louvres

Weather louvres are designed to allow the passage of air into a structure - and keep the rain out.

The challenge

Airflow is essential in industrial and commercial buildings to provide clean air for people and machinery. However, it’s just as important to protect specific areas ― such as a plant room containing electrical equipment ― from water ingress.

The solution

High-performance louvres use different types of blade or blade configuration to control or manage the amount of airflow and keep out unwanted elements.

How do they work?

Louvres are designed for two apparently contradictory functions: to allow air in and keep water out. The blades provide protection, while the openings allow airflow. For a building such as a car park, ventilation will be more important than protection but, in most cases, the final design will be the result of a carefully considered compromise.

Louvres are specified by their resistance to airflow, their water resistance qualities and by the ‘louvre free area’ (the total open area between blades divided by the area covered). A high percentage of open area that meets airflow and water resistance requirements is often most effective as it can reduce costs.

Not surprisingly, there are as many different types of louvre as there are different airflow/protection requirements, and application constraints (such as depth).

In short

• Buildings need fresh air for people and machinery ― and protection from the elements
• Louvres use different types of blade or blade configuration to control airflow and keep out rain
• Louvres can be manufactured in a range of materials, designs and colours
• Blades are typically metal (or metal to look like wood)
• Different types of louvres can be designed to work with different air circulation systems

For advice on solar shading performance and options, contact one of our project consultants.