by Brianna Crandall — July 13, 2018 — Halio smart-tinting glass has been selected for use in the renovation of Gare Maritime, a turn-of-the-century commercial train station in Brussels, Belgium, according to Halio North America and Halio International. It is reportedly the first large-scale deployment of Halio and will be produced at Kinestral Technologies’ new high- volume factory later this year. The factory will produce several million square feet of Halio each year at sizes up to 10 feet tall, notes the company.
Halio will be featured in 600 windows for the two large glass façades of the Gare Maritime building renovation. Image courtesy Halio
Craig Henricksen, vice president of Marketing for Kinestral Technologies, Inc., the maker of Halio smart-tinting technologies, remarked:
Gare Maritime is the first of several orders to come this year. Our presence here at AIA is to affirm that we are taking orders globally. Architects and developers around the world are witnessing just how much Halio has advanced electrochromic technologies — and they’re responding. We are in final negotiations on a number of projects in North America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe — and we’ll be announcing them in the coming weeks and months.
The Gare Maritime project was secured by Halio International, one of the joint venture companies formed by Kinestral Technologies and AGC to be the exclusive providers of Halio smart-tinting glass to the building industry. Extensa, an Ackermans & Van Haaren company and the developer of the project, selected Halio for the renovation primarily because the product helps them achieve their ambitious sustainability goals while using innovative technologies to ensure occupant comfort without covering up the original metal architecture with blinds or other daylighting techniques.
Alain Jardinet, CEO of Halio International, commented:
Halio is the world’s most advanced natural light management system. It’s extremely responsive. It begins tinting within seconds, and it reaches full tint in less than three minutes. That’s up to 10 times faster than similar technologies, and because it tints uniformly, the relief from glare and solar heat happens almost immediately.
In its clear state, Halio is indistinguishable from conventional glass, making it suitable for renovation projects that aim to preserve architectural elements while taking advantage of advanced technologies. Extensa will retain the art-nouveau wrought-iron framework of Gare Maritime to build a “covered town” with high-end offices, restaurants, retail, and public spaces. Halio will be featured in 600 windows for the two large glass façades of the building.
The project is located in the Brussels Canal Zone and is part of the major urban restoration of Tour & Taxis, once a customs clearance and storage complex in Belgium, that covers 100 acres.
Announced recently as the exclusive providers of Halio products and services to the building industry, Halio North America and Halio International are joint venture companies created by AGC, a global flat glass manufacturer, and Kinestral Technologies, designer, developer, and manufacturer of Halio smart-tinting technologies. The partnership leverages their respective strengths and knowledge: AGC’s reputation in the building industry and 100+ years of experience in glass technologies, and Kinestral’s innovative, patented smart-tinting technologies.
To learn more, visit the Halio Glass website. A video of the tinting technology is also available on the announcement.
