2.7 Louvred Facade

As shown, the NAT Vent Box can be used to provide a vertical air inlet. This arrangement provides a design opportunity to provide colour and depth to a building’s façade.

A second advantage is that it is often possible to place NAT Vent Boxes within the corner of a room. Here, it may be easier to incorporate a deeper Vent Box 1 - 4. Alternatively, it may be possible to pull the facades out in certain areas such to accommodate a deeper NAT Vent Box. Both of these designs are recommended when external noise levels are particularly high.

A further benefit of using a vertical louvre is the potential to incorporate acoustic attenuation into the blades. For free area reasons, this design can only be adopted if the louvres run vertically.

2.13 Screening under overhangs and above roof

The scheme below provides three design options incorporating acoustic screens into the facade of a development. In these instances, the air inlet vents are acoustically screened by baffles which break the line of sight to a given noise source. The acoustic screens are, in this instance, created by extending parts of the facade or adding panels to the facade such to cover the air inlet vents.

Option 1 - Overlapping Façades
With a perpendicular air inlet to the facade, this design provides an ideal screen to a noise source propagating from the left-hand side of the building.

Option 2 - Solar Shading and Acoustic Screening
Here a solid transparent screen incorporated into the solar shading, provides acoustic screening to a noise source directly in front of the building.

Option 3 - Photovoltaics used as Acoustic Screens
Photovoltaics provide acoustic screens in this instance. The photovoltaics are used to provide solar shading, power and acoustic attenuation, all within the building’s facade. Off-setting the photovoltaics and placing the air vents directly behind these panels provide high levels of acoustic resistance.