According to Nishana Nazimuddin, Brand Manager at Unova Products, “In bridge design, sustainability is a design philosophy that considers the long-term impact of the bridge not only on the environment and climate but also on society and the economy. When the primary consideration a few decades ago was ‘low cost' and ‘fast development', the focus is gradually shifting to sustainability priorities which start with extending the structure's lifespan.”
Bridges across the United Kingdom boast high-performance coating systems that reduce lifecycle costs and minimize the ecological footprint of former bridge maintenance. Naimuddin further describes, “fluoropolymer paints have been one of the game-changers in this new generation of high-performance coating systems. With a coating life of up to 60 years to major maintenance and a reduction in lifecycle costs of up to 60%, these coatings extend maintenance intervals to 2-3 times that of traditional top-quality polyurethane or polysiloxane coating systems. This significantly reduces its impact on humans, wildlife, the environment, and the economy.”
Created in Japan in the mid-1980s for bridges, fluoropolymer top-coated paint systems have gained popularity worldwide as a highly sustainable alternative to traditional coatings systems. unova representatives further explain, “The current global focus on Carbon Net-Zero is arousing much interest in this technology as it enables a robust reduction in the carbon footprint of projects by extending maintenance and repainting cycles. In addition, fluoropolymers enhance aesthetics as they provide unrivaled levels of gloss and color retention compared to traditional topcoats.”
A&I Coatings' Vitreflon system is a low-VOC fluoropolymer with Lumiflon FEVE resin. Substrates that feature FEVE resin technology are provided with longevity and durability in addition to excellent color and gloss retention, anti-corrosion, graffiti properties, and superior weatherability, essentially protecting architectural coatings from UV radiation, water, salt, and other elemental deterrents that contribute to coating degradation.
Categories Bridges