JEC Group has launched a book on the growing use of composites in architecture: The Future of Building: The Growing Use of Composites in Construction and Architecture. Its 194 pages of information and 80 concrete examples demonstrate the advantages of composites: lightweight, durable, resistant to corrosion, inexpensive to maintain, flexible design, etc.
“Composites are playing an increasingly bigger role in construction! Between 2016 and 2021, we are expecting a sharp growth in the market and a 5 to 6 percent annual increase in the use of composites in this sector,” explains Frédérique Mutel, JEC Group president & CEO.
“This new book supports JEC Group’s strategy toward end users. Composite materials offer tremendous advantages for architects and designers and, for the first time, they are the subject of a book that demonstrates the performance of composites in the construction and furniture industries,” adds Anne-Carole Barbarin, development director at JEC Group.
Composites comply with standards required in the construction industry and offer the possibility of integrating certain functions and provide greater energy efficiency. “It is predicted that in 2050, 66 percent of the world’s population will live in urban areas. It is vital that we find construction materials that enable us to construct durable buildings that meet environmental standards and that provide affordable urban housing. Composites are one possibility,” Mutel says.
One building that demonstrates the benefits of composites for the construction industry and that is presented in the book is the Institute of Sport. The complex design of the building’s facade was inspired by the body of an athlete. It was made possible thanks to the properties of fiberglass reinforced with polyester resin. Australian architects David Karotkin and Michael V. Henderson were able to offset material costs with the savings composites provide as a result of their lightweight properties, off-site manufacture, ease of installation and low ongoing maintenance. The facade was completed in 12 weeks, from creating the unique MDF mold and 7.5-meter-high composite panels to being fully installed.