Neil Duffy from Boca Raton (FL) sent in these pictures of some solar shields being installed on a new building in his area. The shields are designed to cut down on the sun’s radiant heat from being absorbed into the building at each window. Since the building is located in South Florida, the windows are also hurricane rated. The shields are made from heavy gauge steel and mesh screen. The picture shows a mocked up section of the building that contractors build early in the construction phase to show what the final product may look like. The finished building will be eight stories tall with the solar shields on the southern and western exposed windows.
Since the shields standoff of the building approximately three feet, it leaves just enough room to make assess or perform a rescue or vent from a ground ladder. The upper floors however may be more difficult. Since the aerial device may not be able to get close enough to the building, it may not allow for a steep enough angle to get underneath or around the obstruction. Defeating the shields with a rotary saw is certainly an option, but will be slow going, and must be done cautiously. Cutting the mesh to the left and right sides would probably be the best bet, leaving the heavy square tube bracket in place. Caution must be exercised with the shield falling away or even becoming a sail and falling away from the building in an unpredictable manner. Cutting one side and bending the shield away may also be an option, but would more than likely need to be performed from a tower ladder. Regardless of how you and your crew would handle dealing with this obstacle, the key to success is discussing it ahead of time, and training on whatever technique you would utilize.
The trend toward more “green” building construction is undoubtedly change our business. You may not see anything like this in your area yet, but keep an eye out for it, it’s only a matter of time.
Man this is like a steel plated window extended tho
It appears that the screen is held in place by 12 screws\bolts on the vertical edges. If you carry a cordless drill that could be a very controllable option. The good old standby “irons” to simple wedge under and pry off the vertical strips holding the screen in place.
I would guess this would be made of aluminum, to save on weight.
If you need access for a platform you may want to consider removing the entire cage to give the platform closer access to the window. If you carry an air chisel consider adding a cheap impact wrench to your kit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbWWNrbEano&feature=related
Since this is still in mock up stage, why doesn’t someone suggest hinging one side of the screen in ten foot high sections to allow for emergency access?
I’m currently in the role of being a fire inspector and I would also suggest the hinge addition. If your department is the AHJ and you can justify that this is a major life safety issue especially if some were inaccessible via ground ladder or aerial placement due to obstacles such as fences or other buildings.
So it’s a sun shade and a hurricane shield?
Note to the inventor/designer: Why not just bolt the screen on to the window in question?
(Ohhh…cuz that’s what everyone else does.)
The sun would be blocked all of the time (as would hurricane shrapnel) and ffs could undo the 4 bolts quickly when necessary. Not to mention, ffs would have to deal with all of that extra weight and material.
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e193/funepics/screen.jpg
Make that, “ffs wouldn’t have to deal with all of that extra weight and material.”
Doesn’t matter what you do, you are not going through those hurricane windows in anything but a chainsaw, and you are not doing that from anything but the bucket of a tower ladder.
Screens/shades aside…While a TL and chainsaw are probably optimal for getting through the hurricane windows, an axe and a cordless sawzall will also get you through the hurricane glass fairly quickly.
As for the screen/shade/jungle gym combo…wow. Um, I dunno. Maybe somebody on here can come up with an aerial mount for a torch?
If you get the right apparatus placement, the tip of the aerial at the sill will be perfect, you wont even need to worry about this setup.
What happened to plain ol’ blinds?
Explosives… the answer is always explosives
The two screens almost look like they bolt together in the middle. Probably just the same screws that hold the thing to the frame. Looks like you could take a saw in between the two mesh panels, bend them in towards the windows, and continue with your operations.
“The two screens almost look like they bolt together in the middle. Probably just the same screws that hold the thing to the frame. Looks like you could take a saw in between the two mesh panels, bend them in towards the windows, and continue with your operations.”
Peter I believe you are right. Looks like two at the top and two at the bottom on the back side of the screen.
EDK: Explosive Donkey Kicks
Brother’s, we would never want to attempt any type of dismantling of these at heights, not unless NO ONE was below it for quite some distance. I remember once a steel door ‘slipped’ off the roof at a food on the stove. Let’s just say it did not end up where it was aiming for. Drop a piece of paper from the 2nd story of a building, see where it ends up, then add 100ft to that.
I have two things:
1. pfd27, I got EDK from bad salsa at Chi-chi’s in Pittsburgh
2. I bought VES helmet stickers. Im so excited. By this time next shift, Im posting a picture!
Hello? Anybody home?
Hinge the damn things, period
DMAN72,
Been there brother…been there (the EDK, not Chi-chi’s)!
This looks like some snake oil salesman sold this crap to the building owner. Sun is high in the sky and there is still sun on the window. The only shade that this piece of crap will provide is when the sun is almost setting.
hurricane windows are hurricane windows for a reason. why not scrape these piles of metal and put solar window film on. they even have solar film that’s blast proof that I install. like stated looks like you can just hinge them but deff still a pain to deal with.