September 22, 2021
The increasing use of powder coatings to protect buildings from the forces of nature is creating a direct link between durability and sustainability in the built environment, says a new Interpon White Paper from AkzoNobel Powder Coatings.
But while some only consider the one-off costs when it comes to using more durable products, the conversation needs to shift toward the total cost of ownership over a building’s lifetime, when all factors including the expense of ongoing maintenance, repair and even cleaning are taken into account.
This is one of the key trends identified in the white paper which argues the case for the greater use of superdurable and hyperdurable powder coatings in the architectural space.
It explores how discussions around durability have become inseparable from sustainability, as a building’s ability to withstand weather and the corrosivity of its environment has a direct impact on the planet.
It also explains the benefits of standard durable, superdurable and hyperdurable powder coatings, the difference between ‘decorative performance’ and ‘film integrity’ in relation to product warranties and guarantees, and the importance of understanding and interpreting international standards and testing regimes including ‘natural’ and ‘accelerated’ weathering in the laboratory or real-life scenarios.
The co-author of the paper, Bob Dirks, Global Segment Manager, Architectural Powder Coatings, says architects have a key role to play in designing a future that is built to last.
“In some ways, the link between durability and sustainability is obvious: a building that lasts longer because its surfaces are protected is, by definition, more sustainable,” he says, “and breaks the vicious and wasteful cycle of ‘build, destroy, rebuild’.
“But there are less obvious links that the White Paper explores in detail, including frequency of cleaning that less durable powder-coated surfaces require, and the chemicals and materials used in the ongoing need to maintain and repair a building.”
Co-author Sencan Kizilkaya, Global Product Manager Architectural Powder Coatings, says a new benchmark in durability has been established: “When all factors are taken into consideration – product warranties, frequency of cleaning, frequency of replacement, value for money, etc. – the new benchmark in durability for architectural applications are powder coatings that are superdurable,” she says.
“Superdurable powder coatings deliver better color and gloss retention capabilities than standard durability coatings, as well as even greater resistance to damage caused through humidity and corrosion.”