As part of a £13.8m
redevelopment project, Brunel University in West London, has installed six
made-to-measure Sunsquare flat-roof skylights in its Wilfred Brown Building (a
central hub for the College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences).
The aim was to bring
in much-needed natural light to create a lighter, brighter learning environment
for students, whilst also providing exceptional thermal efficiency and keeping
energy costs down.
Brunel’s core
specification challenge was to design a roof that would allow access to plenty
of natural light – but with stringent environmental policies weighing heavily
on the public sector, efficiency had to be front of mind too. Any glass used on
the roof needed to be fully thermally efficient – preventing heat loss in
winter months to help keep costs low, yet ensuring that temperatures don’t
become uncomfortably warm during the summer. Student safety was also a top
priority, and the rooflights had to be able to stand the test of time against
the extremes of seasonal weather.
Specifiers at Brunel
had worked with Sunsquare before, and knew that their rooflights were the ideal
solution for the university’s unique requirements: “As a university renowned
for delivering exceptional standards of education, it was imperative that Brunel’s
upgraded facilities reflected the same high standards,” explains Mark Lambert,
Sales Director at Sunsquare. “One of the main challenges faced by the
remodelling team was to create a more welcoming space for visitors, increasing
light in poorly lit areas of the building.
“Studies have shown
that the benefits of natural light in learning facilities can be significant,
providing access to vitamin D than can improve students’ mood, focus,
productivity and attendance. Rooflights are the perfect solution – as they emit
twice as much natural light as an equivalent sized vertical window.
“However, for Brunel,
it didn’t stop there. The university needed to ensure proper heat-loss
protection too. With such a large atrium to heat, a rooflight with a thermally
efficient profile was the only way to keep heat loss to a minimum and energy
bills as low as possible.”
By incorporating six
made-to-measure Skyview flat-roof skylights – complete with Sunsquare’s unique
thermal technology – into the tender drawings from the outset, the architects
were able to strike the balance between natural light and thermal efficiency.
Designed to fit flush with the project’s pre-constructed ventilated upstands,
and featuring a fully thermally broken frame, the Skyview rooflights matched
thermal performance with the aesthetic appeal Brunel needed.
The 4,710m2 Wilfred Brown Building was fitted with
four (1514 x 3514mm) glass pane Skyview rooflights, spanning the full length of
the atrium. Two smaller (1000 x 2000mm) Skyview rooflights were installed above
darker corners over a neighbouring staircase. All six feature a laminated inner
pane to deliver optimum durability and glass safety.
A key driver behind
selecting Skyview rooflights was their unrivalled U-values. Sunsquare products
are the only flat-roof skylights to feature a fully ‘thermally broken’ frame,
delivering the most efficient profile on the market. This is due, in part, to
two separate runs of polyamide included in the frame. These insulating sections
act as breaks to thermal conductivity through the aluminium frame, keeping
internal and external temperatures completely separate.
As well as preventing
heat loss, these insulating sections also prevent ‘cold bridging’ – where
condensation forms. Over time, if this water is allowed to accumulate, the
structure of the frame can become damaged, compromising a rooflight’s safety
and efficiency. For a university filled with hundreds of students each day,
knowing this will never be an issue provides complete peace of mind for both
specifiers and university staff alike.
Lambert adds: “Brunel
University is a perfect example of how functionality and sustainability can
work together within an education facility. Opting for fully thermally broken
rooflights meant Brunel’s specifying team could guarantee unbeatable U-Value performance,
creating a greener, more energy-efficient building – and still deliver a
rooflight that can cope with the battering of wind and rain for decades to
come.”
As well as preventing
wasted heat in colder seasons, the architectural team was concerned about the
potential impact of such large areas of glazing in the summer months. This is
why each rooflight was specified with SN70 Solar controlled glass to avoid excessive
heat during sunny periods. This glass reflects up to 60% of the sun’s heat
rays, providing UV protection without any visible drop in light penetration.
This has the added bonus of improving heating and ventilation costs, by helping
maintain a comfortable temperature.
“Since the
installation, both visitors and students have commented on how striking the
entrance to the building now looks,” Lambert adds. “But what they don’t see is
the peace of mind behind the design. As the only rooflight company to hold a
BSI (British Standards Institution) Kitemark for safety, we were able to offer
unparalleled levels of safety that other rooflight companies simply can’t
match. We also regularly test each of our components to absolute destruction,
so we can guarantee consistently high-standards, time after time.”
