Client: Star of the Sea School
Type of works: installation of external awning systems, used to reduce heat and light gain and yet still permit the use of opening windows.

Faced with designing an extension to a school which had predominantly south-facing windows and was also positioned in an exposed area close to the beach at Whitley Bay, the architects asked Astralux for expert advice on solar shading.

The architects were keen to explore the benefits of an external solution to give optimum shading performance, whilst adding to the aesthetics of their design.

After exploring the options, a specification for Astralux 7000 Markisolette awnings with motorised operation from inside each individual room, was agreed. An external anemometer was also proposed to continuously monitor the wind speed and to retract the systems safely if this exceeded acceptable levels. The system hardware was powder coated to match the window frames.

In total 5 window bays were shaded using 20 awning systems.

The result was a very effective and attractive solution to the issue of glare and heat gain which still allowed the operation of the windows for natural ventilation.