The sun's heat is a challenge and an opportunity for architects.

Australian sunlight: The gift and the curse for sustainable architecture

 

One of the primary challenges we face here in Australia is the sun. According to SunSmart Victoria, Australia’s UV levels are some of the highest in the world. This is such an issue that some Australian wine makers even have to put sunblock on their grapes to prevent them from being charred by the sun, CNN Money reports.

For architects, the sun presents both a problem and an opportunity. Harsh light and heat can ruin the comfort of a building’s occupants, but this intense sunlight offers potential benefits for buildings that aim to be more sustainable and energy-conscious.

Taking advantage of the sun as a power source doesn’t mean you can ignore the problems it causes.

The powerful benefits of Australia’s sunlight

A good example of this is the proposed Sol Invictus Tower in Melbourne, which was announced last year by Peddle Thorp Architects. The 60-storey apartment building will wear a skin of more than 35,000 solar panels that, along with roof-mounted wind turbines, will provide more than half of the tower’s energy needs, Architectural Digest reports. The building’s shape is designed to make the most of the sun throughout the day.

Buildings like Sol Invictus are part of a growing movement in architecture that recognises what the Australian climate has to offer, and runs with it rather than fights against it. But taking advantage of the sun as a power source doesn’t mean you can ignore the problems it causes.

The sun is great for solar panels, but can be harsh on a building's occupants.The sun is great for solar panels, but can be harsh on a building’s occupants.

Balancing sustainability with comfort

The flip side to this natural heat source is that it doesn’t discriminate – the strong sunlight that hits solar panels and powers a building also heats the interior and casts glare. For a building to be comfortably liveable it needs to moderate the effect of the sun’s heat and glare while still making the most of it as an energy and light source. Solar panels are a great way to take on that second challenge, but what about the first?

Locker Group has a range of products that can be used to minimise the unpleasant effects of the sun on a building’s occupants. Woven wire, perforated and expanded metal facades can all be used to provide shade without limiting view or air flow. Check out our case studies for some examples of how LG’s architectural products have been used to moderate the effects of the sun.

Harnessing the sun’s power while protecting ourselves from its heat are not mutually exclusive goals. Locker Group’s products provide ways to design buildings that make the most of what the sun has to offer without subjecting the interior to its harsh effects. Get in touch today to discuss how we can be involved in your next sustainable design project.

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