Just in time for the 2005 season Bayer Sheet Europe introduces its new Makrolon® multi UV IQ-Relax sheet. With the market launch, an optimized intelligent sheet will become available for the implementation of unusual roofing and façades of new buildings and for the modernization of existing ones. As all other IQ sheets the Relax version is a material that „thinks“ – it is tailored to the special requirements that materials in roofing areas have to fulfill regarding functionality, processability, and safety. Thanks to an optimized production process, the new polycarbonate sheet also offers economic advantages, and its opal color lets even more light through.

What makes the sheets „intelligent“ is the IQ function in the basic material. On sunny days, the sheets reflect the infrared portion of the sunlight, thus reducing the heat in the interior of the building. On cold days, on the other hand, the material has an insulating effect, letting sunlight through and using it optimally to provide warmth. Compared to standard sheets on the market, the IQ-Relax sheets reduce the heat by up to 50 percent with regard to the total energy transmittance, while letting a great amount of light pass through – an excellent result that guarantees a pleasant room temperature independent of the weather. The extraordinary homogenous gain in light results in a comfortable “light ambience”.

Whether it is the façade of an industrial building or the conservatory of a single-family home, the Makrolon® multi UV IQ sheets are flexibly integrated in each application. A good example is the rest stop Ellwanger Berge on the A7 autobahn in Germany. In the course of its modernization, IQ sheets were installed on a surface larger than 1,100 square meters, without massive support structure. This was only possible because of the low weight of the sheets and their rigidity. For the operator of the rest stop, the IQ sheets meant considerable lower modernization costs, as an expensive secondary structure was unnecessary. There was also the added benefit of the excellent insulating and reflecting properties of the material, with the result of reduced energy costs by more than 20 percent for the entire rest stop.

This and other successful projects have prompted Bayer Sheet Europe to further push the research in insulating IQ sheets. „With the new IQ-Relax version, we get ready for the increasing demand for heat-reducing yet heat-insulating construction materials,“ says Günther Winnerl, segment manager construction at Bayer Sheet Europe; „what we see emerging is the trend towards intelligent plastics, which is due to increasing energy costs.“ „This is why“, says Winnerl, „we are convinced that the new IQ sheet will be a success. It adjusts to the exterior weather conditions. Rain or shine – the sheets always provide a pleasant room temperature.“

The Makrolon® multi UV IQ-Relax sheet is part of the successful i-LINE from Bayer Sheet Europe, the quality mark for a new generation of optimized products that provide innovative solutions for the highest requirements in construction. Visit Bayer Sheet Europe at the K trade show Düsseldorf from October 20 to 27, 2004, Hall 6, Stand A75, and learn about the i-LINE products. Bayer Sheet Europe also supports the K special exhibit „Plastics – First Choice for Winners“ in Hall 6.