Understanding the basic material compositions, production processes, and testing methods of shade fabric will help designers select a shade fabric that meets the sustainable demands of a project. The Mermet USA plant tour shows attendees every step of the woven shade fabric production process including raw materials, weaving and coating, to fabric testing in a hands-on learning experience. This in-person course and tour educates attendees on these points and shows them the energy that was used in the production of the shade materials found in their buildings. The tour also shows the rigorous product inspection and testing methods which greatly affect the shade product-life cycle on the built environment.
Today, in the Architecture and Design Community, energy efficient building design alone does not embody true sustainability in the built environment. The industry is also challenged to consider the energy used in the production of all building materials as well as the product life cycle of these materials and how often they will need replacing. This hands on course addresses these topics specifically for architectural shading, demonstrating how different shade fabric compositions and testing methods compare with regards to accomplishing certain goals for occupant comfort and building performance.
- Observe the material composition and production processes of coated fiberglass shade fabrics including, mixing, coating, weaving, and inspection.
- Identify the different testing methods used for evaluating shade fabric performance including: elongation, tensile and breaking strength, fire safety tests, dimensional stability, acoustical absorption, blackout versus glow light transmittance tests, and more.
- Asses common shade material certifications, product transparency programs and documents, as well as understand the future of code compliance with architectural shading.
- Gain an understanding of how the shade fabric production process affects the product-life cycle.
Click REQUEST A CEU to schedule an in-person session and a Mermet fabric design consultant will contact you shortly. This course will earn the following learning units:
AIA® Learning Units | 3.0 CES Hours HSW
