Roller Blinds / Screens

External roller blinds act as an effective insulator to all types of glazing.

External roller blinds serve two basic functions. Primarily, they provide a high degree of protection against solar heat and glare reducing the primary air conditioning load or the need for an air conditioning plant in the summer. During the winter months they provide a degree of protection by retaining heat within the building. Savings in energy can be substantial offering an attractive proposition for the building services team to meet the demands of the latest Building Regulations.

The other main function is that of aesthetics on new buildings the blinds can be incorporated into the design at an early stage to give the architect or designer an exciting new medium with which to work. Use of external roller blinds as a retro-fit on existing buildings can provide an energy efficient, highly functional and cost-effective solution that gives an exciting new lease of life to even the plainest design.
 

Types and operation

Rollscreen

Standard, vertical hanging with either stainless steel cable or extruded aluminium guiding.

Markisolette

Offers all the design possibilities of the rollscreen system with the added feature of a small fully retractable drop-arm blind. Aluminium guiding only.

Facade

Special guides are formed to follow the profile of the building or to provide a feature. Idling rollers on each bend allow the fabric to follow the guides.

Tensioned Systems

Where blinds are required to run horizontally, upwards, or where the slope angle is too low to allow the gravity systems to work a tensioned system is needed. Single or tandem motors and tension cables or tapes are used to drive the bottom rail. Aluminium guides can also have a single bend and can even be curved to follow pitched or vaulted roofs. Idling rollers spaced around the curve allow the fabric to follow the curve in facets.

Manual operation

Drive is from a gearbox connected to the roller through the building to an operating rod.

Electric

With tubular motors within the roller the control choice is extensive from simple switches to environmental sensors or linking to a building management system.
 

Fabric

Mesh material

Generally of woven fibreglass/PVC construction in a wide range of colours, giving a high degree of solar protection and privacy whilst affording  a view to the outside.

Acrylic

Available in a wide range of colours. Particularly suited to tensioned blind systems.

Darkening

Opaque fabrics for room darkening.

All fabrics are resistant to rot, ultraviolet degradation, are colour fast and, in many cases, flame retardant.
 

Components

Side guides rail

On rollscreen may be simple stainless steel cables or extruded aluminium “C” section. For other systems, special extruded aluminium guides are used. Aluminium guides usually incorporate neoprene anti-rattle strips.

Roller

Motorised or gear operated. In the case of tensioned systems, the use of a secondary motorised roller and/or integral tensioning spring is essential.

Bottom/front rail

Aluminium extrusion with end fittings to locate into side-guides. With the exception of tensioned systems, the rail is weighted and allowed to move freely in the guides to prevent wind damage to fabric.

Top board or Headbox

Aluminium in a variety of configurations to suit requirements. Roller may also be recessed into soffit if required.

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