ACRYLITE® Heatstop Helps Denver Firm Save On Energy

Administrative Concepts — a small business consulting firm in Denver — was experiencing high energy bills and uncomfortable working conditions due to overheating caused by office skylights. Although management didn’t want to lose the natural light, it was resigned to the fact that the skylights had to be removed. That all changed when they met with a Denver-based roofing company and plastic fabricator. The result is new skylights designed with Roehm America’s ACYRLITE® Heatstop acrylic sheet that have allowed Administrative Concepts to realize the benefits of natural light in the workplace while reducing energy costs and improving the work environment.

The project began in 2009, when Administrative Concepts requested a proposal from Turner Morris Roof Systems to replace the roof of its building, which was damaged in a hail storm. Plagued by exorbitant utility bills, the company asked Turner Morris to remove the building’s eight skylights, which were causing unwanted solar heating, as part of the project. However, Aaron Cress at Turner Morris decided to contact Randy Hahn of A.I.A. Plastics, Inc. to see if a solution could be reached that would save the skylights. “We have conducted tests on the heat blocking material and ACRYLITE® Heatstop sheet does reduce the amount of heat coming from acrylic dome-style skylights. As a result, it lowers the internal ambient room temperature compared to conventional skylight lenses. For these reasons, we thought that we could provide an alternative that would satisfy the management at Administrative Concepts,” said Hahn.

Passing the Test with Flying Colors

Rather than installing all eight skylights at once, Turner Morris replaced one skylight located directly above the desk of Dale Johnson, owner of Administrative Concepts, so he could test firsthand the new skylight designed with ACRYLITE® Heatstop acrylic sheet.

“I immediately noticed a difference in the heat gain and glare,” said Johnson. “I didn’t hesitate to call Turner Morris and tell them to proceed with replacing the other skylights as soon as possible. We were amazed that the entire installation only took one day to complete and went very smoothly.”

By replacing the traditional acrylic glazing materials in the skylights with ACRYLITE® Heatstop sheet, natural sunlight can illuminate the interior without causing overheating. The sheet uses a proprietary performance formulation that allows it to reflect considerably more incident solar radiation to limit the amount of heat entering the building.

As a result of the new skylights, Administrative Concepts experienced a significant energy savings this past summer. Studies have shown average annual air conditioning costs can be lowered by as much as 33% simply by using ACYRLITE® Heatstop sheet in place of traditional glazing materials. At the same time, it allows natural light to illuminate building interiors to reduce dependence on electrical lighting. Its energy saving advantages make ACRYLITE® Heatstop well suited for environmentally friendly designs.

“We are thrilled with the ACRYLITE® Heatstop and would recommend this solution to any building owner,” said Johnson. “The new skylights provide the best of both worlds because we still enjoy natural light throughout our office and have been able to reduce our energy costs.”

 

Location: Denver, Colorado

Fabricator: Turner Morris

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ACRYLITE® Heatstop Helps Denver Firm Save On Energy