Brise Soleil Installation Planning for New Builds
New-builds are relatively easy to fit with solar shading when designed early on, but can be a real nightmare to add as an afterthought.
Check Solar Angles Before You Fix the Design
For south-facing facades, the solar shading should be set up to block the sun between 40° and 65° solar altitude. This will block the sun during late spring to early autumn, covering the period of the highest solar irradiance. These calculations should be done before the louvre angle and the projection depth are fixed, as slight changes at this early stage can have significant effects on performance.
Allow for Structural Load in the Frame
Aluminium louvre systems are relatively light and strong. But their frames do have to carry the following loads: dead load, wind uplift and loads for maintenance access. So make sure your structural engineer is aware of this when he is designing the superstructure. The fixing points, plates and lintels should then be designed into the building and not have to be retro-fitted later.
Coordinate With Glazing Specifications Early
The specifications for the brise soleil and glazing need to be developed in parallel as they form part of the overall solar control strategy for the building. Specifying the g-value of the glazing first may result in over specification of the glazing once external shading is taken into account.
Factor Lead Times Into Your Programme
Aluminium louvre systems typically have an 8-14 week lead time from order to delivery. Make sure you order the Brise Soleil system before the superstructure is completed to avoid the frame being ready for the system to be installed with no place to go and consequently delaying your program by several months.
Include the System in Your Building Control Submission
Solar shading is a component of solar control, therefore it needs to be developed as part of the glazing specification. When specifying the glazing initially, it may be over specified when compared to the external shading provided by the brise soleil and Part L compliance may be compromised. This must be taken into account when submitting the building control application, and the solar shading system included as part of the permitted development and planning submission.
Make access for maintenance from day one of construction of a brise soleil, then it will function correctly for decades to come.
