Brise soleil, also known as louvres, is an external architectural feature of a building that reduces heat gain within that building by deflecting sunlight. The system allows low-level sun to enter a building in the mornings, evenings and during winter but cuts out direct light during summer. 

Brise soleil is a type of solar shading system that uses a series of horizontal or vertical blades to control the amount of sunlight and solar heat that enters a building and can be manufactured from a range of materials including wood.

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Interestingly, the name ‘brise soleil’ comes from the French word ‘sun breaker’. The system was developed by the Swiss architect and city planner, Charles Édouard Jeanneret, a pioneer in passive energy control, who first used solar shading on multi-storey buildings in the 1930s.

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Not only is the initial outlay cost-effective when compared with other façade screening or cladding systems but brise soleil and louvre systems can provide a long term saving in running costs.

 

The new UK building regulation (Part O) came into effect in June 2022. This deals with the growing issue of buildings being designed and constructed without consideration of the building’s potential internal temperature and covers the overheating mitigation requirements of the building regulations; designing and constructing buildings to limit unwanted solar gains in summer and providing an adequate way of removing excess heat from the inside the building.

The regulations apply to all residential and institutional dwellings, including care facilities and student accommodation, anywhere you would stay overnight (excluding hotels), ranging from a single-story house to a high-rise apartment block.

 

Cambridge Brise Soleil exist to supply tailor made solutions, working with architects and designers who strive to create new ways to satisfy this planning requirement. The business has developed from being experts in Corten (Weathering Steel) and seeing this being used more frequently as a Brise solution

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We can produce solutions using complementary materials, for your self- build projects, and specialising in the personal touch, we can manage your project and create your brise soleil in our on-site factory, based in Sandy, Bedfordshire. 

 

We don’t offer off the shelf ranges – and are more about solving the usual question “ do you think you could make this design?”

One-off, converting outstanding pieces of architectural design to reality,  is where we work best.

 

Cambridge Brise Soleil is a division of Cambridge Corten.