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designing practical, efficient and stylish sun spaces
By Joe Wild, Ecotecture. Sun rooms, conservatories
and atriums are synonymous with being too hot in summer and too cold in winter. But sun spaces, if designed and used correctly, can actually enhance the running of a building and save energy. The two key fac- tors are to build them on the south elevation to maximise heat gain and treat them as an extra skin or heat buffer to the main building. In the winter, the sun space naturally warms up through solar radiation. This heat can be used by directing it into the main building through high level vents, or simply through opening the adjoining door. The temper- ature difference created reduces heat loss, whilst the glass pro- tects the building against wind chill. A solid high mass floor in a sun space can help store heat and help to reduce temper- ature variation. Sun spaces should be treated
as an independent and dyna- mic element of a building. They
get ready to get britain building
January. Managing director of IronmongeryDirect, Wayne Lysaght-Mason has been watching this development with interest. He commented:
The £420 million fund to Get Britain Building was announced in November 2011 by the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister as part of the govern- ment’s Housing Strategy for England. In December the Homes & Communities Agency (HCA) published detailed guidance for devel- opers wishing to apply to the Get Britain Building pro- gramme; the deadline for bids is 12pm on Monday 30th
“If we can start this year on a positive note, all of us con- nected with the building and construction trade will be working hard to keep this momentum going. For the tradesmen who will be work- ing on such projects this will be critical.” Get Britain Building is intended to unlock stalled sites with planning permis- sion to support construction activity and provide new homes, to address difficul- ties in accessing develop- ment finance faced by some housebuilders, and to help bring forward marginal sites by sharing risk.
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should not be heated (or cooled) artificially as all energy saving benefits will be lost. Dealing with any over heating can be tackled by working with nature. For example, high level vents in the sun space roof will vent out excessive heat. Externally fitted blinds are most effective at reduc- ing heat gain as they minimise heat passing into the sun space. Vent pipes (awaducts) in the floor that run out into a cooler, per- haps shady garden area will help with thermo siphoning, drawing cooler air up from the pipe into the sun space. These measures will extend
the time of year that a sun space will be comfortable to occupy. However, it is important to rem- ember that the space should not be converted to (and relied upon) as a permanent living area. Instead, maintain the idea that a sun space aids energy efficiency, reduces heat loss and provides a great place to grow winter salads and other more delicate plants.
Enq. 102 equilux
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