Maple are supporting Willmott Dixon in their drive to deliver a net-zero carbon project at Tarleton Academy in Preston.
The sustainable school will have triple-glazed windows and an enhanced building envelope to maximise air tightness. It will also use ground source and air source heat pumps to generate renewable energy, while photovoltaic solar panels will offset all energy used on site.
With such high sustainability targets, solar shading becomes even more important – to cut down solar gain and reduce the reliance on ventilation and air conditioning systems. However, the system also needs to maximise natural light instead of expensive artificial lighting.
Maple are supplying a horizontal brise soleil system to project over the windows and cut out sunlight when it’s at its brightest and hottest. The system is based on our Strata Aurora range, with 180mm blades set at the optimum pitch and contained with a cassette for ease of installation to the brickwork.
We’re also supplying a vertical system for other elevations to provide shade from lower-level sunlight. These blades are attached directly to the glazed curtain wall, requiring specialist brackets that are being supplied ’free issue’ to the curtain walling fabricator.
Both systems will be powder-coated in anthracite matt grey.
Maple are due to start work on site in summer 2022, with the Sheppard Robson-designed school scheduled to open in 2023.