The specification of StoVentec Glass rainscreen cladding for a second new building at a leading UK school has underlined the unique design possibilities offered by the system. It was specified for a new two-storey science block which has been built at Wolverhampton Girl’s High School, following its successful use on the school’s new sixth-form building which was completed in 2018.
Sto’s head of sales, Ashley Wainwright explains,
“The design of the new science block followed the vision of the first new building in 2018, by using modern materials which complemented the architecture of the existing school premises. The intention was to harmonise the new science building with its surroundings by reflecting the attractive landscaping of the surrounding site, and the StoVentec Glass system was specified again due to the high degree of reflectivity it provided, coupled with its impressive durable and robust characteristics.”
As with every installation of StoVentec Glass, a bespoke sub-construction forms part of this rainscreen cladding system, which can easily be adjusted on-site to accommodate any uneven surfaces. This creates a ventilated cavity which enables the walls of the building to breathe and allows them to dry rapidly. Sto’s tempered safety glass panels, which are factory-bonded to the company’s rugged and resilient StoVentec carrier boards are then fixed to the sub-construction on site.
The manufacturing process for the glass panels allows a wide range of both RAL and custom colours to be bonded onto the rear of the glass. This fuses the colour into the glass to create panels that will not wear, scratch, fade, or incur water damage. They are available with reflective, non-reflective or metallic finishes, and can be made in bespoke shapes and sizes to suit individual requirements. Individual logos, designs or images can also be screen printed onto the glass to enhance the design possibilities.
The StoVentec Glass system can be mounted onto virtually all substrates and has been tested against impact, smoke emission, bomb blast, and a reaction to fire classification A2-s1, d0 to EN 13501-1.