Vertical blinds are one of the most versatile types of sunscreening available, combining the aesthetic qualities of fabric blinds with the effiency of louvres. They are particularly suitable for areas with wide window spans and by using one of the many performance fabrics available an excellent degree of solar shading and control of glare can be achieved. Vertical blinds offer a practical as well as aesthetically pleasing solution to problems of heat gain and solar glare and can meet most requirements of the modern office and commercial environment. The amount of light entering a room through the window is precisely controlled by the louvres, which can be rotated to any angle by means of a simple manual control. The louvres can also be drawn back to one or both sides of the window, or stacked neatly in the centre when the blind is fully open. Vertical blinds offer complete or partial privacy and can be useful s room dividers or room screens where it is necessary to conceal certain areas from full view. Control Options
The Ultrasound vertical blind system has been specifically developed to incorporate features and functions suitable for most applications in today's commercial building environment. In addition to the standard systems for rectangular widows, models are available with horizontally curved headrails for bay windows; vertically curved rails for special shaped windows and sloping rails for openings where the top is inclined, two different size blinds can also be combined on one track, controlled independently or as a single blind. Flexible control systems are available to suit most installations and include manual operation with a combination of options for tilting/drawing the louvres, mono control by means of a continuous loop chain or a simple traversing wand, and a variety of motorised options where blinds can be individually operated or group controlled, activated by means of manual switching, infra red remote control.
Continuous product development has been given rise to many user-friendly features, which are of particular benefit in a commercial installation. These include a louvre release catch, to give easy access for window cleaning, automatic louvre realignment for efficient operation and to prevent damage to the system, and pop on/pop off louvre hangers for easy removal/replacement of the louvres.
Components
Although hardware is a vital system component in terms of quality, functionality and longevity, the construction, performance and colour of the fabric selected are equally important considerations. The continuing popularity of vertical blinds has led to significant developments in the range of performance fabrics and the wide choice of weave, construction and colour provides a number of options for specifying the most suitable fabric. These include fabrics woven from high performance yarns with specific solar and light transmission properties, ecological fabrics and those with special solar reflective coatings to combat the amount of solar heat gain entering the window. All fabrics are flame retardant, tested to approved standards, contain UV inhibitors for longer lasting colour retention, and are manufactured to withstand the rigorous demands of the office environment. Occupier comfort and safety are now standard requirements when considering solar shading solutions for commercial buildings and the sheer variety of suitable fabrics make vertical blinds a popular choice to fulfil this role. Fabrics
The following is a summary of the key fabric qualities in the comprehensive Ultrasound programme: |
