Polycarbonate (PC) is a thermoplastic polymer containing carbonate groups in their chemical structures. When used in engineering, polycarbonate is a strong and tough material, and some grades – as evident in the San Francisco home pictured here – are optically translucent. Polycarbonate can be easily worked, moulded and thermo-formed, making it useful for many applications. The benefits
Polycarbonate panels can be as much as 200 times stronger than glass panels, which is one of main reasons why they’re used for glazing. With such strength and durability, they can withstand natural forces such as snowstorms and severe wind.
They offer different degrees of heat insulation, which can depend on the structural design of the panel. Multi-wall polycarbonate panels – i.e. panels with an air space between sheets – offer some of the best heat insulation available in architecture. They can reduce or eliminate the need for heating and cooling, and ultimately reduce energy bills.
They can be manipulated for a range of distinctive design applications, including being cut into different shapes, molded into corrugated or textured forms, or printed with various colors.
They can transmit around 88 per cent of visible light, just a little less than glass. As the thickness of the polycarbonate increases, the internal loss of light transmission also increases, although this is minimal. Light is scattered as it passes through polycarbonate and becomes more diffuse, meaning it can penetrate into areas that light coming through glass does not.
Polycarbonate is available in various tints and textures, which will also affect the degree of visible light being transmitted. In this house, a south-facing, bottle-green polycarbonate wall fills the entry gallery with a soft, ethereal light.
They contribute to cost savings when it comes to heating, cooling and lighting. In addition, because the panels are lightweight, they require less structural support than glass and, theoretically, less freight costs. Plus, being durable and easy to clean can save on maintenance costs.
The disadvantages
While polycarbonate is durable and impact-resistant, it is prone to scratching.
Flutes in the multi-wall polycarbonate panels can attract moisture, mould and bugs and therefore need to be sufficiently sealed in the frame.
How to use polycarbonate in architecture
To cover an outdoor space Polycarbonate panels can be used to protect outdoor spaces. They provide shelter from the rain and offer UV protection while still allowing light to shine through.
For windows They are typically lower maintenance than the traditional glass alternative and generally required less cleaning. Clerestory panels help to provide even daylighting that reaches deep into a building’s interior. This home features clerestories with polycarbonate panels and glass-louvred windows at either side for maximum light, cross-flow ventilation and cooling in summer. In addition, the vast use of both glass and polycarbonate throughout the house, in place of dense walls, helps to provide a ‘translucent’ effect, further connecting the house to its natural surrounds.
As exterior siding Exterior siding made of polycarbonate panels creates a sense of lightness in a home – both in the lack of solidity of its physical appearance and striking illumination effects achieved at night.
For internal walls Inside a home, polycarbonate wall surfaces provide privacy between spaces while still allowing daylight to penetrate into rooms, which saves on artificial lighting during the day.
As a sliding door or room divider A slender polycarbonate panel can be used as a room divider, either permanently in place, or as this picture demonstrates, as a sliding door. It functionally and aesthetically defines the nursery while not completely sectioning it off from the room as a whole.
To soften light In contrast to glass, which can have a harsh glare in direct summer sunlight, polycarbonate panels can provide a filtered light to soften the look and feel of space. This San Francisco house has polycarbonate panels on the upper windows of the double-height space to soften the light in the predominantly white space.
In garage door design Polycarbonate can serve well as panels for garage doors as the material provides lower heat transmission. Plus, they are lightweight, which is ideal for the moving mechanism of garage doors.
To add colour Polycarbonate panels are an interesting way to add colour to both the interior and exterior of a home. They are available in tints including green, blue, grey and brown, as well as being able to be printed on with various patterns.