Translated from French as ‘sun breaker’, a brise soleil is an architectural device added to a building to give shade and block any unwanted sunlight. Also known as a louvre, they help to control the amount of light hitting a building, something which is becoming more useful as temperatures rise.
Stop the glare
With even London’s Walkie Talkie building getting a brise soleil, according to the Telegraph, these sunshades are becoming more popular, not just for office blocks, but for private homes too. As window sizes have increased over the last few years, many people are finding that they need to minimise the amount of sunlight entering their homes in order to live comfortably.
Fit your style
Brise soleils come in a variety of materials, styles and colours and give shade from the sun via vertical, horizontal, patterned or latticed blades. They are designed to stop direct sunlight, while still allowing low-level rays to enter a building and are often seen on large-scale apartment and office blocks, schools and health centres. Increasingly, they are being used on commercial properties too, particularly cafes and restaurants.
Some brise soleil systems, as can be seen at Aluminium Systems, are motorised, allowing them to follow the sun’s path and control the amount of sunlight entering throughout the day.
Benefits
The main benefit of installing a brise soleil is to maintain a comfortable temperature within a building by controlling the amount of natural light. They essentially provide a consistent method of climate control and therefore conserve energy, as occupants do not have to use air conditioning. They also allow an uninterrupted view of the outside and prevent sun damage to upholstery, paintings and furniture.
A brise soleil can be retrofitted to an older building while taking into account the construction and design.