Mid-rise and high-rise commercial buildings are made including curtain walls. It includes giant glasses through frames at the façade of the building. These glasses play some vital roles in the functioning of a building, its inhabitants, and concerned activities. Among these roles is lightning. This counters the lightning systems as part of MEP systems. (These systems can be made into these projects through MEP drafting services).
Curtain walls optimize façade for various reasons and in different manners including lightning.
Curtain Wall
It is an exterior wall (façade) made out of huge glass. It is non-structural and mainly serves as a cover to the building. The glasses can be half the height of the floor as far as the size of two floors. The width goes along with the height to deliver the intended outcome.
These glasses are installed through frames. The thickness of the frame adds and subtracts the beauty appeal of the building’s appearance. The glasses can also act as windows and can be both fixed or unfixed. Frames decide between the two options. This way, it plays its role accordingly.
With their characteristics, the curtain wall is used for varying purposes in mid-rise and high-rise commercial buildings.
Chief Roles of Installing Curtain Wall
The curtain wall is mainly used in commercial projects due to various factors. Mainly these include:
- It gives an appealing look to the building. This look helps with a number of different purposes such as attracting, communicating, and others
- It gives a good view inside. This way, outsiders make a good understanding of the building from the inside as well as inside
- Also, it helps with a view of the outside for the ones inside. This way, it assists with factors such as stress relieving and distracting from hectic routines inside
- It helps with connecting with the activities happening outside. This interaction keeps the ones inside updated about the world outside
- The view from the outside can particularly help businesses such as hotels and restaurants as it adds to the experience
- While most mid-rise and high-rise commercial buildings include curtain walls, it helps these buildings to stand out among the neighborhood
- Commercial activities are aced by keeping the ones inside motivated through the view of the outside
- Provide light for the building during the daytime. This can illuminate the inside to a vast extent at the right angles
These are some of the chief roles that make it a good option for installation.
How Does It Help with Lightning?
Curtain wall helps greatly with lightning within mid-rise and high-rise commercial buildings. This is an alternative to lightning systems. This is particular to these building structures as they constitute curtain walls that allow lightning. The lightning that passes through the curtain wall comes with these aspects and characteristics:
- The lightning includes direct and indirect sun rays. These rays pass through the glass. The angle of the rays and the glass is vital for the final outcome; which is designed and implemented during the construction phase. This can be increased by using mirrors and other optics tools
- It is present during the day. From sunrise till sunset, the rays can pass through unless the angle does not match or the glasses are covered with something such as curtains. During its presence, it can be utilized in different manners
- The movement of light can help with the flow of time through the day. The inhabitants, employees, and visitors can understand the progression of the day through the direction, quantity, and intensity of sun rays
- In case of any power cut or unstable flow of electricity, this lightning can be very useful. While the main power supply or auxiliary backup can be diverted to other important uses, lightning can be switched to have an effective outcome
- This light can be used to generate electricity. Invisible solar plates can be installed in curtain walls as glasses. They can help the building with its electricity requirement. This can make building self-sufficient for the supposed requirement. This generation can be used later on
- They can lessen the electricity consumption in the first place. The light that enters through the glass can be used during the day while the electric lights can be put on hold. Through proper propagation and reflection of light, it can be adjusted to the right capacity
These are some of the reasons and methods for how curtain wall helps with lightning in mid-rise and high-rise commercial buildings.
Conclusion
The curtain wall is a form of façade made into mid-rise and high-rise commercial buildings. (To understand its usage, façade detailing services can be availed). It is simply huge glass that allows light to pass into the building structure. This is an alternative to lightning systems (that operate on electricity). The curtain wall helps the structure with lightning in various ways.