|
Solar gain and glare were an issue at a boys’ school in south London, but shading of the outdoor space was also of importance. Blinds & Shutters hears how Broadview came up with the answer
 Working alongside architects Lee Evans Partnership LLP, Broadview, a leading manufacturer and supplier of awnings and blinds in the UK, has provided independent boys’ school Dulwich College Preparatory School in south London with a ‘state-of-the-art’ solar shading system.
Effective control of solar gain and glare within the classrooms was vital for the college together with the provision of sufficient shade for the outdoor space. As a result, Broadview was contracted to design, supply and install external awnings to accommodate the school’s requirements.
Four motorised bespoke Sunrain awning systems were installed externally to four classrooms in order to manage solar gain as well as provide an outdoor undercover area. The fully retractable awnings, with full gutter systems, were fitted on to a bespoke purpose-built goal post structure over the classroom windows. Constructed from 120mm by 120mm galvanised steel, the goal posts were inserted one metre into the ground in order to take any strain. The awning framework is powder-coated aluminium and, to complement the building’s external aesthetics, the awning fabric is a waterproof heavy duty FR PVC in cream.
The Sunrain awnings are easily activated by the latest Somfy remote control technology to ensure user-friendliness. The Somfy hardware consists of four Centralis wall mounted switches, which have been installed in each classroom to enable teachers to control, and one Telis 4 hand-held master control for the caretaker. Two wind sensors were also installed for security reasons.
Sales director at Broadview, Martin Rayner, said: “The Sunrain awnings not only give the school internal shading at the flick of a switch, which is ideal to prevent heat gain and solar glare, but the product also provides the school with an undercover area of more than 90m2 to keep the pupils protected from the elements. We are extremely delighted with the finished result of this installation which took eight days to complete.”
The Sunrain awning is part of the Broadview ‘Alfresco’ range which also includes parasols, canopies, heaters, lighting and barrier screens all of which can be tailored to client requirements and printed with or without company logos and/or messages.
|
