Kaynemaile, a leading global designer and manufacturer of architectural mesh for commercial, residential, and public buildings, has announced that it’s moving all production from fossil-based raw materials to biomass content.
Kaynemaile’s new RE8 Architectural Mesh (R.E/8™)will deliver an ISCC PLUS certified sustainable share of up to 88% of its architectural product. Moving Kaynemaile’s production away from traditional fossil-based materials to a bio-circular attributed polycarbonate will offer a reduction of the carbon footprint of the polymer material by up to 80%, cradle-to-gate, including biogenic uptake.
“RE8 is the most significant initiative by the company since it began,” says Kaynemaile founder Kayne Horsham. “It’s a major milestone in Kaynemaile’s 20-year commitment to circular economy practices. From the start we have sought a high-performance sustainable feed-stock material solution that exceeds building compliance standards yet has a light environmental footprint. We are now able to deliver on this ambition.”
The significant advance in sustainable performance is attributed to the Makrolon® RE product from Covestro, a leading global producer of advanced polymers. Makrolon® has been a consistent material solution for Kaynemaile for 20 years. Scientific advances by Covestro and its suppliers have enabled the release of a high-performance polycarbonate consisting principally of bio waste and residues which is 100% chemically identical to its incumbent fossil equivalent. RE8 retains the same performance concerning physical, mechanical, thermal, optical, fire retardant, and weathering properties as traditional polycarbonates.
Working with this bio-circular attributed polycarbonate material means Kaynemaile’s RE8 product lines now offer architectural specifiers a compelling reduction in CO2 emissions for this class of product. The net result is a circular economy building material with a true drop-in solution with no process interruption or performance change.
With Kaynemaile’s origins in the Armory department of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy some 20 years ago, the company has evolved into an international business built on its innovative nil-waste liquid-state manufacturing process coupled with a compelling design aesthetic and a team focused on providing bespoke functional design solutions at scale. Kaynemaile’s manufacturing facility is ISCC Plus certified and the introduction of its RE8 bio-circular material helps position architects, planners, and builders to meet regulated carbon reduction targets.
Why RE8?
‘RE’ connects with “renewable, recyclable, and recoverable. It also stands for revolutionary,” says Horsham. “Whereas the numeral 8 visually references our continuous joined loops which have been the essence of chainmail armor since the 3rd century BC, 8 is also represents the infinity symbol which has a deeper meaning to Kaynemaile. It reminds us that the ultimate measure of long-term sustainability is achieving a closed-loop circular-enabled economy, which this material does.”
Kaynemaile is a New Zealand-based company established in 2006 that designs and manufactures architectural mesh. Kaynemaile’s architectural mesh is a patented, world-leading innovation specified by architects and designers for exteriors, facades, interiors, and lighting throughout the US and the world. Kaynemaile architectural mesh also offers building scientists a passive solar reduction of up to 80% due to its three-dimensional shading properties.
Kaynemaile appears on building exteriors and interiors around the United States, in cities including Atlanta, Columbus, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle. Internationally Kaynemaile has provided design solutions in Australia, Belgium, China, Dubai, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, the UK, and Vietnam. Kaynemaile mesh is also utilized as a design material for civic artworks and large-scale theatrical productions.
Kaynemaile has been awarded the IF Material Award, NYCxDesign Award for Best New Architectural Product, Architecture MasterPrize for Building Envelope and Construction Materials, and Civil+Structural Engineer Yearbook of Engineering Achievement 2021 and 2022 for Environmental and Sustainability.
Makrolon® is a registered trademark of the Covestro Group.
Kaynemaile® is a registered trademark of Kaynemaile Ltd Corporation.
