What are sun louvres? Controlling light and heat on the facade
Sun louvres are profiles placed in front of a facade to control direct sunlight. How they work and what to consider in design.
Glass facades bring daylight and views into a building, but direct sunlight can cause glare and unwanted heat gain inside. Sun louvres are architectural elements that control this light with profiles placed in front of the facade.
How do they work?
Louvre profiles are positioned according to the angle at which the sun reaches the facade. They block part of the direct light and redirect some of it, while letting indirect daylight in. The interior stays bright with less glare.
The direction, spacing and depth of the profiles set this balance:
- Horizontal profiles work well when the sun is high.
- Vertical profiles are more common on east and west facades, where the sun comes in at low angles.
- Spacing and depth determine how much light is blocked and how much view remains.
Architectural identity
Sun louvres are not just technical elements; they define the character of a facade. Coloured or white profiles with different depths and rhythms give a building a strong identity. Designed together with night lighting, the building looks different at different times of day.
Ceilüx sun louvres and Linear 84-R
Ceilüx offers sun louvre and linear profile solutions in the same product family, which includes the Linear 84-R model. Carrying the same profile language from the facade into the interior creates visual continuity between inside and outside. We cover this in linear profiles indoors and outdoors.
What to consider in design
- Facade orientation: Each facade receives sun at different times of day; profile direction is chosen accordingly.
- Interior use: Offices, homes and commercial spaces have different light needs.
- Maintenance and cleaning: Access to the profiles should be part of the facade design.
- Structure and fixing: Outdoor conditions and wind loads should be calculated for each project.
Summary
Sun louvres turn light control into architecture. For linear ceilings indoors, read linear ceiling systems, and for your project you can request a site survey.