Ventilation and solar shading are key to the success of any building envelope and Zefyr has introduced two ranges of high performance louvres as an essential complement to the integrated facade and curtain walling systems.

The new products and associated design services are of the very highest pedigree,coming from a company that has been active in the design and manufacture of ventilation systems since 1908.

With the global requirement to achieve drastic reductions of carbon dioxide emissions and the consequent requirement to improve the energy efficiency of all kinds of buildings, there has been a dramatic increase in the demand for natural ventilation products.

On this CD-ROM you can find details of the two principal ranges of louvres that are now designed by Zefyr - the standard and the smooth-flow systems.

Technical design expertise

Zefyr louvres have been developed using the highest level of technical design expertise. From the specification details that follow it can be seen that both the standard and the smooth-flow systems offer a range of configurations thereby providing a high degree of flexibility. This is essential to any performance louvre system as requirements will vary greatly according to aspect, building type, topography and location.

The effective performance of any installation will depend upon specification according to scientific understanding of the relevant weathering, aerodynamic, structural and acoustic factors of each project. To ensure that these requirements are completely satisfied, Corus Building Systems has established a dedicated technical team.

Whilst in most cases a specification will be achieved from the existing system elements, a bespoke design and manufacturing service is available for applications with particularly stringent requirements.

We can assist with:

- ventilation performance
- structural integrity
- heat and air flow characteristics
- environmental considerations
- aesthetic appeal
- NBS specification format

Louvres testing procedure

Zefyr louvres have been tested and proven in a variety of independent laboratories worldwide, including those in the USA and Europe. Whilst testing is very important, the results should not be taken as absolute, It is important to note that for any louvre system, consideration of the precise application and its location is critical. The layout of the building and the relative positioning of the louvre panels is key to a successful installation.

It should be noted that most tests use a louvre of approximately one square metre with no obstructions. This is not truly representative of actual installations where the louvres will be supported by secondary steelwork and mullions which obstruct the flow of air. However, the enhanced design techniques used in the development of Zefyr louvres have recognised this problem and by increasing the strength of the individual components the number of obstructions to the rear of the louvre has been absolutely minimised.


Indeed, compared to equivalent systems, the free area' within Zefyr louvre systems can be as much as 30 per cent greater. The performance of a Zefyr louvre installation therefore is likely to equate much more closely to typical test procedure results.

The test results published on this disk were achieved at independent dedicated testing centres in Europe and are presented in a form consistent with the HEVAC format.

Louvre design and testing has developed gradually over the last 80 years and Zefyr louvres have benefited first hand from this accumulated experience.

Louvres Overview | Standard Louvres | Smooth-flow Louvres