The façade of a building is, so to speak, the visiting card of the architect. But it is much more than that. The catalogue of requirements for them is getting longer and longer: The façade must not only provide a representative effect, but at the same time protect against wind and weather, regulate the supply of light and moisture, and improve energy efficiency—around the clock. This is possible only if rigid thought structures are abandoned. A good thing therefore that sliding technology facilitates flexible and smart solutions.
Flexible shading is always a good idea for mitigating the conflict of objectives that I mentioned. Because it allows you to let in daylight and solar gain when desired—and prevent solar loads when necessary. However, flexibility alone is not enough. You have to ensure also that the shading is optimally aligned at all times. You cannot leave it to the users to adjust the shading all the time. That’s why automation makes sense. This applies in particular to the times when there are no users in the building. In the case of single-family homes, for example, this may be the case on weekends; in the case of office buildings, it might be in the early morning hours.
