ETFE membrane structures, also known as ETFE roofs, ETFE cushion roofs or ETFE foil structures, are see-through roofs, canopies and facades made from ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene), a strong fluoropolymer film. The film is fitted either as one tensioned layer or as air-filled cushions held in an aluminium frame. Because it admits nearly as much daylight as glass while weighing only a small fraction of it, the steel underneath can be far lighter and the roof can follow curved, free-form shapes.
ShadeCo India Private Limited is an ETFE membrane structures supplier and installer in India, working with architects and developers from design coordination to handover. We design, supply and install single-layer and cushion ETFE roofs, ETFE atrium and skylight roofs, walkway and airport canopies, stadium and amphitheatre roofs and ETFE facades for metro stations, swimming pools and landmark buildings.
ETFE is used where daylight and an open, lightweight look matter most. The structures below cover the most common uses, from atrium and skylight roofs inside buildings to large canopies at airports and stadiums. Select one to enquire about your project.
An ETFE cushion roof over an atrium or internal courtyard that keeps out rain and lets daylight reach every floor below. The air in the cushions adds insulation, and printed patterns can be added to cut glare and solar heat in a sunny climate.
A transparent canopy over a pedestrian route, using single-layer ETFE or slim cushions on a light steel frame. The walkway stays dry and bright, and the open look suits campuses, airports, malls and public plazas.
An ETFE roof over spectator stands that keeps rain off the seats while letting daylight through to the field. Its low weight reduces the size of the cantilever steel needed to carry the roof out over the seating.
Large transparent canopies for airport drop-off zones, forecourts and connecting walkways, carried on branching or tree-like steel columns. ETFE keeps these long spans light and bright, and printed film can control glare at busy entrances.
An ETFE canopy over an amphitheatre stage and stepped seating that shelters performers and the audience without blocking the sky. The curved cushions can follow the semicircular layout of the seating.
Round, square or free-form ETFE skylights fitted into roof openings over courtyards, lobbies and corridors. They are lighter than glass skylights, do not shatter, and can be inflated cushions for better insulation.
ShadeCo India works with two ETFE systems, and the choice depends on whether the space below needs insulation. A single-layer system uses one sheet of ETFE film tensioned between steel members or cables. It is light and economical, and suits open-sided canopies, walkway covers and shading where the space underneath is outdoors anyway.
A cushion system uses two or three layers of film welded together and kept inflated by a small air-supply unit. The trapped air insulates the roof and the curved cushions carry wind and rain loads, so this is the system used for atriums, enclosed pool halls, stadium roofs and facades. Cushion sizes, frame layout and the number of layers are worked out for each building.
The ETFE film we use is available from 50 to 300 microns thick, in rolls up to 2000 mm wide, with a thickness tolerance within 5% point to point. The film manufacturer rates its service life under solar radiation at more than 20 years, and the film is fully recyclable. The table below gives reference values for 250 micron clear film.
| Property | Value (250 micron clear film) | Test Method |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal Thickness | 250 micron | ISO 4593 |
| Surface Weight | 438 g/m² | Theoretical |
| Tensile Strength at Break (MD / TD) | 49 / 49 MPa (minimum 40 MPa) | EN ISO 527-3 |
| Elongation at Break (MD / TD) | 380% / 370% (minimum 300%) | EN ISO 527-3 |
| Yield Stress (10%) | 22 MPa (minimum 20 MPa) | EN ISO 527-3 |
| Tensile Modulus | 955 MPa (minimum 950 MPa) | EN ISO 527-3 |
| Tear Resistance (TD) | 474 N/mm (minimum 400 N/mm) | DIN 53363 |
| Visible Light Transmittance | 90.4% (minimum 88%) | EN 2155-5 |
| Fire Classification | DIN 4102 B1, ASTM E108 Class A | – |
| Service Life | More than 20 years under solar radiation | Film manufacturer's evaluation |
MD = machine direction, TD = transverse direction. Values are typical laboratory results for clear 250 micron film; light transmission and solar heat gain can be adjusted with tinted or printed film. Other thicknesses have different values.
All three let daylight in. They differ in weight, the shapes they can make, and how they behave over time.
| Feature | ETFE | Glass | Polycarbonate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | Very light | Heavy | Light |
| Supporting Steel | Light frame | Heavy frame | Medium frame |
| Shapes | Curved and free-form | Mostly flat panels | Flat or gently curved |
| Breakage | Does not shatter | Can shatter | Does not shatter |
| Surface | Non-stick, washed clean by rain | Needs regular cleaning | Needs regular cleaning |
| Insulation | Good with multi-layer cushions | Depends on glazing type | Good with multiwall sheets |
| Best Suited For | Large spans, landmark roofs, atriums | Facades and small skylights | Walkways, parking, terraces |
For smaller roofs where cost matters more than span, see our polycarbonate roofing.
Architects specify ETFE when a roof or facade has to be bright, light and visually open, especially over large spans.
Large public buildings are where ETFE is seen most. Stadium roofs and spectator stands use it to cover seating while keeping the field bright, and airports, metro stations and railway concourses use it for long canopies over drop-off areas and platforms. Because the material is so light, these roofs need far less supporting steel than glass would.
Inside commercial buildings, malls and offices, ETFE cushions roof over atriums, courtyards and skylights. Enclosed swimming pools and leisure centres use it for bright, humid spaces, and amphitheatres and walkways use single-layer canopies. Some landmark projects go further and wrap the whole building in an ETFE facade.
Clear ETFE lets in a lot of sun, which is welcome in a cool climate but needs managing in most of India. The usual method is to print a pattern of dots or lines on one or more layers of the cushion, which cuts solar heat and glare while keeping the view. Tinted or white film can be used in the same way, and different parts of a roof can carry different patterns depending on which way they face.
Adding layers to a cushion also improves insulation. These choices are made early in the design, based on how the space below will be used and how much daylight it needs.
ETFE projects are priced per square metre of roof or facade, and the system is the first deciding factor: single-layer film costs less than a two- or three-layer cushion, which also needs aluminium clamping frames and an air-supply unit. Printed or tinted film adds to the cost of the layers.
The supporting steel, the complexity of the roof shape, the height of the work and the site access make up most of the rest. ETFE is usually worth it on larger, high-visibility roofs, where its low weight saves on the steel structure.
For a quote, send the architectural drawings or a sketch with the roof area, the building type, whether the space below is enclosed, and the project location.
ETFE work runs alongside the main building design, so we work closely with the project architect and structural consultant from the start.
ShadeCo India supplies and installs ETFE systems for projects where the roof or facade is part of the architecture, not just a cover. Our work on ETFE ranges from a single courtyard skylight to long walkway canopies and stadium and atrium roofs.
ShadeCo India Private Limited was set up in 2010 and is ISO 9001:2015 certified. Membrane structures are our core work. Because we work with tensile fabric, PTFE and ETFE, the materials can be compared for the same project with one supplier, and the right one chosen for each part of the building.
On ETFE projects, we stay involved from the first design review through installation and inflation checks, which keeps the drawings, the fabricated cushions and the work on site in step with each other.
For related architectural roofing and structure options, you can also explore our tensile structures, polycarbonate roofing, sports shade structures, and textile interiors and facades.
An ETFE proposal begins with the building drawings and the requirements for daylight, enclosure and maintenance access. The roof geometry, supporting structure and choice of film or cushion system need to be agreed with the project architect before installation details are developed.
The conical tensile fabric atrium roof at KBN Hospital in Gulbarga is part of our wider architectural roofing portfolio on the projects page. It offers context for covering an atrium; ETFE requires its own material specification, connections and, for cushion systems, air-supply arrangements.
ETFE is mostly used on infrastructure, commercial and institutional projects, and these are spread across the country. ShadeCo India takes up ETFE work in every state, including Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala and Bihar, as well as West Bengal, Odisha and the North-East.
Typical sites are airports, metro and railway stations, sports complexes, malls, corporate campuses, hospitals and universities. ETFE cushions and frames are made off-site and brought to the project ready to install, so the same method works in a metro city or a smaller town.
Share the drawings or a sketch of the area, the type of building, and whether the space below will be open or enclosed. If you already have ideas about transparency or printed patterns, include those as well. We will suggest a system and prepare a budget estimate.
Contact ShadeCo India on +91-9873975818 or info@shadecoindia.com, or send the project details through our contact page.
FAQ
An ETFE membrane structure is a transparent roof, canopy or facade made from ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) film. The film is used as a single tensioned layer or as air-filled cushions in an aluminium frame, and lets in close to the daylight of glass at a small fraction of its weight.
ETFE roofing in India is priced per square metre, and the cost depends on whether it is a single-layer or cushion system, the number of layers, any printing on the film, the supporting steel, the roof shape and the site. Share drawings or a sketch with ShadeCo India for a budget estimate.
ETFE is used for stadium roofs, airport and metro canopies, railway concourses, atriums, skylights, swimming pool enclosures, walkway canopies, amphitheatres, malls and building facades.
For large and curved roofs, ETFE is often the better choice because it is far lighter, needs less supporting steel, does not shatter and keeps itself fairly clean. Glass is better suited to flat facades and small skylights, and offers better sound insulation.
Single-layer ETFE is one tensioned sheet of film, used for open canopies and walkway covers. Cushion ETFE has two or three layers welded together and kept inflated by an air-supply unit, which insulates the roof and is used for atriums, enclosed pools, stadium roofs and facades.
Yes. ETFE is UV stable and does not yellow in strong sun, and it handles rain and pollution well because dirt does not stick to it. In hot regions, printed patterns or tinted layers are used to control solar heat and glare.
The ETFE film we use is rated by its manufacturer for a service life of more than 20 years under solar radiation. It does not become brittle or discoloured in sunlight, and the roof lasts longest when the frame, seals and air-supply system are maintained.
The air-supply unit that keeps the cushions inflated needs regular checks, and the cushions, seals and drainage should be inspected at set intervals. The film itself needs little cleaning because rain washes most dirt away.
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