Sunsquare highlights performance and safety issues surrounding unregulated rooflights
In association with
Rooflights are an excellent way to bring natural light, fresh air and outdoor access to buildings, so it’s no surprise that they are becoming increasingly popular. But as demand grows, so does the need for proper industry regulation, and as it stands, the flat-roof skylight industry remains completely unregulated. Unfortunately, this has led to a rise in sub-standard products hitting the market that offer little in the way of thermal efficiency, quality assurance and safety. It has also opened the floodgates to misleading marketing claims, leaving customers confused about which products truly deliver on performance.
Regulation in an unregulated industry
Most specifiers are rightly shocked to hear that the industry remains unregulated, after all, this is glass suspended over people’s heads. Yes, there are some rules and regulations in place when it comes to the glass itself or the installation process, but there’s not one uniform standard for ‘out of plane’ flat-roof skylights. Because of this, the industry has seen an influx of products that underperform along with a flurry of misleading marketing claims. Specifiers are forgiven then, to not always realise that when it comes to skylight design, what they see isn’t always what they get. So how do you differentiate between manufacturers who have truly adopted a duty of care and are constantly striving to improve on their quality assurances, from the less scrupulous, who are using the loophole to their financial gain and cutting corners in product quality?
At Sunsquare, we’ve made it our business to work with renowned quality assurance leader, the BSI (British Standards Institution). By developing a BSI Kitemark for accreditation, specifically for flat-roof skylights, customers can have complete peace of mind about the safety, security and thermal properties of our products. As the only rooflight manufacturer to currently hold this accolade, we aim to champion a culture of honesty and bring some clarity to the smoke and mirrors approach that can be found in the marketplace. We also urge other manufacturers to join us in adopting a BSI kitemark accreditation. This way customers will be able to confidently select their products based on one uniform quality assurance criteria.
The truth behind U-values
One area that is a particular source of confusion is the subject of U-values. On paper, one can take a sealed-unit glass centre pane and calculate its U-value, but for architects who are truly aiming to lower the carbon footprint of a building, this method is somewhat short-sighted. To understand the true U-value of a skylight, the calculation must be made once the glass has been fitted to the aluminium frame. In fact, the differences between the two can be stark, scoring up to six times lower than it would be if the whole frame was taken into account.
The solution to this is to choose a rooflight design that gives an accurate reading for the entire product. From the frame to the glass and everything in between, a Sunsquare U-value takes everything into account, providing a true and accurate calculation. How do we know? Through our state-of-the-art facilities we regularly test our products using advanced thermal imaging technology. Not only does this allow us to officially calculate the exact U-value of our products, but it also ensures that we’re delivering a product that performs, time after time.
The importance of thermal efficiency
If specifiers chose a product that underdelivers in terms of thermal efficiency, the stakes are high. It means buildings are colder, heating bills are higher and condensation is not properly managed. The key is to look for products that are ‘thermally broken’. This means featuring in-frame insulating sections that break the conductivity and provide a proper barrier between indoor and outdoor temperatures. Architects should be aware of marketing jargon, such as the term ‘thermally managed’. Unless it’s thermally broken, it simply won’t protect against thermal bridging – a process where cold air from outside mixes with the warm air from inside to create condensation. As water droplets collect on the metal of the frame, this can over time, cause irreparable damage, compromising its safety and effectiveness. With a Sunsquare skylight, you’ll find the most thermally efficient profile on the market, as each frame contains a quadruple thermal break.
Sunsquare lights the way
With over 15 years’ worth of experience in the industry, Sunsquare has continuously raised the bar when it comes to what’s possible in flat-roof skylight design. Whether that’s being the first and only flat-roof skylight manufacturer to receive a BSI Kitemark for safety or being the first to provide a fully thermally-broken product, we’ve made it our business to push the standard in an unregulated industry. As a market leader, it’s our mission to ensure that the customers of tomorrow are receiving the product that they truly deserve.
