Fabric Tech
The Sola Roof building envelope is generally composed of transparent, structural fabrics which are extrusion coated open mesh glass scrims that we refer to as a Sola Fabric. This building envelope system is manufactured as a double-layer, prefabricated, modular panel system for easy on-site wall and roof assembly. These transparent panels are designed to have the longest service life of any structural fabric available today.
The most advanced Sola Fabric manufacturing specifications call for the highest quality THV Polymer (or silicon resin) for the coating, and such weather proof, fire proof and UV inert panels, when they become available will be interchangeable with our current cover materials. These advanced polymers are reinforced with a high-tenacity glass scrim that will withstand all structural forces, including snow loads and uplift wind load and they are expected not yellow or degrade in any manner for twenty to thirty years. This section is about FLEXIBLE building envelopes.
The Sola Fabric panels are manufactured as a completely pre-fabricated modular system with an continuous anchoring system to the aluminum structure. It is easy to install, remove, and replace the modular, flexible building envelope, which is post stressed after installation. The structure and the Sola Fabric panels may be disassembled and moved to another site with out any damage to the components. The Open Source V Grip system is used for installation of the Sola Fabric panel edges to the special chord-section of the aluminum roof joist. The Sola Fabric panels have the highest available light transmission coefficient, and are tough, shatter proof and highly resistant to hail. The Sola Fabric panels are formulated for UV stability and have been field tested with excellent results. This material is rated for cold resistance to -60 degrees C.
The currently available Sola Fabric materials are composed of advanced vinyl film and laminate materials are expected not yellow or degrade in any manner for at least ten (10) years. These materials are a very reasonable cost and they are interchangable with materials that are of higher and lesser cost. The Lowest cost material is a Poly Fabric? that is composed of a laminate of high density polyethylene woven ribbons that are extrusion coated with low density polyfilm on both sides. Polyethylene, vinyl and other films can also be used, especially on the Tunnel Structures? where snow can slide off the cover onto the ground. However, films are not recommended for the Wide Span Structures? where the Sola Fabric or Poly Fabric? should be used because they are dimensionally stable under load.
The Sola Roof building envelope is composed of modular Roof Panels? and Wall Panels?.
The double-layer Sola Fabric panel is rated self extinguishing (for vinyl) or noncombustible (for THV) if exposed to fire. This Sola Fabric system is completely drip free in all conditions and is specially designed to collect condensate from the interior layer, which may be utilized as pure distilled water, or reutilize for crop irrigation. The choice of materials used to fabricate the Sola Fabric panels are not restricted to the material described above, but can be constructed out of many types and qualities of materials. The Sola Roof panel may be provided with any degree of shading built into individual panels. Additionally, the Bubble Tech and Liquid Solar systems can dynamically modulate the light. Therefore, in a greenhouse application, sections of the structure may be provided that may be dedicated to the production of tissue cultured plantlets, shade plants, or for non-growing use such as potting, packing, warehousing, office or commercial space. Such areas of the Solar Controlled Environment greenhouse can be manufactured from special purpose Sola Fabric material designed to maximize the productivity of these activities.
The light levels within the Sola Roof structure will similar to that found in a conventional single layer glass covered greenhouse while providing the advantage of double-glazing. This is due to the high light transmission, low reflectance and the benefit of a degree of light diffusion. Both covering layers of Sola Fabric are highly transparent to PAR radiation (outer 92%, inner 95%) so that a maximum of light (87 %) is transmitted for plant growth. There is the further advantage of the very low structural shading co-efficient because we do not have the glazing bar elements that are needed to support rigid and semi-rigid glazing panels, and our gutter system is transparent. Additionally, there is no shading from gathered curtains or heat distribution pipes since these components are not present.
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