It’s always satisfying when good looks and practicality go together. Whether it’s a pair of well-fitting jeans, a carefully chosen antique fruit bowl or a hip yet practical family car, most people would rather combine style with function wherever possible. This holds just as true for buildings, especially when many aspects of function are non-negotiable due to energy-conscious building regulations. From this need has arisen the developing market for the brise soleil, aluminium curtains and external louvres. You may not be familiar with these terms but you will have seen them countless times, probably without registering that they were anything more than a stylish flourish to finish off a building in need of an identity. Not so.
The term ‘brise soleil’ effectively means ‘sun block’ in French and it was a French architect, Le Corbusier, who first popularised their use. Although Le Corbusier was famous for using concrete moulding on his buildings to prevent the sun from glaring into rooms, these days it is increasingly common to use aluminium curtains or external louvres as the 1960’s enthusiasm for concrete has receded. These architectural additions give a lighter, more modern, visual touch but they are far more than simple adornments.
While in our homes we often think about insulation, in offices with a high number of computers, all pumping out heat, cooling is just as much of an issue and an energy drain, as heating. Add to this the taste for large windows and the heating effects of the sun are even more of an issue. However, large windows can also be used to improve the building’s energy efficiency by reducing the necessity of artificial light and, if the sun’s heat can in some way be captured, can also meet some of its heating needs in winter.
The most efficient way to achieve this balance is by addressing these issues in the initial design of the building, although retro-fitting is also possible. There are even companies now, such as Maple Sunscreening, who not only manufacture and install such solutions but who can also analyse either the plans for a new building or an existing structure. They plot the course of the sun not just over one day but across the whole year, offering style-conscious solutions which will help to maximise heat retention and light in the winter while preventing over-heating and glare in the summer.
The clever part about these structures is that they are, although usually fixed, able to create different effects at different points in the year through careful angling, blocking out summertime glare but allowing precious winter light to enter. Not only does this improve energy efficiency, it is now well known that employees benefit mentally from natural daylight, especially during the darker months, making them less prone to both poor concentration and depression. So, the next time you walk under a brise soleil as you head into an office or admire the style of an aluminium curtain or external louvres, you will know that you are looking at a building with more than just a pretty face.
Please visit http://www.maplesunscreening.co.uk/ for further information about this topic.
http://www.maplesunscreening.co.uk/
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