Daylight and view consistently rank high on a list of desirable attributes in homes, schools, and workplaces. Delivering them, however, can be challenging, as there are often competing interests.
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Solar control solutions are important in helping increase worker productivity. To understand how, one must understand what makes a productive building, and why productivity should be a consideration in design.
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The benefits of daylight are well-documented. For building occupants, it offers a range of positive physiological effects, which, in turn, translates into tangible benefits such as higher productivity, reduced employee sick time, improved employee morale, and lower lighting costs for businesses.
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When considering solar control, most think of reducing heat gain. There is no question this is a significant part of what an effective exterior shading system should achieve. However, energy from the sun also includes the visible spectrum so the control of natural daylight is also important. An effective solar control system appropriately deals with heat gain while allowing as much natural daylight into the building as possible without causing glare issues for occupants. By controlling heat gain, reductions in the size and running costs of the HVAC system can be achieved.
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Whether used on contours around a building, or as flat panels on an exterior wall, a façade of mesh metal ‘fabric’ can help create a beautiful exterior. However, advances in their design have yielded additional benefits for functionality and efficiency.
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The trend to maximize the harnessing of natural daylight combined with environmentally responsible artificial lighting is increasing use of glass within interior spaces since it allows light to spread throughout the building. Glass also has the added benefit of providing clear vision between spaces, creating a sense of openness, connectivity, and security. However, what about separations or partitions that must meet fire-rated requirements?
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