Mermet weaves its web on the western port of Helsinki with its SV 3% Koolblack ™

This building, placed facing the sea and fully glazed to allow plenty of natural light, had, in use, revealed to suffer from strong direct and indirect glare. A real challenge to take up since it was a question of finding a solution which would present, at the same time, a minimal impact on the architecture and a total efficiency.

A successful bet for Mermet: thanks to its unequaled performance, the choice of its SV 3% Koolback ™ fabric, the first dark indoor screen that combines visual comfort and thermal comfort, has once again naturally imposed itself in a country where, in summer, the sun never sets!

An essential fight against glare

For the Finnish architecture agency Pesark, working on the efficiency of flows to improve the rotation of ever larger ferries was just as important as providing a bright but comfortable public space. Transparency was therefore essential to satisfy the 5,4 million passengers departing for Sweden, Estonia or cruises on the Baltic Sea.

However, the low sun from the east in the morning and from the west in the afternoon shone through the building, making it difficult to work at the check-in counters.

“Our main objective was to guarantee a comfortable working environment for employees in the registration area. But this need to reduce direct and indirect glare should not affect the architecture. The answer provided is based on:

• a sun protection solution which retains the feeling of openness of the building and keeps excellent transparency towards the outside
• a fabric that offers excellent glare control all year round, which is a challenge in Finland where the sun's path is very different between summer and winter
• a discreet device and a system easy to control by the end user
• maintaining optimal thermal comfort for users

The SV 3% Koolback ™ fabric, transparent heat shield, was able to be invisible in the glass facades seen from the outside thanks to its dark Charcoal color (reference 3535) and met all our expectations.

92 fabrics (2 mm x 500 mm), or 3 m², were installed in the form of internal roller blinds, Somfy IO motors. " Maria Sillman - Studio Dekosol OY.

KoolblackTM, a patented technology by Mermet

By improving the solar reflection of dark fabrics, Koolback ™ technology guarantees:

• Optimal indoor heat control with improved solar reflection (Rs = 29%). Thanks to Koolback ™ technology, the solar reflection of dark colors is increased to reach levels comparable to those of light colors. A step forward with regard to classic dark screens which, for an equivalent fabric, obtain a solar reflection of 5%
• Optimal thermal comfort: 69% of the solar energy rejected (gtot - 0,31 / glazing g = 0,32 and U = 1,1)
• Excellent glare control: 95% of filtered light rays (Tv = 5%)
• An excellent view towards the outside and a perfect integration, seen from the outside, to the facades of buildings

Finally, thanks to its large width of 310 cm, the SV 3% Koolback ™ fabric can be fitted to large bays without fittings.

Equipped with the Greenguard® label (guarantee of indoor air quality VOC), fire rated FR (USA) -NFPA 701 and BS (GB) - 5867, resistant to bacteria (more than 99% of bacteria destroyed - ASTM 2180 ), the new SV 3% Koolback ™ fabric also offers excellent durability thanks to a mechanical endurance test of 10.000 cycles (class 3 NF EN 13120) and guarantees perfect flatness even in large dimensions.

Always at the forefront of innovation, Mermet stands out again through the performance of its solutions. Thanks to Koolblack ™ technology, dark fabrics now keep their optical and thermal performance!