Tensile Materials / Fabric Membrane / Tensotherm™ with Lumira™ aerogel

Tensotherm™ with Lumira™ aerogel offers the same architectural beauty as PTFE fiberglass tensile fabric membrane, but with the added benefit of a feather-light insulation layer that traps air to prevent heat loss and solar heat gain. This layer, known as Lumira™ aerogel, has an air content of 95 percent, making it the lightest solid material in the world. Developed by Boston-based Cabot Corporation, the material is sandwiched between two layers of Birdair’s PTFE (Teflon®) fabric, yet remains less than one-half inch thick.

Birdair Tensotherm™ with Lumira™ aerogel offers many advantages in tensile fabric applications. With a notable insulation value of R-12, the material enhances thermal efficiency by retaining cool air in warm conditions and warm air in cold. In the process, it meets increasingly demanding energy and building codes required throughout North America. Next, it maintains Birdair’s notable daylight harvesting qualities by transmitting and diffusing natural light. In addition, because it is insulated, the material performs as a superior dampener of sound.

Like Birdair’s other fabric options, Tensotherm™ with Lumira™ aerogel is malleable, durable and fade resistant. In addition, it is water repellent and resists mold and mildew.

Tensotherm™ is a patent pending product of Birdair, Inc.