Brise soleil systems of varying styles, materials, colours, forms and arrangements can be seen on a wide range of edifices all over the world. Many people, however, but may not know what it is, how it works or the ways in which it improves conditions inside a building, particularly in a modern built environment.
In the following article, Solinear outlines what brise soleil is – including a brief history. The article then answers a range of common questions regarding brise soleil, including its function, where brise soleil can be implemented and where it is most effective plus factors to consider when selecting brise soleil as well as its effectiveness on building efficiency and the vital role it plays in contemporary architecture.
What does ‘brise soleil’ mean?
For anyone unfamiliar with the name ‘brise soleil’, it takes its name from the French ‘brise’ meaning broken and ‘soleil’ meaning sun – therefore, literally translating to broken sun.
What is brise soleil?
In simple terms, brise soleil is an external form of solar shading using a series of angled horizontal, vertical, latticed or patterned louvre fins or blades in an arrangement that controls the amount of sunlight and solar heat entering a building.
How does brise soleil work?
With knowledge that the sun travels in an arc – rising in the east, setting in the west and reaching its highest point in the south (unless in the southern hemisphere), brise soleil louvres are designed to allow low-level sun to enter a building in the mornings, evening and during winter but eliminate direct summer sun. In the UK, for example, the summer sun rises to a maximum angle of 62 degrees and in the summer months the UK can average 6 hours a day of full solar glare. Brise soleil effectively averts glare and mitigates overheating – making it more comfortable for occupants inside the building.
Brise soleil systems can be concentrated on specific areas of a building, extending adjacent with or overlapping glazed expanses. Taking into account local conditions and the design of the building, they can also completely envelop a structure, be part of a curtain walling system or an independent structure.
Put simply, brise soleil is to a building, what a sun visor or hand placed horizontally across the forehead is to a person’s face when the sun is overhead.
When was brise soleil first used?
Brise soleil is by no means a modern architectural feature. Its foundation as an architectural element originates from over a millennia ago when people with a desire to retreat from the hot sun, while balancing the need for adequate indoor lighting, started using a rudimentary brise soleil system as a form of sun-shading. An example of ancient brise soleil is Rome’s Colosseum, which had canopies spanning the seats, providing shade from the hot sun.
As aesthetics became more of an interest, alongside comfortable living, a frequent challenge was to design a building integrating solar shading that was aesthetically pleasing but ultimately offered a pleasant environment inside too. This led to the further development of architecture to include brise soleil systems as architectural features whilst serving a practical purpose.
How is brise soleil used in contemporary architecture?
The contemporary use of brise soleil was propagated by the influential Swiss-French architect, designer, painter, urban planner, writer, and one of the pioneers of what is now regarded as modern architecture, Charles-Édouard Jeanneret. Better known as Le Corbusier, he was an innovator in passive energy control and one of the leading advocates for studying the effects of the sun and sunlight on contemporary buildings. Le Corbusier first used brise soleil on multi-storey buildings in the 1930s.
Since the first brise soleil system was installed over a millennia ago, the necessity to provide shade has increased and with credit given to Le Corbusier for his ground-breaking research and design, brise soleil has been redesigned to become an integral part of modern architectural design.
As architects today favour extensive areas of glazing for wellbeing, natural light and aesthetics, it can also act as a greenhouse, therefore, brise soleil has become a vital component for a healthy building and its occupants.
Where can brise soleil be used?
Brise soleil is suitable for large or small domestic projects as well as large-scale builds including apartment blocks, offices, hospitals and health centres, schools and many other types of public buildings where the architecture often features large areas of glazing – especially on exposed south-facing elevations where it can provide shade from the worst of the summer sun.
What else is brise soliel used for?
If any of the below is required, then contact Solinear to find out more.
- Brise soleil can also take the form of solid shelves or walkways. These walkways can be used for regular external maintenance of a building rather than using scissor lifts, cherry pickers or mobile platforms.
- Brise soleil doesn’t have to serve a purpose other than bringing character to a building. In the 1930s Le Corbusier was combining the aesthetic and performance virtues of brise soleil in his Modernist designs using concrete to create a unique identity for his buildings. Brise soleil can be custom designed and manufactured incorporating bespoke colours, shapes and patterns – for example, corporate branding.
Can brise soleil be manoeuvrable?
Brise Soleil can be fixed or motorised (automatic or manual). Motorised brise soleil systems can be used to follow the trajectory of the sun and actively control the solar gain of the building, allowing optimum protection at the appropriate time of day and year.
What materials are used to manufacture brise soleil?
Brise soleil can be manufactured from a range of materials – most commonly aluminium and sustainable timber but also stainless steel, galvanized steel, perforated mesh, bamboo, fabric sunsails and even coloured/textured glass or concrete (self-supporting). As development of alternative materials continues, modern composites are also an option including Solinear’s Resina. Resembling timber, Resina is an advanced, environmentally sustainable, fibre reinforced hybrid material produced from approximately 60% rice husks, 22% common salt and 18% mineral oil.
Aluminium is favoured because it is strong yet lightweight as well as fire-resistant and therefore ideal for large expanses of brise soleil and it is extremely versatile. Aluminium can be manufactured in a variety of shapes and anodised and powder-coated to offer endless design possibilities incorporating multiple colours and effects including a highly realistic timber effect brise soleil.
View Solinear’s bronze finish aluminium brise soleil Majestic case study
Timber is popular as it can be a more sustainable option compared to other materials such as steel. The nature of timber is that it varies in shade and grain and looks inviting and warm; adding character to what could be an otherwise stark building and where aluminium’s appearance may be considered too industrial.
Western red cedar is specified more often than other species of wood for its appearance, durability and sustainability.
View Solinear’s case study for chestnut vertical fin brise soleil at ‘The Clubhouse’ Pavilion, Uxbridge
Is supply-only brise soleil available?
Yes, supply-only is an option from some solar shading companies, including Solinear, thus reducing the overall cost to the customer which would normally include installation. However, this is based on the proviso that all measurements supplied by the customer must be checked by Solinear and that any issues encountered by the individual whilst installing supply-only brise soleil is not the responsibility of Solinear.
Can brise soleil be retrofitted?
Yes, brise soleil can be retrofitted. However, the design and construction of the building, as well as access to the area requiring brise soleil can be factors influencing the retrofit of brise soleil.
What are the benefits of brise soleil?
There are many benefits to installing brise soleil. These include:
- Brise soleil facilitates the improvement of the quality and appearance of natural light during the day whilst simultaneously maintaining a comfortable temperature inside a building for the occupants.
- Employees are more productive in offices with brise soleil and less fatigued resulting in fewer sick days with illnesses such as Sick Building Syndrome. Plus, brise soleil helps businesses to abide by The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
- Brise soleil can be manufactured with a variety of finishes and customised to any colour creating a striking feature.
- It is a stable, durable, consistent and low maintenance method of climate control.
- A brise soleil system can help to conserve energy resources, therefore occupants of a building with brise soleil have a smaller carbon footprint.
- Brise soleil can help to save money compared to the cost of electrical cooling. Not only is the initial outlay cost-effective when compared with other façade screening or cladding systems but brise soleil and louvre systems can provide a long-term saving in running costs.
- Brise soleil is highly effective at maintaining the life of furniture, upholstery, paintings and other items that are prone to sun damage. This can result in considerable savings during the life of the brise soleil system.
- Brise soleil allows occupants of a building to enjoy the benefits of an uninterrupted view of the outside without the distracting, unpleasant glare from the sun.
What to consider when choosing brise soleil?
There can be a lot to think about when choosing brise soleil, but Solinear is happy to discuss requirements and offer helpful advice and suggestions.
A few considerations are listed here:
- Building orientation and architecture are factors when choosing brise soleil –
Different elevations will have varying levels of solar gain – brise soleil is most effective against the summer sun on exposed south-facing elevations. It will not provide shade during winter months when the arc of the sun is lower, however, the glare and heat from the sun naturally decreases at this time of the year anyway. - When choosing materials, it is advised to thoroughly research options and consult with the experts –
Brise soleil is built to last so it is vital that the manufacturing material is appropriate. Whilst some prefer the more sleek, contemporary, industrial appearance of steel or aluminium, others consider it ‘cold’ and prefer the natural warmth of timber.
Although aluminium and steel are favoured because of their light weight and strength, they are also considered less environmentally friendly compared to other options and its price can fluctuate.
Timber brise soleil is more sustainable compared to aluminium and steel, but supply lead times can be longer, timber is weightier therefor requiring stronger fixings and it requires fire retardancy treatment (especially for buildings 18m + high), adding time and cost to the project. A characteristic of timber is that it contains knots and imperfections and is prone to aging, fading or weathering – a desirable feature for some but too inconsistent in appearance for others. - Design –
Brise soleil design is an important consideration, for example, Is the brise soleil system going to be a design feature of the building?
Whether commercial or residential, there is the option to subtly incorporate a brise soleil system into the building design – simply making use of its functional capabilities or alternatively, creating a statement with a bold design feature that will stand out as a focal point of the building.
- Environmental and geographical factors –
Coastal conditions, climate, exposure to harsh weather, pollutants – these can influence the structure of the brise soleil required. - Brise soleil maintenance –
Regardless of material or environment, brise soleil will inevitably require a degree of maintenance and cleaning to extend its life and appearance. Mainatence instructions are available. - Cost –
The cost of brise soleil can vary considerably from hundreds of pounds to hundreds of thousands, depending on quantity, materials, manufacturing and any bespoke requirements, installation and the hiring and transportation of specialised equipment. - Timescale –
How urgently is the brise soleil needed? Brise soleil can mean the difference between a comfortable space and an unbearable one, so, timescale must be a consideration. Allow for potentially lengthy lead times depending on material, manufacturing and any bespoke requirements. Take into account the schedule of the company contracted to carry out the work – demand for products and services can be high at certain times of the year and therefore it may be a particularly busy period.
Brise soleil has traditionally been used for reducing solar heat gain in hotter climes, but, as the planet is getting increasingly warmer, brise soleil is becoming less of an afterthought and more of a necessity for the global built environment.
Year on year, Solinear has witnessed growing demand for brise soleil from the UK and overseas. The need for brise soleil will only increase in intensity as the population rises, construction surges, buildings get taller and the need to save money and conserve resources become paramount.
Materials, manufacturing and styles may evolve somewhat, but, until a hologram system of solar shading is conceived that instantly materialises and adapts to the sun as it rises – brise soleil, as we know it, is here to stay!
