Cabot's Lumira(TM) aerogel Featured on New Daylighting Insulation Product at Greenbuild 2011

September 29, 2011

  • New curtainwall system by US Daylighting features Cabot's Lumira(TM) aerogel
  • AeroGlass ThermaDivide achieves overall U 0.06 insulation value - with no exposed aluminum to conduct heat or cold into the building
  • Customers and architects can now get U-value equivalent to a well-insulated solid wall, and still get the full spectrum of natural daylight

BOSTON, Sep 29, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Cabot Corporation's (NYSE: CBT) Aerogel business today announced a new daylighting product using Cabot's Lumira aerogel to be introduced at the 2011 Greenbuild International Conference and Exhibition, to be held Oct. 4-7 in Toronto, Ontario Canada.

Glazing experts US Daylighting, LLC will be introducing AeroGlass ThermaDivide glass curtainwall systems insulated with Lumira aerogel, a translucent form of silica aerogel.

AeroGlass ThermaDivide offers architects and building owners the ability to create a beautiful, virtually seamless glass exterior that has a remarkable insulation value of U 0.06. This is equivalent to the U-value of a well-insulated solid wall, yet it will allow the full spectrum of natural daylight into the room.

AeroGlass ThermaDivide is a fully tested, complete aluminum framing system with a 3-inch thick panel made up of tempered glass. The interior of the insulated glass units (IGUs) are filled with Lumira aerogel, the world's lightest and best insulating solid material. The IGUs are a four-sided structural silicone with an aluminum frame, creating a virtually seamless floor to ceiling glass wall when viewed from the outside.

"This design not only looks better, it means there is no exposed aluminum to conduct hot or cold into or out of the building," said Jim French, president of US Daylighting. "Because of this, the complete system offers an overall insulation value of U 0.06 throughout - not just at the center of the glass." The inclusion of Lumira aerogel, previously called Nanogel® aerogel, also diffuses sunlight, removing any interior hot spots, shadows or glare, eliminating the need for blinds or curtains and reducing the need for artificial lighting during the day.

AeroGlass ThermaDivide IGUs do not build up excessive heat like traditional glass units, meaning that the interior surface can be tinted a different color from the exterior without the risk of thermal breakage. In addition, LumiraTM aerogel offers excellent acoustic insulation helping to reduce distracting and unwanted noises from outside.

AeroGlass ThermaDivide is 100-percent recyclable. Lumira aerogel is reusable, safe for human and ecological systems, and is manufactured with little to no impact on the environment. As a result, Lumira aerogel has been awarded the Silver Cradle to CradleSM certification from McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry. This stringent independent certification process examines a product's manufacturing characteristics and ecological impact, aiming to eliminate waste entirely and create a healthy and sustainable society.

Commenting on the technology, Cabot Aerogel global business manager James Satterwhite said, "Energy efficiency and sustainability are paramount in every architect's design and thought process. Coupled with that is the realization that high-level lifecycle performance and cost savings, particularly with the unpredictability of energy prices, are vital. Over the next decade, we expect that high performance insulation systems will become increasingly common as building owners and specifiers seek to meet or exceed increasingly strict building regulations."

Cabot to Host Special Lumira aerogel launch event - Oct. 6 at Soho Metropolitan Hotel

In addition to the launch of AeroGlass ThermaDivide, Cabot will be hosting a Lumira aerogel launch event during the Greenbuild conference on Oct. 6, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Soho Metropolitan Hotel. For more details, please visit http://www.goaccent.com/files/lumira_invite/lumira_invite1.html.

For more information about AeroGlass ThermaDivide visit Cabot Aerogel at Greenbuild booth # 325, or go to http://www.usdaylight.com

What is Lumira aerogel?

Sometimes called "frozen smoke," aerogel is the lightest and best insulating solid in the world. Lumiraaerogel, Cabot's branded aerogel, is a hydrophobic aerogel produced as particles. Each particle consists largely of air, greater than 90 percent, contained in a structure with pore sizes less than the mean free path of air molecules, which severely inhibits heat transfer through the material. Cabot produces Lumira aerogel in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located near Frankfurt, Germany where it began commercial production in 2003. Cabot certifies it has completed the EU REACH pre-registrations required for all Cabot aerogel products. For more information about Lumira aerogel please visit http://www.cabotaerogel.com.

About Cabot Corporation

Cabot Aerogel is a business of Cabot Corporation. Cabot Corporation is a global specialty chemical and performance materials company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Cabot's major products include carbon black, fumed silica, inkjet colorants, capacitor materials, aerogel, and cesium formate drilling fluids. The website address is: http://www.cabot-corp.com

About US Daylighting, LLC

US Daylighting, LLC, based in Bowling Green, Kentucky was founded in 2009. The company manufactures and distributes AeroGlass. The company's focus is on new commercial construction and the renovation of buildings needing to improve the appearance and energy efficiency of existing fenestration specifically in: hospitals, major retailers, schools and entertainment venues. Further details about the company and its products are available by visiting http://www.usdaylight.com.

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SOURCE: Cabot Corporation

for Cabot Corporation
Hilary Thorne-Banda, 978-670-6113
Manager, Marketing Communications