Equipo RHONATHERM

The interview of this journal is for Miguel Civera, Jesús Plà-Giribert and Antonio Calderón, specialist technicians in the Energy Rehabilitation department. They are responsible for the success of our RHONATHERM Outdoors Thermal Insulation System.

• Miguel, what is energy rehabilitation?

When we energetically rehabilitate a building, apart from considering criteria for protection, aesthetics and/or structure, the aim is to improve the indoor comfort by reducing the energy consumption in air conditioning, through passive methods like the installation of insulating materials.

Despite the use of the terminology “Energy Rehabilitation” to refer to SATE RHONATHERM, this product is not only used for rehabilitating façades but also for installing on new construction works.

• Miguel, RHONATHERM was the first 100% Spanish Technology and Business Assistance System (SATE in Spanish). How long did the development of this innovative line take?

RHONTHERM development started eight years ago, following the European developments of the sector where Technology and Business Assistance Systems were already consolidated as reference products for application façades.  Isaval, as a leading company in decoration and protection products, could not miss this opportunity.  It was mostly a matter of studying the system and all its elements, working with the best suppliers, carrying out tests in external laboratories for evaluating the feasibility in the market, documenting all the information and establishing a graphic and advertising line.  This initial process took approximately one year of intense preparation. Once the system was developed, it has continuously been improved because the market is constantly changing and requires new solutions.

• Jesús, could you tell us about this system and what are its main advantages compared to other insulating systems?

RHONATHERM SATE (Technology and Business Assistance System) consists of installing thermal insulating panels on the building “skin”, offering protection with mesh plastering/rendering with a decoration finish, generally acrylic mortar (REVIQUARZ line), providing continuous, insulating, water-proof and decorative coating.

There are many advantages in performance compared to other insulating systems.  As it is a continuous coating, it breaks all thermal bridges in the enveloping surface. Thus, the risk of condensation is eliminated and insulation efficiency increased. This system increases thermal inertia of walls and prevents pathologies on façades, which are usual in other coatings, like cracks on critical points.

• Jesús, what exactly does your work entail?

Technicians support the commercial network and also customers providing solutions, training and development of the system. We are also responsible for following up the works in order to avoid bad practices, errors and wrong finishing. Lastly, we contribute to technically improve the system adapting the trends of architects with regard to finishes and technical solutions.

• Antonio, who can install RHONATHERM?

There is no defined profile. To make it much simpler we could say that anyone who knows how to use a trowel. Ideally, companies specialising in executing works on façades should do it. Although the installation of the system is easy, it is important to know how to “manage” the work appropriately.  Moving scaffolds, organising tasks to avoid downtime, etc are issues that companies specialising in façade rehabilitation know how to manage.

• Antonio, Isaval offers training courses on this system. What is the competitive advantage for participants?

Doubtless, our training courses are amongst  the best courses in this sector.  They are theoretical-practical courses that last for two days. They are really practical courses because participants execute the entire installation of the system, from the installation of the start profile until spreading and floating the finish product.

Apart from providing information about labour needed for installing this system, which is essential for appropriate quotation, companies giving these courses have the necessary knowledge and information to offer and support this system with trust and safety to customers.