July 2005 • Materials
Open and Shut
Solar control systems regulate incoming light and heat—and can add a great deal of character to building facades and interiors.
By Paul Makovsky
Installing sun louvers on building facades to reduce heat gain has been common practice in Europe and Asia for more than 25 years. So with the cost of energy steadily rising in the United States, the solution is clear. Americans are adopting this low-tech—and some might say old-fashioned—method of reducing consumption. “Historically, relatively low energy costs in the United States have made conserving less of a concern, with most architects installing some form of glare control and relying on HVAC to cool a building,” says Richard Wilson, head of Nysan solar control for Hunter Douglas Contract. “But sun louvers are now becoming common everywhere.”
The louvers—which can be traditional slats or highly decorative fins—respond to varying conditions throughout the year, minimizing the amount of light and heat entering a building when the sun is directly overhead in summer and allowing heat to permeate the interiors when the sun is lower in the sky in winter. An automated system can sense the time of day and day of the year based on the sun’s location, and adjust the angle of the shades for optimal performance. Various control options are available, ranging from handheld cranks to preprogrammed software-based systems run by remote. Customizable solar controls are available in a number of different fabrics, including one woven from glass fibers and two more sustainable polyester textiles. Other options include versatile tension-based systems for skylights and glass curtain walls, and customizable slats made out of 100 percent recyclable aluminum or steel for ceilings and roofs.
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Nysan Solar Control Systems
Composition:
Customizable louver systems for exteriors are available in metal, wood, and glass. Screen fabric interior systems come in a variety of colors, and in two PVC-free versions.
Applications:
Solar control systems can be installed vertically or horizontally on building exteriors, and are suitable for high-end residential projects and commercial interiors.
Properties:
Designed to offset a building’s energy loads, solar control systems provide shade, deflect light, reduce glare, and minimize solar heat gain. They can be static, motorized, or manually adjustable.
Manufacturer:
Hunter Douglas Contract
One, 115 28th Street SE
Calgary, Alberta,
Canada T2A5K4
T. (866) 556-1235
hunterdouglascontract.com
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