A worldwide specialist in ventilation, sun protection and terrace covering systems, Renson constantly takes up challenging projects with unique requirements. The curtain wall system, for instance, is a new building trend where standard solutions won’t work. Driven by innovation and creativity, Renson’s experienced Projects team backed by an in-house R&D division, collaborates with architects, contractors and engineers to tailor the perfect solution for such applications.
When it comes to curtain walling, Renson has been able to integrate solar shading as well as ventilation discreetly by developing customised Fixscreen solar shading for the Sports Hotel Gent in Belgium, and window ventilators for the Panorama apartments in Bratislava, Slovakia.
Sports Hotel Gent, Belgium: Customised Fixscreen solar shading
Renson adapted their standard Fixscreens for the Sports Hotel in Gent, Belgium. The Fixscreens were installed discreetly in the rooftop on the upper side of a curtain wall system with the solar shading rolled up in the roof cover. New mounting brackets had to be designed to ensure the rolled up screens could be removed from above for maintenance by simply taking off the top cover. As the console smoothly connects with the vertical side channels of the Fixscreens, the roof detail of the curtain wall is aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
Since the sun protection screens covered the whole surface of the curtain wall, Renson chose to install one common profile instead of two vertical half-side channels to lead each of the screens. This ensured an easier and more efficient installation as the common channel could be mounted with only one central screw in the small joint between every other glass pane. With an extra profile between this channel and the facade, Renson was able to assist the installer with a successful and stress-free installation.
Unlike a standard Fixscreen where an expansion joint of 4mm is normally visible between the side channels and the cassettes, this project used a profile where no such joint can be seen, increasing its elegance.
An externally fitted Fixscreen solution is much more cost-effective than cooling down the interior with an air-conditioning system. Keeping out the sun before it even reaches the glass reduces the cost of cooling down the building in warm periods, making this solution energy-efficient as well as aesthetically pleasing.
Panorama Bratislava, Slovakia: Vertical ventilation
The architect sought a vertical solution to integrate window ventilators for an apartment development in the capital city of Bratislava in Slovakia. Renson developed a customised solution with its T100 window ventilators.
The building height, in this instance, didn’t allow standard horizontal ventilators to be integrated on top of the windows to provide natural fresh air inside the building. As the apartment was designed with a curtain wall facade, it was an even bigger challenge for Renson to find a successful solution that could provide sufficient air circulation to ventilate the building efficiently.
Following discussions with the architect and thorough in-house testing, Renson supplied a simple solution by integrating T100 window ventilators vertically, and doubled them at the same time. Renson also gained the approval of the University of Bratislava that was involved in this project, to ensure this was the most effective waterproof way to supply fresh air into the building. An acoustic channel was also integrated and the ventilators were placed in an extra housing to be certain there would not be any water ingress into the apartment building.
Renson was able to utilise and adapt an existing product to meet the needs of the architect, but crucially the research and development division collaborated intensively with the ‘Customised projects team’ to develop a specific solution that fit aesthetically well within this curtain wall system.
Image: Sports Hotel Gent, Belgium
