Optimization has become paramount to fabric building design. The days of fabric structures coming in pre-engineered, off-the-shelf size offerings share little resemblance to today’s quality-driven approach of providing the optimal solution to the client.
Fabric advancement
While the introduction of the I-beam frame was the most dramatic revolution in fabric buildings, fabric cladding itself has also seen some remarkable improvements. Polyethylene (PE) has been the most widely used fabric in Canada and elsewhere for as long as fabric structures have existed. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was the more expensive alternative, usually reserved for higher end project types where its added strength and longevity was a requirement.
Several years ago, innovations in a new PVC brought the price tag of this material more closely in line with PE fabrics, even though the product had actually been improved at the same time to make it an even more attractive option than PE.
Standard PE fabric has three layers: a scrim layer with the fabric weave and two coating layers on the top and bottom to seal in the fabric. The newer PVC material is constructed of seven layers: high-strength woven fabric in the middle, primer layers applied to the base fabric, top-coat layers on both sides to give the product its shape, then a final lacquer layer on both the top and bottom to seal the fabric with a smooth finish. Weathering tests have indicated this advanced PVC fabric will retain more than twice the tensile strength of a standard PE fabric, giving it many more years of long-term durability.
It is worth noting fabric’s usefulness means different things to different users. In some markets, such as commodity storage, aviation, and agriculture, architects utilize white fabric roofing because of its translucency, allowing natural sunlight to help illuminate the interior during daytime hours. This can cut down on artificial lighting needs. Fabric is also adept at keeping the interior environment warmer in the winter months and cooler in the summer months.
In other instances, such as athletic facilities and event centers, it is more desirable to have an insulated building for a consistent and controlled indoor temperature. Insulation is covered with a fabric liner, which offers the benefit of a bright and beautiful interior look and feel for the activities taking place inside.
