How long does it take to install a brise soleil system?

Brise soleil can often be installed in as little as one month.

This is possible because unlike other solar shading systems, architectural façades and screening, brise soleil lends itself to efficient modern methods of construction.

The most common examples are the ‘canopy’ style brise soleil systems that project from buildings to protect windows from direct summer sun. Usually comprising up to five blades set at around 45 degrees, they can be manufactured and assembled offsite as modular cassettes.

With fewer parts to assemble onsite, installation becomes quicker, more cost-effective and (because it reduces time working at height) safer.

Exceptions? Cassettes that would be more than 70kg because of their size or material (timber, though less common, is much heavier than aluminium) have to be assembled in situ to avoid dangerous lifting and handling. Naturally, this takes longer.

What about other types of brise soleil?

Brise soleil systems can also be installed as vertical runs of horizontal blades up the face of a building or curtain wall. They’re also suited to offsite modular construction techniques. So, again, allow around a month for installation.

Of course, the versatility of brise soleil and the imagination of architects and solar screening specialists means that many systems are designed for their aesthetic qualities. Large vertical fins often fall into this category, but there are many other examples of large and complex brise soleil systems in our build environment.

This can translate into longer installation programmes, with reliance on other trades, bad weather and construction site logistics adding to the timescale.

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