EnduroShield easy clean surface treatment for glass has been used on gin-maker Bombay Sapphire’s first in-house production facility at an old Victorian paper mill in Laverstoke, Hampshire.
The abandoned 18th century paper mill’s original brick buildings were converted into the distillery, while a pair of curved glass greenhouses were added to house the 10 tropical and Mediterranean botanicals used to create the world famous gin.
Throughout the renovation process, Bombay Sapphire and architects Heatherwick Studio, were dedicated to creating a sustainable and efficient distillery, which upheld the heritage of the site. In recognition of this, the gin distillery was awarded the Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) award for Industrial Design.
The 20,000m2 state-of-the-art facility has been recognised as the first distillery and first refurbishment to achieve an ‘outstanding’ design stage BREEAM accreditation. The centrepiece of the award winning distillery is the greenhouse, designed by Thomas Heatherwick. It is made up of two glasshouses which extend from the distillery, using recycled air from the distillation process to maintain a warm climate within. The glasshouses also take full advantage of advances in glass technology, one of which is EnduroShield’s easy clean nanotechnology. The EnduroShield coated glass utilised in this remarkable structure is said to be synonymous with the development’s eco strategy; not only does EnduroShield protect the glass form staining and etching but also helps to reduce environmental and monetary costs from ongoing maintenance.
EnduroShield easy clean surface treatment for glass was applied in-factory, prior to installation into the ‘swooping’ glasshouse structures. EnduroShield chemically bonds to the glass substrate, transforming it into a high performance hydrophobic surface which will protect against staining, and reduce the effort and frequency of maintenance. Water and contaminants are said to bead right off.
With its strong environmental focus, the Bombay Sapphire distillery project is said to be ‘at the forefront of eco-conscious architecture’. Bombay Sapphire has also commented that the sustainability measures taken during the design and construction process make ‘fundamental financial sense’, increasing efficiency with ongoing savings in operational energy and water costs ‘well into the future’.
Described as ‘the smart choice for glass surfaces’ EnduroShield provides a permanent*, ultra-thin, transparent coating that completely adheres to the glass surface. The coating provides a reduction of both the frequency and the time spent cleaning.
Developed with cutting edge nanotechnology, the coating is said to be applied by many of the world’s leading glass companies and is an official partner to the Lisec Corporation, the world’s largest manufacturer of high-tech production lines for the glass industry.
*Independently tested and certified by TÜV Rheinland, Germany for durability to simulate a lifetime of 10 years on interior and exterior use.
