TEXTILES.ORG
By Frank Edgerton Martin
Architects Luisa Badía and Néstor Soldate explain that because of its light weight, ETFE has lower embedded energy costs in shipment and installation. The Vitam’Parc project meets French HQE (High Environmental Quality) objectives by reducing the visual impact on the landscape through the organic “freedom of form” afforded by ETFE.
The architects add that ETFE allows for energy saving by, “being an extremely sturdy polymer material that has good durability (high life-expectancy of at least 25 years), high transparency (95% light permeability), and allows temperature control and good insulation thanks to its three-membrane configuration.”
Like the wooden structure, ETFE is also recyclable, an important consideration in green design.