The light building elements from Rodeca glaze a warehouse in Oberhausen. In Oberhausen an extension to an existing warehouse and logistics building for the Gude GmbH was created. Light-transmissive and coloured facade panels from Rodeca GmbH give the hall a special appearance both inside and outside. Above all, the appearance of the material contributes to a strong architectural appeal of the building.
The polycarbonate panels were customized in their colour scheme. With their multi-layered structure, they also take over the function of thermal insulation. This has a positive effect on the energy balance of the building. With regard to the use of the hall, the panels have other useful characteristics: Among other things, they protect the sensitive storage goods against UV radiation. The Gude GmbH with headquarter in Rheine is a supplier of disposable food packaging and hygiene products made of paper, plastic, aluminum and groundwood. From three locations in Germany, the wholesaler supplies and services customers like bakery, butcher, catering, industrial and office sectors. In Oberhausen, an existing warehouse and logistics centre has now been extended by a goods depot. With this extension Gude increases its existing capacities and creates the conditions for future growth.
Translucent facade panels
The planning group Mesum, the architect Wilhelm Bökenkamp from Rheine-Mesum, was hired for the architectural planning of the new building. The design was completed by a stringent structure with a storage area of 9,330 square meters. In the course of planning, the choice of the material of the facade was given special consideration. "Since we are here on a main road, the building should stand out without being visually intrusive," explains Henning Gude, Managing Director of Gude GmbH. At the same time, the focus was on energetic optimization of the building. Gude already had good experiences with the facade material of Rodeca GmbH from Mülheim an der Ruhr. It was built in 2014 on a new construction site in Rheine. Rodeca is a specialist in the manufacture of translucent polycarbonate facades and roofing systems. In Oberhausen, the light building elements are used on the facade of the hall as well as on various housings of the truck loading docks.
Natural daylight
Both in Rheine and in Oberhausen the choice fell on the product PC 2550-10 Duocolor. The panels are made of polycarbonate, a high-impact thermoplastic. They are weather and UV-resistant as well as heat-insulating. Thanks to their translucency, they allow part of the daylight to shine through the façade construction. Decisive for this is the light transmission value. In the chosen version, it is around 44 percent. The homogeneous light scattering also ensures a glare-free natural daylight of the storage areas. From the outside, the facade appears closed and opaque. Important for the industrial sector: In contrast to glass, polycarbonate is 200 times more impact resistant. The material does not splinter and thus offers additional safety. Another plus: ultraviolet radiation is transmitted less than one percent. Wave lengths up to 380 nanometres are almost completely stopped. This property can play a decisive role in UV-sensitive storage goods.
Good heat and fire protection
In the new building in Oberhausen, the light building elements form the envelope in front of a primary steel construction. In varying versions, the material also fulfils the function of thermal protection: the stronger the panel and the higher the number of layers, the better the U-value will be. The selected PC 2550-10 panels, for example, are 50 millimetres thick and have 10 layers and nine air chambers. With this multi-layered structure, a heat transfer coefficient of U = 0.90 W / m²K is achieved. The panels ensure optimal storage conditions and reduced energy costs both in winter and in summer. In addition to the heat, the fire protection played a significant role. This is especially important when storing flammable materials such as paper or cardboard. PC 2550-10 is classified as fire class B-s1, d0 according to DIN EN 13501. It is a flame retardant building material that meets the additional requirements of "no smoke" and "no flaming droplets".
Identity through colour
The facade panels from Rodeca are not only available in different thicknesses according to their thermal requirements, but also in a variety of colours. Architects and builders thus have a wide range of scope for the implementation of individual ideas. At the same time, it is possible to visually express the identity of a company - in the sense of a corporate architecture. A good example is the warehouse in Oberhausen. Here, the panels were chosen in the two-tone version "Duocolor". The outwardly facing layers are coloured in a different colour, as the ones directed to the building interior. On the outside, the company opted for the colour "titanium grey" - based on the company logo of Gude. In the interior of the new building "crystal" creates a bright and friendly room atmosphere. In addition to this version, the panels are available, for example, in many other colours similar to RAL and in individual colour graduations.
The two-tone façade material makes the warehouse an eye-catcher on the premises. The translucency - in conjunction with the reflections on the façade - makes the structure look almost like glass and correspondingly elegant. The synthetic character is almost completely lost. Additionally the material creates good working conditions. "We have already used the product in our premises in Rheine and are thrilled every day. The material not only looks timeless and noble, but also increases the working comfort of the employees in logistics through its daylight qualities, "explains Henning Gude.
Fast processing
The assembly was carried out vertically with sections of 49.5 centimetres wide and a length of 948 centimetres. The length of the panels was adjusted to the height of the warehouse. It was advantageous that this measure is limited only by the transport. In addition, system-related frame profiles were attached to the on-site substructure. In the frame profiles then elements with tongue and groove connection were installed. Due to the multi-layered construction, the panels have a low dead weight of only five kilograms per square meter. This feature and the processor-friendly system components make assembly much easier and enable fast, efficient work. In Oberhausen, for example, an area of 1,780 square meters was realized within two months with the products from Rodeca.
