External louvres can save electricity and money

As with so many such developments, brise soleil and other sorts of natural climate control have been around a while but are now becoming more popular due to cost and environmental reasons. A ‘sun breaker’, as the concept translates, can be a very simple structure (little more than a carefully-placed wall), or it can be very complex, as with the extensive and mechanical wing-like structures in use. Other variants are glass louvres and several forms of external louvres.

The broad idea in all cases is to avoid using unnecessary power to control the temperature in a building by making more effective use of natural resources. During the course of a day, and through the changing seasons, any side of a building will receive greater or smaller proportions of sunlight. The trick is to maximise the ‘passive’ heating provided by the sun in the winter, whilst making sure that in the summer the level of sunlight is reduced and ventilation increased, to keep the building cool. Obviously, getting the balance wrong could result in freezing or stifling temperatures.

Whilst some forms of external louvre are extremely complex, other types are quite simple. Brise soleils can be little more than a wall, placed in such a location as to reduce the sun at certain points of the day and year. Louvres are usually positioned to allow the building to receive low-angle sun – at the beginning and end of the day, or during the winter, when the sun never rises very high in the sky. Higher-angle sun, at hotter points of the day and year, is stopped.

What this means is that the temperature of a building can be controlled far more effectively, reducing the need for extra energy on heating or air-conditioning systems. It also makes for a more comfortable building, because the air has not been heated or processed to the same extent – something that can leave it dry and recycled. This means staff are more comfortable, happier – and therefore more productive.

There are many examples of brise soleil and external louvres, which can be retrofitted to buildings. The simplest glass louvres are merely slats which open and close depending on the weather conditions. However, depending on your needs and budget, there are some really imaginative examples around, which add to the character of the building and are part of its architectural appeal, as well as any functional purpose.

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