall product in actual building projects.
Mirreco has developed an environmentally-friendly, carbon-negative industrial hemp material, which is used as panelling material to create eco-friendly homes or in larger structures for the commercial property market.
Under the terms of its agreement with Mirreco, ClearVue will become an exclusive supplier of solar window products, initially for small-scale housing units, or “micro homes”, created by Mirreco.
The receipt of its Australian and NZ certification means ClearVue can commence various pilot projects in Oceania and marks the first step towards commercialising its solar glass technology in Australia.
To be able to market its technology in the US and Europe, ClearVue has applied for industrial certification in the US which it says will take around six months.
By midday, ClearVue’s share price had risen almost 8% to A$0.34.