Jun 2 2010
Thousands of fans gathering at the FIFA World Cup™ 2010 matches, held from June 11 – July 11, 2010 in South Africa, are in for a brilliant new experience – courtesy of SABIC Innovative Plastics’ high-performance Lexan* polycarbonate (PC) sheet. Lexan Exell D* sheet, a lightweight, high-impact and UV-resistant monolithic material, was chosen to create the roofing, façades and stairway glazing for the stunning new Soccer City Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg, where this year’s opening and closing FIFA matches will be played.
Soccer City Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg Using SABIC Innovative Plastics’ Lexan* Exell D Sheet.
Lexan Exell D sheet was also selected for the building joints of the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, and Lexan Thermoclear* multiwall sheet was chosen for roof glazing at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane for the upcoming FIFA World Cup games. These amazingly tough, lightweight and transparent PC materials offer spectators an excellent viewing experience along with superior comfort, safety and aesthetics vs. traditional options like glass, and are the top choice of architects to create the world’s largest and most impressive structures. SABIC Innovative Plastics has long been a major player in the building & construction industry with a robust and growing portfolio of proven, sustainable, high-end products designed to help customers succeed.
The unique design of the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg was inspired by a calabash, a hollowed-out gourd used as a traditional African cooking pot. Durable Lexan Exell D sheet roofing, which represents boiling water flowing over the top of the pot and down the sides, protects up to 95,000 spectators from changing weather conditions. As glazing for the stadium’s stairways, Lexan Exell D sheet admits natural light for pleasant ambiance and safety. The SABIC Innovative Plastics’ sheet covers a total of 14,000 m2 (150,000 ft2).
“Today’s sports stadiums and arenas combine unique design concepts, with tough requirements for safety, weatherability and code compliance,” said Lennard Markestein, global marketing director, Specialty Film & Sheet, SABIC Innovative Plastics. “Lexan PC sheet delivers the clarity of glass without its drawbacks of weight and fragility, enabling award-winning and unique designs and a safe, satisfying experience for attendees. Our materials are playing a critical role in the construction of public buildings because they combine outstanding performance, environmental responsibility and aesthetics.”
Stadiums Around the World Feature Lexan Sheet
Lexan sheet products are the materials of choice for sports stadiums in many nations. For example, Lexan Thermoclear sheet was specified for more than 50 stadiums throughout the world, including the Sydney Olympic Stadium in Australia, Chongqing Olympic Stadium in China, and the UEFA European Football Championship Euro 2008™ and Euro 2004™ stadiums in Austria, Switzerland and Portugal.
Elegant Solutions for Complex Projects
Lexan Exell D monolithic sheet is a transparent PC sheet with proprietary UV protection on both sides, offering excellent weathering properties. It offers flame retardance that complies with the European fire standard EN 13501-1 for safety, and complies with glazing security impact resistance according to EN 356. Lexan Exell D sheet can be easily cold-formed into gentle curves, which makes it a good choice for skylights, covered walkways and barrel vaults. It is thermoformable into the desired geometry while retaining its UV-resistant coating. This material is backed by a 10-year limited written warranty against yellowing, loss of light transmission and breakage.
Lexan Thermoclear multiwall sheet products are a versatile thermoplastic glazing material that has been used in arena roofing and other glazing for more than 30 years and delivers a unique combination of advantages in roofing for large, complex structures. Compared to glass, Lexan Thermoclear sheet is significantly lighter in weight while offering high stiffness and more than 250 times the impact resistance to reduce the risk of breakage from wind, hail, and other extreme weather, as well as vandalism.
Lexan sheet glazing materials can help to deliver measurable return on investment through ease of installation; lower insurance costs due to weather damage; and less need for replacement due to UV degradation, weathering, and breakage.