A new specifiers guide, commissioned by Australian polycarbonate giant Palram, provides a clear case for selecting polycarbonate sheeting over traditional float and performance glazing in a variety of building contexts. 

An Architect’s Guide: Specifying Polycarbonate Sheeting, attempts to address the information gap in the industry surrounding the thermal performance, durability, tensile and yield strength, and design flexibility of polycarbonate sheeting.

The guide builds from an overview of the chemical composition of polycarbonate sheeting to demonstrate how the highly-flexible material affords the designer a whole range of performance and sustainability benefits that standard float or performance glazing cannot.

Other than providing new insight into the load bearing, insulating and structural capability of polycarbonate sheeting, it also gives an overview on the improved life-expectancy and warranty deals offered by high-end polycarbonate suppliers, and highlights the range of benefits associated with different coloured and sized sheeting.

More general reflections are also made by Palram about how polycarbonate sheeting is being used by architects around Australia to bring extra natural light into the building without detriment to its protected energy use and interior comfort. These reflections are justified when you consider the spate of recent developments using polycarbonate sheeting in new and interesting ways.

The guide is free to download and comes with further information for architects on how to tailor polycarbonate solutions to suit specific requirements and how to best incorporate the material in a project timeline.

To find out more about specifying polycarbonate sheeting click here and download An Architect’s Guide: Specifying Polycarbonate Sheeting.