Cross Towers is a state-of-the-art 24-storey building designed by renowned architects Foster + Partners and opened in 2008. Situated at the gateway to the Vivaldi Park area of the Zuidas business district in southern Amsterdam, it is the Dutch headquarters of professional services giant Ernst & Young.
The 87m tall (285 ft) building utilises a series of environmentally progressive measures and is 10% more energy efficient than the national requirements. The blocks are staggered in plan to let in as much natural light as possible and to make the most of the northerly city views. The northern façade is fully glazed, while partial 30% glazing to the east, west and south limits solar gain. Combined with ground water storage to further save on energy for cooling, the overall environmental strategy is highly efficient.
Adding to the green credentials is Ritec’s ClearShield® liquid-applied glass surface treatment, applied in the factory prior to installation. Thanks to its ‘non-stick’ easy-clean performance, this ensures all glazing retains its high photometric properties by resisting staining and weathering, despite the building’s busy urban location. Moreover, glass treated with ClearShield® reduces the frequency of cleaning which helps to lower the carbon footprint as, for example, the need for window cleaning vehicles travelling to site is reduced.
With over 40 years of track records, ClearShield® is specified by many architects around the world as it is proven to protect glass surfaces before, during and after construction. Glass already installed can be treated with ClearShield® on-site if necessary after our unique glass renovation process. Glass renovation is a highly cost-effective alternative to replacing glass that is no longer easy to clean and keep clean.
For more information about Ritec ClearShield®, visit www.ritec.co.uk.
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