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Sign upOctober 10, 2023
ENSAM
Montpellier
The Montpellier National School of Architecture (ENSAM), a listed 1970s building in France, was renovated in 2023 with the goal of cutting energy use by 60% while preserving its heritage. A key feature of the project was the installation of SoliBlade glazing, developed by IMMOBLADE.
Unlike conventional glazing, SoliBlade incorporates a passive, seasonal solar protection system directly within the glass. Compared to conventional solar protection glazing, this solution provides dynamic seasonal performance without moving parts, reducing overheating in hot months while enhancing natural heating during colder months. Each façade is carefully optimised, with blade angles calculated to provide the best balance between shading and natural light. In total, around 300 m² of SoliBlade, representing nearly half of the building’s new glazing was installed, distributed across east- and west-facing façades and, most significantly, on the south-facing elevations.
With under 300 g of aluminum per pane, SoliBlade achieves a very low carbon footprint (<8.5 kg/m²). The renovation ran over one year, followed by energy monitoring. Results have exceeded expectations, with 70% and 66% energy savings in the first two years and greenhouse gas emissions reduced by 74%. In 2023, ENSAM’s renovation received the RéHab XXè prize, awarded by the French Ministry of Culture and the Centre for Studies and Expertise on Risks, the Environment, Mobility and Development (CEREMA).
Building heating and cooling produces 30% of CO2 in Western countries. To address this challenge, this solution provides a passive glazing solar protection, differentiating shading seasonally and reducing emissions. Rather than using high-tech solutions and active systems, which are prone to failure and maintenance costs, this technology uses fixed mini-blades between glass panes and t is therefore low-tech. Using the latitude of the building and the orientation of the facade as main inputs, the blades are optimally inclined to block the sun during summer, while letting it through during winter. The system is then passive and fixed. Because there are absolutely no moving parts, this system can be easily miniaturised and fitted inside the glazing. Highly customizable, the IMMOBLADE Solar Protection can be tailored for each facade to equip and provides performances without degradations, for decades.
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