‘Global first’ for lantern

Sunsquare has developed a new opening lantern rooflight, featuring a fully hinged 30° pyramid design that marks what it calls a global first for the industry.

Offering easy mechanical operation, complete weather-proofing, security, and no obstruction to first-floor windows, the new Aero Pyramid has been developed to solve the functionality and efficiency issues often associated with conventional 45° lanterns with opening panes.

Opening lanterns typically feature individual split-opening half panes, which can create a clunky obstructive frame and are prone to leak, the company said. In contrast, Sunsquare’s new Aero Pyramid is hinged on its length and operated at the touch of a button. This allows the whole lantern to lift and open electronically, offering more ventilation per square metre than other lanterns.

Pitched at a 30° angle, the Aero Pyramid features the same minimal framework and unobtrusive lines as Sunsquare’s original BSI-kitemarked Pyramid model, with the addition of a Aero hinged design.

“When it comes to opening lantern rooflights, we found that architects were having to choose between style and performance,” Mark Lambert, sales director at Sunsquare, said. “Opening lanterns tend to replicate conservatory roofs, with a design that hasn’t really changed in over 30 years – so customers were having to deal with flimsy products that were prone to leaking. We designed the Aero Pyramid to change this.”

Available in pyramid and elongated lantern designs, the Aero Pyramid features a specially adapted electronic closing mechanism (with a wall-mounted switch) and a remote control, so people can decide exactly how much fresh air they allow into their homes.

The Aero Pyramid has five separate thermal breaks: three in the base frame, and two in the lid.