Castorama, a do-it-yourself home improvement and décor retail chain located throughout Europe, recently began an ambitious 5-year plan to upgrade both interiors and exteriors of 90 percent of their stores by 2009. The stores are located in France, Italy, Poland and Russia. The environmental upgrades are being made in anticipation of updates in current building codes, and Cabot's Nanogel daylighting products are helping out in a big way.

The first new store to be completed is using photovoltaic panels on its roof, "Canadian wells" using geothermal technology, thick insulation (200mm on the roof), and Nanogel aerogel for its smoke extractors. 

Cabot Aerogel's French partner Alcaud SA installed the project, using their Euromaxidome; 16mm polycarbonate smoke extractors insulated with Nanogel. Each smoke extractor measures 3x2m, for a total translucent surface of 300m²50 on the 14,000m² total surface of the store. 

For more information about how Nanogel products can help you save energy in your new or existing buildings, please contact us.