TOP Partner Dow Solutions to Power New International Olympic Committee Headquarters
Multiple Dow solutions have been selected to enhance the architecture and performance of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s new headquarters building—Olympic House—in Lausanne, Switzerland. The building is set to serve as the unified global meeting place for the Olympic Movement.
Scheduled for inauguration in June 2019, the overall architecture of Olympic House is inspired by the movement of athletes, and blends into its natural park setting through elements such as rooftop gardens. Complementing the environmental surroundings, Olympic House is being constructed with a very high level of energy efficiency, long-term savings and sustainability in mind, targeting the achievement of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification.
“At the iconic new Olympic House, innovative Dow solutions will be applied to deliver benefits in areas such as energy efficiency, health and safety,” said Louis A. Vega, Dow’s Vice President of Olympic & Sports Solutions. “We look forward to the next steps in this journey with the IOC, offering a lasting impact on generations to come and creating an inspiring atmosphere for all who work and visit the building.”
Helping develop a high-efficiency building envelope
The exterior of Olympic House will be constructed with an all-glass façade incorporating a combination of DOWSIL™ Silicone Sealants, shown to deliver long-term building envelope performance, durability, airtightness and energy savings for more than 50 years. DOWSIL™ 993 Silicone Structural Glazing, a two-part structural silicone sealant, adheres glass to metal frames—without the use of visible mechanical fasteners—for improved architectural design freedom. It has excellent stability for a wide range of temperatures, from -50°C to 150°C, demonstrating effectiveness in weather conditions year-round, including extreme cold, heat, humidity and UV radiation. Simultaneously, DOWSIL™ 791 Weatherproofing Sealant and DOWSIL™ 3363 Insulating Glass Sealant help improve the airtightness of the building envelope, saving energy and reducing the costs of uncontrolled air leakage.
Improving overall indoor air quality
Inside Olympic House, interior walls will be coated with paint formulated using DOW PRIMAL™ SF-208ER Binder. This low-VOC, waterborne, styrene-acrylic binder was created with patented FORMASHIELD™ Technology from Dow, which helps remove formaldehyde from ambient air in buildings by triggering a chemical reaction between formaldehyde and the binder, in turn transforming the air pollutant into a harmless vapour. This helps improve overall indoor air quality and minimises formaldehyde exposure, reducing potential health issues, such as respiratory diseases and allergies.
Safer tile adhesive solution for visitors
On the floors of Olympic House, DOW WALOCEL™ Cellulose Ether will be implemented to improve the performance of ceramic tile adhesives. DOW WALOCEL™ Cellulose Ether, as a key component of adhesive, offers advanced workability during installation, while standing up to sagging and water retention over the long term. DOW WALOCEL™ Cellulose Ether also offers slip-reducing properties, offering a safer tile adhesive solution for visitors of Olympic House.
Waterproof membrane to protect the building’s rooftop
To enhance the practicality of Olympic House from top to bottom, DOW VERDISEAL™ Waterproof Membrane will be applied to the car park rooftop. This coating does not use fumes, open flames or solvents known to contribute harmful emissions, offering excellent environmental protection. By protecting against invasive root species, the spray-applied polyurethane will set the foundation for lush rooftop gardens that will surround the car park in the future.
Dow and the IOC
As a Worldwide Olympic Partner, the Official Chemistry Company of the Olympic Games, and the Official Carbon Partner of the International Olympic Committee, The Dow Chemical Company (Dow) combines science and technology knowledge to develop premier materials science solutions that help the IOC deliver its Sustainable Strategy. In addition to powering the new Olympic House, Dow is delivering an innovative global carbon mitigation programme to compensate carbon emissions from the IOC's daily operations, as well as other projects within the Olympic Movement.
With a long heritage of innovation and leadership in both high-performance sports and sustainability solutions, Dow has been a supplier of technologies for the Olympic Games since 1980.