Part O of the Building Regulations ensures that energy efficiency is improved by controlling building temperatures. In essence, the regulation dictates that facilities must be able to retain heat during the winter and limit and remove excess heat during the summer.
Through shading control, any workplace can perfectly implement the regulations of Part O and improve the comfort of the workspace. Labetts offers a shading control system that can benefit and greatly improve the quality of any workspace at any time of year.
Shading systems are crucial to the control of temperature. A dynamic system that has been integrated into the Building Management System (BMS) can reduce energy use through solar energy and does not require constant human interaction with the blinds.
The Labetts blinds automated system uses a series of internal and external factors to manage the blinds and other methods, such as the lights and air conditioning, to optimise energy use and control the heat levels.
The primary function of Part O is to moderate the overheating of buildings during the summer and conserve heat throughout the winter. The blinds can be scheduled to suit the time of year. For example, the blinds can be left open throughout the summer nights to allow the space to cool but can be left closed in the winter to preserve the already trapped heat.
The shading system can be triggered by the sun’s position, LUX levels and glare to drop the blinds and reduce heat gain.
Having the blinds moderate the heat entering the space allows energy to be used more efficiently and sustainably. The shading system will adjust the blinds to compensate for the heat to keep the area as cool as possible; therefore, the air conditioning load will be reduced significantly. Also, the system will monitor the sunlight outside and use that information to determine when the lights should be used indoors, ensuring the lights aren’t on needlessly.
Putting in place a proactive blind maintenance contract allows your business to fulfil its Type O obligations. Our team of engineers provide continual onsite support as part of our service, eliminating the stress of blind maintenance.
If you're interested in installing a shading control system, please don’t hesitate to contact a team member to learn more about our services.