A former Stanley Black & Decker Hand Tools manufacturing plant in downtown New Britain, CT has a new high-tech purpose. And thanks to the retrofitting of its old exterior with Thermolite glazing panels from Laminators Incorporated, it has a new look too.

The old manufacturing facility is now the home of a new high-speed data processing center. The data center will host computers and servers that will contain the high-performance computing center as well as store 44 Connecticut-made Doosan Fuel cells —or clean energy batteries—the size of semi-trucks. This energy efficient facility, located within the city's new Energy and Innovation Park, will be the world’s largest indoor fuel cell installation, providing clean, renewable energy.

For the exterior of the old building, the team opted to go with Laminators' Thermolite glazing panels to achieve a high-tech look with energy-saving, insulating properties. Thermolite panels are constructed with an insulating foam core sandwiched between two corrugated, stabilizers and finished aluminum sheets, making them lightweight, easy to handle, and quick to install.

Approximately 7,500 sq. ft. of black and bright silver metallic Thermolite panels were installed by SWI Glass & Metals, Hartford, CT. Available in smooth or stucco-embossed finishes and in a variety of durable colors, Thermolite panels add a highly decorative and durable surface with excellent insulating properties. Panels can be fabricated on-site using standard carpentry tools or factory-cut to meet exact specifications.

In addition to their standard flat Thermolite panel, Laminators Incorporated also offers fabricated options to provide additional R-Value, customization of the reveal created between the panel face and mullion face, and wrapped edges to create hairline joints between panels in butt-glazed applications. Thermolite Glazing Panels are designed to easily fit into any standard or custom glazing system. With building and energy efficiency codes becoming even more stringent, these panels can be a smart solution for any project.