Smartlouvre Technology

About  Us

SLTechnology is the sole, global manufacturer of MicroLouvre Koolshade® metal fabric.

The fabric was invented by two senior research members of Dow Chemical and first manufactured in conjunction with the Borg-Warner Corporation.

Fabric screens (then known as Microlouvre KoolShade®) were being mass produced for commercial building application across the US, and later throughout the globe by a distributor network.

The factory was destroyed in 1989 by a hurricane and although re-built, production was affected by months of power outages and supply chain problems, and never recovered.

The original weaving machines which were gathering dust, were shipped over to the UK. SLTechnology has taken over the manufacturing and brought it into the 21st century, by computerising the machines.

Whist continuing to invest in manufacturing Smartlouvre focused on providing unique apprenticeships and training, supporting our young engineers of the future.

The production volumes have increased and new weaving machines are producing fabric that is being used on the most sustainable buildings in the world.

As our climate changes, there is a fast growing need for PASSIVE ways to reduce temperatures in buildings. MicroLouvre Koolshade® achieves this.

From a VERY smart idea, realised decades ago, to one the most effective ways to shade our planet from a modern challenge.

Our vision. Our core business lies in the manufacture of a totally unique, tried and tested high-performance heat blocking and glare reduction shading system that creates better working and living environments for people in commercial, public, and residential buildings, whilst dramatically reducing air-conditioning running and equipment costs.

We, at Smartlouvre, are committed to providing truly sustainable and innovative solutions that reduce energy consumption, protect the well-being of occupants and maintain superior comfort levels.

Our Heritage

Our story begins at a time when Winston Churchill said ‘Cometh the hour, cometh the man’ when the world was facing its greatest threat and challenge. Never has this been more relevant for all of us today, in the face of our planet’s greatest threat from Climate Change and Global Warming.

Ironically, as Churchill was saying this in Great Britain, across the Atlantic another great man with truly exceptional vision, the iconic American architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, was saying about our product “new building material is very rare. This is a new building material. It is more important than even you can realize. Not just windows, but entire walls and sections of buildings could be screened and protected from the sun's hot rays.”

This is the legacy that Smartlouvre, in the 21st Century, has chosen to build upon.

The ‘hour’ is now, today and tomorrow. Smartlouvre’s mission is to be at the forefront of the battle against the climate and the energy crisis we are all currently facing. We are committed to showing the world exactly how important our product, MicroLouvre Koolshade®, is for this fight.

Our vision

Our core business lies in the manufacture of a totally unique, tried and tested high-performance heat blocking and glare reduction shading system that creates better working and living environments for people in commercial, public, and residential buildings, whilst dramatically slashing both air-conditioning running costs and equipment costs.

We, at Smartlouvre, are committed to providing truly sustainable and innovative solutions that reduce energy consumption, protect the well-being of occupants and maintain superior comfort levels.

The theory behind our truly ‘micro’ louvres

The product was invented and patented in America in the late 1930s by John Grebe, a prodigious inventor at Dow Chemicals . It was first manufactured in the USA in conjunction with the Borg-Warner Corporation and soon became the leading external sun shading system throughout the USA.

When our MD Andrew (a 5th generation blind maker) sold his Coopers Fire business, he never forgot his roots and brought the weaving machines for the product known as Microlouvre Koolshade®, over to the UK.

The Now

Smartlouvre‘s primary commitment is to Sustainability:

  • The Copper bronze we use to weave our fabric is made from +90% recycled copper scrap.
  • The Aluminium we use is from 90% recycled materials.
  • MicroLouvre Koolshade® product has a proven, maintenance free, life expectancy of over 60 years.
  • The product is passive and doesn’t require any electricity to provide effective dynamic shading.
  • The product is 100% recyclable, unlike the fabrics and components of most other sun control systems, which end up in special landfill.

We serve diverse fields of Solar Shading, Daylighting, Thermal, Visual and Environmental Comfort, Fire Protection, Privacy and Security, Night Sky Pollution, Anti-Glare Lighting, Light Trespass, and even Insect Screening and Bird-Strike Protection.

In short, there is no other product as versatile, or effective, as MicroLouvre Koolshade®.

We firmly believe we are the most universal, cost-effective solution to the major problems caused by over-glazing, energy-guzzling, and expensive air-conditioning and air-conditioning equipment, and as a result can make a tangible difference to the future of this planet.

Certified in efficiency and efficacy

BRE logo

Building Research Establishment (BRE) wind tunnel tested MicroLouvre Koolshade® screens from different angles and proved it to be indestructible at winds exceeding 100mph/160 kph/46 metres per second.

berkeley lab logo

The Berkeley Lab included MicroLouvre Koolshade® in a major research project for PG&E. With MicroLouvre Koolshade®, daily cooling loads were reduced by 68% on sunny days when compared with dual pane, high performance solar control glass with an internal blind.

ifc group logo

The IFC Group have confirmed MicroLouvre Koolshade® to be A1/A2-s1,d0 : BS EN 13501 Fire Rating, making it one of very few passive and dynamic external sun and solar heat gain blocking systems compliant for use on high rise buildings.

fraunhofer logo

When tested at Fraunhofer, results confirmed MicroLouvre Koolshade® as the most comprehensive solution for Thermal and Visual Comfort in one system.

bsi logo

Smartlouvre Technology Limited is an ISO: 9001 2015 Accredited Quality Management company.

simscale logo

MicroLouvre Koolshade® has been extensively modelled using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in SimScale.

Test certifications

Download and read all our credentials and certifications from our resource centre.

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victory boulevard

Case studies

Victory Boulevard

Our MicroLouvre Koolshade® ultra-thin metal fabric louvres were integrated into the units and permitted optimum light transfer, ensuring high energy efficiency, which is key to any lighting strategy.

Find out more

Commonly asked questions about Microlouvre

Why is MicroLouvre Koolshade® the best in class for Solar Shading, Thermal, Visual and Environmental Comfort?

What ongoing maintenance does each type of solar shading system need?

Does dynamic solar shading work better than a manual or fixed solution?

Why do I need a solar shading system if I have solar control glass or a window film?

How does each type of solar shading work?

Manufacturers of high quality sustainable louvred metal fabrics for multiple applications.

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