Wesley Taylor Village offers high-end assisted living and social activities to retired individuals. This private service offers accommodation for those looking for a comfortable life as they unwind. The Village provides residents with quick access to services, help, and entertainment.
Wesley Taylor Village is a beachfront property – on the Narrabeen Peninsula, Sydney, Australia. Part of the complex includes an external glass elevator that helps less able residents leave and return to their levels.
The idea behind using a glass lift was to inspire residents with an open view of the beach. The lift gives residents full access between floors and reduces their need to use the stairs. Though the views of the beach were clear and open, it left a major problem for those using the lift in the summer.
The sun would raise the temperature of the lift cabin to over 50oC during the day, making it uncomfortable, and in some cases, dangerous to use. The heat was detrimental to both the passengers and the machinery.
“Dangerous temperatures in the lift cabin.”
During the summer, the management made the difficult decision to shut the elevator down. The consequence was a restriction in the movement of less able-bodied residents between floors. As a business, it was critical to keep the residents happy and safe.
There were few options open, and placing permanent helpers on the stairwells during the summer was unrealistic.
Architectural Solution
The heating issue was so severe it was disrupting the running of the facility. Architects Maitland and Butler looked into methods of reducing solar heating. Initial inspection and measurements made on the lift shaft showed that traditional louvres would not work until after 11 am.
Darkening shades would have hidden the beach view. The below 33-degree entrance angle of the powerful sunlight would still be enough to make a significant heat gain to the lift chamber. Greene Fire had a product that would offer a ray of hope.
Smartlouvre’s MicroLouvre was the ideal solution. The architects opted for their louvre technology as the best prospect. MicroLouvre screens are a practical solution. These screens would supply solar protection while leaving the view uninterrupted.
MicroLouvre
In tests, MicroLouvre screens offered the most shade with the least disruption to the design and functionality of the glass shaft. Even at a direct side-on-angle, the screen reduced light penetrating the shaft by up to 35%.
“Up to 50% reduction in solar heat gain.”
Further testing showed that the screen offered full shading from the sun when it shone in at higher than a 40-degree angle. Temperatures in the lift decreased by 50% during the middle of the day. The shade also gave the lobby area a temperature reduction of 10oC.
Key benefits of using MicroLouvre:
- Up to 50% reduction in lift temperature.
- Unobstructed views of the beach.
- Easy to install and clean.
- Improved aesthetics of hiding the lift mechanism when viewed from the outside.
- Air conditioning savings of up to 25%.
MicroLouvre’s screen is a bronze composite with a powder coating that helps to reduce glare and heat gain. Even though the material is less than 13mm thick, it is strong enough to cope with wind speeds of up to 160kph.
Since the material is metal, there is no chance of self-combustion during a fire. The products are in an A1/A2 class fire rating, reducing flames and flying embers from passing through.
The angling of the material makes it effective at both reducing solar heat gain and heat loss from the interior. MicroLouvre incorporates 700 narrow bronze louvres into every metre long stretch of the material.
“Fire and fire ember screening.”
Persistence of vision means that those looking out through the material can still enjoy their views. From the outside, the screen has the benefit of hiding outdated or messy construction work. For open-air applications, the material is effective at screening out large insects, birds, and other animals.
Metal Fabrics
Eco-pressure to reduce carbon emissions is growing. This means that metal fabrics are one of the few solutions that are both practical and effective. Energy savings on air conditioning can be as high as 68% with MicroLouvre.
More businesses, institutions, and homeowners are opting for MicroLouvre fabrics. MicroLouvre is a key solution for energy conservation, fire protection, and rejuvenation of facades.