Brett Martin, one of Europe’s best established and largest manufacturers of plastic rooflight sheets, glazing materials and architectural rooflight systems, has given flight to designers’ dreams with a new glazing system that allow architecturally innovative naturally-lit buildings to just “click into place”.

The UK-based company displayed the Marlon Clickfix1040 modular polycarbonate panel glazing system amongst its range when it made its debut at The Big 5 show in Dubai, UAE, last November, where the versatility, simplicity and quality credentials of the system proved a popular draw for visitors.

“The key to its (Marlon Clickfix1040) high performance, high design and high appeal is the integral interlocking connections of the polycarbonate panels, which click and fix into place for glazed areas of unlimited size and shape,” explains a spokesman for the company.

Marlon Clickfix1040 can be used in both vertical glazing and rooflighting applications.

Any building that requires a bright, naturally daylit interior will benefit from this versatile system – from retail, commercial and leisure developments to warehousing and industrial buildings, he adds. It can be specified for use in all building types, in the facade or roof, as vertical cladding, rooflighting, panel glazing, partitions, canopies, walkways and north lights.

Central to the system is a lightweight 40-mm 10-wall polycarbonate panel, which offers excellent thermal insulation and diffused light transmission; ultraviolet (UV) protection for long-term weather resistance; high rigidity and impact strength. Each characteristic combines to provide specifiers with a glazing system that can help achieve even the most technically challenging architectural vision, the spokesman claims.

He continues: “Satisfying the requirements of today’s energy-efficient buildings is a critical aspect of the specification process. Specifiers can be assured that with a U-value of 0.99 W per sq m K, Marlon Clickfix1040 provides excellent thermal insulation.

“By admitting quality diffused natural daylight with a light transmission of 52 per cent, Marlon Clickfix1040 panels reduce the requirements for artificial lighting when used in conjunction with lighting controls. The combination of quality light transmission and high thermal insulation offers a highly effective means of reducing the energy consumption of a building for a lower carbon footprint to assist in meeting emission targets.”

Those working in environments where there is a high level of natural or full-spectrum light will benefit from the physiological benefits it provides too. Marlon Clickfix1040 admits diffused light, ensuring a comfortable naturally lit interior where improved mood and concentration all contribute to a happier, healthier, more productive environment, the spokesman states.

Marlon Clickfix1040 meets stringent fire safety standards too and is claimed to have achieved the highest possible classification, EN13501-1 B-s1 d0.

The system is available in panels 500 mm wide and 7 m long as standard. Lengths of up to 13 m can be accommodated depending on project requirements. In addition to the standard Glass Clear and Pearlescent colour options, Brett Martin can also produce special colours to minimum order quantities as required.

Everything needed to install the Marlon Clickfix1040 is provided by Brett Martin. Thermally-broken aluminium sills and channels, wall clips and rubber gaskets all complement the panels themselves. “The system is robust and easy to fit. Installation is swift and simple with no need for vertical profiles. The installation and material cost savings therefore present a viable option for those working on cost-driven specification projects,” says the spokesman.

Brett Martin’s Marlon Clickfix product manager Chris Czyzyk explains the rationale behind the system: “Marlon Clickfix1040 is a development of our well-established Marlon ST multiwall sheet range. We recognised the market need for a high-quality, superior performance, cost-effective daylighting solution that can be applied to both roofs and walls.

“There are several factors driving this need. Climatic changes and associated environmental legislation demand more thermally-efficient buildings; end-users are targeted to reduce their energy use. Meanwhile, architects and specifiers continue to seek aesthetic differentiation and versatility. Marlon Clickfix1040 delivers a high-value, high-performance and high-quality solution to all these needs.”

Established in 1958, Brett Martin is a privately-owned family business which has become one of Northern Ireland’s most successful independent manufacturing companies. It is a global player supplying specialist plastic products for the construction, fabrication, print and display sectors worldwide. The company’s product portfolio includes an impressive range of plastic sheets, factory engineered rooflight systems, and, plumbing and drainage systems.