Energy Saving & Environment

Thanks to the wide selection of openness factors and colours, it is possible to optimise how much natural light is let in using Mermet fabrics and therefore to limit the use of artificial lighting. In practice, artificial lighting accounts for the largest share of energy consumption in shops and offices.

Accordingly, depending on the direction of the building's facades and its use of space, light must be filtered to a greater or lesser extent to avoid the phenomenon of glare. The denser and darker the fabric, or if it has a metallic side, the more effectively glare is controlled. Conversely and in order to favour natural light, a light-coloured fabric should be selected alongside a fabric with a high openness factor.

Using natural light improves the building's energy performance, enhances the well-being of its occupants and increases productivity.

Solar protection fabrics play a major role in bioclimatic facades by directly influencing energy consumption related to the use of air conditioning and heating in the building.

Summer comfort

Fabrics for external blinds offer better thermal protection because the solar radiation, which is partly absorbed (As) by the fabric before reaching the glazing, is reflected outwards. Dark colours protect better against the heat than light colours because they absorb more solar energy (lower Ts). The Mermet® fabrics may meet the requirements of EN 14501 standard (class 4) depending on colours.

Conversely, light colours are more efficient indoors. They absorb less heat (lower As) and reflect it more (Rs) than dark colours. Furthermore, low emission fabrics reduce the sensation of heat given off by the windows.

In summer, solar protection fabrics promote energy savings by limiting the use of air conditioning.

Winter comfort

Solar protection fabrics have an insulating effect on glass and help to reduce heat loss at night while combating the cooling effect of glass during the day. By using interior blinds to control luminosity, energy consumption is optimised as the zero-cost effect of the sun is partly retained.

In winter, solar protection fabrics promote energy savings from heating.

An exceptional lifespan

Made from a coated fibreglass yarns base (Sunscreen^®), with fire-proof (Screen Nature) or prepared after weaving (Blockout), Mermet^® fabrics offer the best characteristics for withstanding all tests :

• Excellent mechanical resistance (breaking and tear), can be placed under tension without going out of shape to create contours and volumes.
• Excellent dimensional stability thanks to the raw material: glass.
• Does not go out of shape when exposed to heat.
• No shrinkage, retains its factory dimensions within the required tolerances (tensile strength, flatness).
• Colour fastness to light : exposed to sunlight, and therefore UV, Mermet's fabrics remain colour-fast over time.

Composition: glass, natural and abundant material

A light material and chemically inert, fibre glass offers levels of resistance and stability that enable production of highly reliable and durable fabrics with good dimensional stability.

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment - Environmental Assessment Method) is the most widely used method for assessing buildings' environmental performance. This standard sets out the best practices in the area of sustainable design, based on multiple criteria.

The building may be awarded one of the certification levels depending on the number of credits obtained for each criterion.

Solar protection fabrics help to obtain credits in different categories:

• Reduction of the building's energy consumption (MAN 05)
• Visual comfort (HEA 01)
• Interior air quality (HEA 02)
• Thermal comfort (HEA 03)
• Acoustic performance (HEA 05)
• Reduction in CO2 emissions (ENE 1)
• Innovation (IN1)

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a US building standard.

A building can be placed in one of four categories: certified (≥ 40 pts), silver (≥50 pts), gold (≥60 pts) and platinum (≥ 80 pts). It applies to commercial, industrial, institutional and multiple-occupancy residential buildings.

The certification criteria established by the USGBC are designed to cover compliance with the "3 Rs" rule:

• Reduction in waste and resources consumed
• Re-utilisation of materials
• Recycling of materials

 Solar protection fabrics help to obtain credits in different categories:

• Ecological site design
• Energy and atmosphere
• Materials and resources
• Quality of the interior environment (low emissions, natural ventilation, thermal comfort, natural lighting and acoustic comfort)
• Innovation

Developed by the Actibaie consortium, Caleepso is an on-line simulator for free-of-charge calculation of the energy savings achieved through solar protection. Based on hundreds of dynamic thermal simulations, this software intended for professional and private users estimates the thermal behaviour of a building in step with RE 2020. Expressed in kilowatts or euros, the simulator calculates the year-long energy savings of a building and evaluates the mean reduction in greenhouse gases.

Beyond calculating the overall energy saving total, the simulator assesses summer comfort and determines the optimal operative temperature, i.e. the maximum temperature recorded in the room. Indeed, solar protection reduces the mean indoor temperature for each configuration. Another indicator is the achieved air conditioning savings, calculated in kWh/year. In winter, the main indicator is the achieved heating savings, calculated in kilowatts and in euros.

Do you have a project? Start a simulation!

CALEEPSO