Pilkington Pools Its Resources

A range of Pilkington glass products have been used to improve the aesthetic appeal of the new £10.7m Welsh National Pool, recently completed in Swansea.

The products include Pilkington Insulight units with built-in LUXACLAIR, blinds.

Home to the Welsh Amateur Swimming Association and other bodies, the new centre meets the standards of the world swimming governing body, the Federation Internationale De Natation, FINA.

For the south elevation, Pilkington Building Products-UK supplied 70 Pilkington Insulight' double glazed insulating units.

These comprised of an 8mm Pilkington Optifloat Clear T Plus toughened and heat soaked glass for the outer pane and 8.8mm Pilkington Optilam' K laminated glass for the inner pane.

In the cavity, LUCAXLAIR micro-venetian blinds were specified to provide control of the light ingress into the building.

These blinds are operated using the sophisticated Concerto operating mechanism, which commands whole groups of blinds to adopt the same positioning.

This enables the elevation as a whole to provide optimum light control, sunshading when needed and thermal insulation.

The LUXACLAIR blinds, protected by the Pilkington glazing, retain their 'as new' appearance for many years.

The pool was built as an extension to the existing University Sports Centre and consists of a 50m pool which can be divided into two 25m pools via a submersible boom and moveable floor.

Offices and a sports specific science lab were also constructed at the centre.

The national competition and training swimming centre has been built to a design by leisure and sports specialist, Stephen Limbrick Associates and overlooks Swansea Bay.

Says Andrew Lawley of fenestration contractors, Parry Bowen Ltd: "The glass wall allows in natural daylight which is easily controlled by the Luxaclair blinds.

It adds to the attraction of the building as well as providing functionality." The construction team included project manager and QS, Faithful Gould, structural engineer, Atkins and contractor, Shepherd.

Pilkington Building Products - UK manufactures a wide range of float, coated, rolled, laminated and toughened glass products as well as its own range of high performance insulating glass units.

Glass is distributed to direct to customers, either as stock or as bespoke processed products to meet their needs either direct from St Helens or through our network of 23 branches countrywide.

The company is highly focused on quality and service, continually improving to deliver the benefits of Pilkington's technical ability and innovation to the end user.

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