Faqs

Louvreclad is an Australian company with the head office located in Bundamba, QLD. We currently have dedicated installation teams in QLD, NSW and VIC with supply only available to SA, NT, and WA. Louvreclad predominately supplies to Australian projects but welcomes global enquiry for supply contracts.

All our products are custom made, designed and engineered to suit the project. Therefore, maximum span is dependent on the louvre/sun blade size and configuration, local wind pressures and structure available for fixing.

Louvreclad can extrude up to 6.5m. However, depending on the design, you may need to split the blades up into sections and allow for a 5-10mm thermal expansion joint.

Depending on the size of the blades and the span required, either our Barossa or Caprice Series® should work for this application.

Louvreclad recommends that you avoid fixing vertical and horizontal sun blades to window mullions as this can jeopardize the integrity of the mullion and void any warranty. Please contact Louvreclad’s technical team for alternative fixing methods.

Most fixed blade aluminium louvres can be extruded up to 6.5mtrs however, blades can also be butt joined to provide the continuous look to meet your design intent without size limitations. Continuous length blades depend on design, engineering and structural support specific to each project.

Roll formed louvre blades can be up to 8m length and press formed blades a max of 4m long.

Please see product fact sheets with final design subject to local wind pressures and engineers approval.

All Fact Sheets can be found HERE

• Confirm that the louvre is tested to AS/NZS 4740:2000.
• Mechanical engineer defines the required volume flow rate (m ³/s) for mechanical plant or passive ventilation.
• Mechanical engineer defines the maximum allowable pressure drop across a louvre before fan performance suffers.
• The architect and engineer then balance the louvre façade area (m2) against the effective aerodynamic area of any louvre selections, and the required rain resistance rating, to get a mutually workable outcome.
• Specify the louvre that works for your design aesthetically and achieves the performance classification required for acoustics, aerodynamics and rain defence.

For example: Jupiter 2 Stage Louvre – Class A3

(Example schedule available on draft specification)

Please Note: Louvre performance is proportional to the design air flow. For example, the higher the air velocity the lower the rain defence.

In Australia, the AS/NZS 4740:2000 sets out the test method and standard for testing natural ventilators. This method of testing and performance classification provides comparative performance data for both rain defence and airflow. Standardised testing method offers protection to the specifiers and clear guidance to contractors on project requirements and performance expectations.

While Louvreclad does have options that provide this, it is important to understand that there are a number of different methods and standards within the industry for measuring Free Open Area (FOA),  all of which will give you very different results.

Alongside this, FOA does not tell you anything about the aerodynamic or the rain defence performance of the louvre profile. Therefore, FOA is not necessarily the best way to measure louvre performance. (Please see Louvreclad white paper for further info)

Ultimately, it is better to check that the louvre is tested to AS/NZS 4740:2000, the Australian Standard for testing natural ventilators

Pressure drop (measured in Pascal) is a measure of air resistance through an opening. In building ventilation, the maximum acceptable pressure drop is usually set by the fan performance and air flow requirement through the minimum louvre size.

Free Open Area is a geometric measurement proportional to the pitch of the louvre blades.

Computation Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling is the analysis of fluid flows using numerical solution methods. CFD enables us to perform numerical experiments in a virtual laboratory.

The applications for CFD are incredibly diverse; it can be used to solve huge atmospheric and industrial processes to fine detail flows in living creatures and nanofluid applications.

For louvres, it allows us to simulate the test parameters set by AS/NZS 4740:2000 which gives us the rain resistance and aerodynamic performance of any given louvre profile.

Louvreclad offer a standard 12-month standard warranty alongside the powder coat or anodise manufacturer’s warranty. Project specific extended warranties are available on request (POA)

Please see our colours & finishes matrix here