Glass Roof Extensions Without the Sauna Effect
For homeowners who want a bright, open-plan kitchen extension but worry about it overheating every summer.
Meet Sam & Lucy
Sam and Lucy want a striking open-plan kitchen-diner with a glazed roof lantern flooding the space with light. But they've visited friends' glass extensions that become unusable ovens by July, and they don't want to spend a fortune they regret.
Solar Control Glazing
Modern roof glazing can include solar control coatings that selectively filter out much of the sun's heat-carrying infrared radiation while still admitting visible light — meaning the space stays bright without turning into a greenhouse.
Solar Control Glazing
Modern roof glazing can include solar control coatings that selectively filter out much of the sun's heat-carrying infrared radiation while still admitting visible light — meaning the space stays bright without turning into a greenhouse.
Cross-Ventilation and Rooflight Vents
Opening rooflights positioned to work with openable doors or windows elsewhere in the extension create a stack effect, pulling hot air out through the roof and drawing cooler air in at low level — passive cooling that needs no energy input.
Cross-Ventilation and Rooflight Vents
Opening rooflights positioned to work with openable doors or windows elsewhere in the extension create a stack effect, pulling hot air out through the roof and drawing cooler air in at low level — passive cooling that needs no energy input.
The Architect's Value
An architect sizes and specifies the glazing, shading, and ventilation together as one system — balancing how much glass the design wants against how much solar gain the space can actually absorb comfortably in summer.