Natural daylighting is an essen-
tial factor to meet the comfort
standards of an intelligent
working place.
The most responsible people of
our societies are spending too
much of their precious lifetime
in prestigious buildings behind
darkened glasses and closed
blinds: A life in biological dark-
ness. This is not only influencing
the health but our minds and
thinking in all cultures.
Let us be in contact with nature.
Human physiology needs the
natural full daylight spectrum
to produce vitamins, enzymes
and to strengthen the immune
systems.
Let us take care of more healthy
working places. Energy savings
for electric lighting and air
conditioning are in addition most
welcome side effects.
Recommended literature:
Dynamic Daylighting Architecture
Basics, Systems, Projects.
Helmut Köster
Birkhäuser Publisher, 2004
RETROSolar Gesellschaft
für Tageslichtsysteme mbH
Danziger Straße 51
D - 55606 Kirn
T + 49 (0) 6752 - 91 20 79
F + 49 (0) 6752 - 91 20 80
info@retrosolar.de
www.retrosolar.de
RETROSolar is co-operating W/m2
with Koester Lighting Design. 1000
Koester Lighting Design is of- 800
fering its engineering capacities 600
to architects and builders in the
400
application of the RETRO
200
systems.
0
800 1200 1600
Koester Lighting Design is giving
the following support:
100%
- Analysis of external energy
radiation onto façades and 80%
roofs 60%
- Energy transmission through 40%
façades with reference to
20%
different glazing systems
0%
- Light transmission into the 1000 1200 1400
interior
- External heat load per m2 office
space with reference to the
percentage of glazing, the
applied RETRO systems, and
the type of glazing.
The simulations are performed
with reference to the
- direction of the façade/roof
- slope of the roof
- latitude
- longitude.
Further calculations are offered:
- Ray trace analysis of the optical
behaviour under different
angles of incidence for all
available systems
- Calculations of light distribution
curves for the reflected and the
redirected light
- daylight illumination:
daylight coefficient,
isolux diagramms
Please contact:
info@koester-lighting-design.com
RETRO Façade for Intelligent Building
copyright RETROSolar
- glarefree blinds
- RETRO louvers for passive cooling
- visual and thermal comfort
- media building façades
 RETROLux

do less and accomplish more

hi
gh
su
n

RE
TR
O

low
er
sun
Arch. HZDS, Heinz Zimmermann, Zürich Arch. Gatermann + Schossig, Cologne Arch. Gatermann + Schossig, Cologne

This distribution centre in Municipal Works Bochum/ In the building "Kontor 19" in Cologne/
RET Wädenswill/Switzer- Germany combines a Germany RETROLux blinds are
RO RO
INT land has a double skin RETRO façade with a mounted interior. Windows open to
façade with integrated glazing type 66/36. The outside. The building is characterized
RETROLux blinds for RETROLux blinds are by a very lean construction. Due to
daylight illumination of centrally controlled with an the passive cooling power of the
5,000 m 2 production. interaction from any single RETRO blinds no conventional air
room. conditioning was necessary.

RETROLux venetian blind

RETROLux louvers are genius developments
by Dr. Helmut Koester, Germany, to achieve
Light redirection
two contradictory qualities of venetian blinds
simultaneously:
- Reflecting the overheating sunlight by the
w-shaped part of the louvers
- Redirecting both, the diffuse light and the
lower winter sunlight by the second part of
the louvers (light shelves) towards the interior
Daylight illumination
RETROLux blinds are produced as interior
venetian blinds, either motorized or hand-
operated.
Even the solar energy already transmitted through
the outer glazing will be rejected by the
w-shaped retro reflectors. Between 50 % and
80 % of the solar energy that has already been
penetrated through the glass façade into the building
will be reflected back outside by the RETRO
louvers.
Substantial amounts of continuous expenditures
for cooling and lighting can be saved by the new
retro technology.
RETROLux is the first venetian blind having the
ability not only to shadow the interior but simulta-
neously to improve the daylight autonomy of an
office space, and additionally to cool the building.
The keyword is ‘passive cooling by retro reflection’.
The surface quality of the louvers reflect the short
wave length of the sunlight as well as the long wave
length of the heat radiation from the sun and the
window glazing.
These qualities reduce the building's air-conditioning load.
Many buildings with RETRO façades in moderate climates
are designed without conventional air-conditioning. In this
case cooling ceilings or thermally actived building components
are suggested.
Depending on the type of glazings and the type of RETRO
reflectors, the outer heat load can be reduced to less than
50 W/m2 façade glazing, even during times of solar irradiation
between 600 to 800 W/m2.
Beside all these enormous improvements of standard venetian
blinds, the RETRO technology has further improved the
visual transmission due to the horizontal positioning of the
louvers. Looking outside from a larger distance the slim
RETRO louvers can hardly be perceived. The building does
not loose its environment, the glass façade keeps its
transparency.
RETROLuxTherm RETROLux media façade

RETROLuxTherm is a super glazing to minimize the cooling load of buildings

because the total energy transmittance is less than 8% (g < 0,08) for higher angles
of incidence, even with clear glazings.

The visual transmission from inside remains undisturbed. The natural daylight
n
spectrum is maintained, and the inner space is daylighted perfectly, even in larger t io
j ec
depths. ro
p
er
These unique qualities are achieved by special contours of the louvers as RETRO am
Be
reflectors in combination with light shelves. Different light shelves are available for
upper and lower sections of windows.

RETROLuxTherm louvers are installed in a horizontally fixed position or as venetian

blinds.

the new face in architecture

The ORYX building, de-
signed for Doha/Qatar, is
using the media RETRO
façade which will be realized
by projecting pictures onto
the RETROLuxTherm
blinds installed within the
insulation glass.
600 m
The louvers in their fixed
Light shelf for positions are multi functio-
upper window
nal and form a perfect
part
façade screen for projected
pictures.
Still it is possible to look
RE ooli
c
TR ng

out of the building, undis-

O lo
fo ad

r turbed by outer projections.

rm sa

O fo
INTRroved
ini nd

imp lighting
m A

Office of Monument Preservation, Arch. Odilo Reutter, Esslingen The projections onto the
izi C

day
ng

Façade + Lighting Design Dr. Köster

media façades can already
be seen with the beginning
of sunset. Illuminations
within the buildings will only
be perceived from larger
distances. Looking up
O

onto the façade in angles

TR

RE steeper 45° only the pro-

IN

TR
O jected pictures can be
perceived without any
disturbances by interior
illuminations. Arch. Gerfried Ramsauer, Vienna

Light shelf for

lower window
part
 Pa
ss
iv e
co
ol
Skyscaping by architecture ®

in
g
tion
rec
t r edi
h
Lig

Visual transmission
Sc
re

Light redirecting insulation glass

en

Foto: Jörg Baumann, Frankfurt

Sc
re
en

Projector

Screen technology: RETROLuxTherm enjoy unlimited possibilities

RETROLuxTherm façade Esslingen/Germany. The The FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 was inaugurated
façades can be used for presentations, art- and sports by a unique mega event using the Frankfurt skyline as
events and all types of communication. projection screen. 10,000 m2 of pictures made up the
‘Sky Arena’.
“Media façades are known since antique times. The
Triumphal Arches in Rome, castles, churches, mosques
all over the world – all these monuments used the outer
surface of the buildings for religious, cultural, political
and historical messages. Modern architecture has for-
gotten to communicate with the public. With the invention
of the RETRO media façades a new vision for our
societies, a platform for a new art in mega-scale is born.”
Dr. Köster, Germany
‘Skyscaping by architecture’® is a newly developing
discipline for architects and city planners.
RETROLuxTherm façades serve as media screen
for projections. The single RETRO louvers with a
white lower surface are forming a perfect screen.
RETROSolar consulting offers its expertise in media
technologies to architects and city planners.

RETROSolar offers the new RETROLux façades to architects

and city planners to promote their buildings and towns in the
worldwide skyline competition.
M
Visual transmission 60 %

Lux Flex
on
or
ef
le
cti
on

RETROLux A exterior

RETROFlex louvers are prismatically micro-structured. The upper

louver designs by natural law

surface is mathematically designed as Fresnell mirror. The focus lies
outside the building. The solar energy is retro-reflected while the
blinds stay in an open, flat position. Therefore the visual transmission
and the natural daylighting as well as the passive cooling is improved
M
on to an optimum level simultaneously.
or
ef
lec
tio
n

Visual transmission 74 %
RETROFlex inv.
1.80 m for daylighting RETROFlex inverse

RETROLux interior

RETROLux A, House of Research, Vienna, Arch. Neumann + Partner and Mascha & Seethaler, Vienna 1.80 m
M
on
or

1.80 m
efl
ec

RETROFlex
tio
n

for cooling

RETROFlex

Visual transmission 56 % RETROLux in active position

74 % visual transmission

RETROLux louvers are available for external installation also. The adventages are the same for RETROFlex inverse blinds have a smooth upper surface to redirect
all RETRO blinds: the visual transmission, the natural daylighting and the passive cooling are daylight into the room. The use of these blinds is suggested in the
optimized. The overheating summer sun is beeing retro-reflected "monoreflective". Due to the mono- transom to collect even more daylight for saving electric lighting.
reflection the absoption and the summer-heat is minimized. The integrated light shelf improves the RETROFlex and RETROFlex inverse are installed within the same
daylight illumination. The horizontal positioning enhances the transperancy. Best transperancy is curtain.
achieved with the RETROLuxTherm due to the minimization.
RETROLuxTherm
 Sunlight
Sunlight

RETRO
reflection
RETRO
reflection

Micro-prismatic structured surface embossed in pure

Envelope façade aluminium 99,8 % with mirror finish. North roof
South roof

Perfect visual RETROFlex micro, roof-shaped mounted within insulation glass. The position of the louvers is optimized with
transmission reference to the angle of incidence (red) and the retro-reflection (yellow).

RETRO Flex

success by precision and perfection

RETROFlex louvers are
available in 80 mm, 60 mm,
25 mm width for interior or
in 20 mm width for insula-
tion glass integrated
installations. All different
types of louvers are formed
concave/convex or they
are folded in the middle to
Glass roof with solar protection RETROFlex inverse
view towards north.
g = 0,08, colour rendering index 96 %
RETROFlex 80 mm,
solar incidence 40°,
tilting of the blinds 10°.

Grafik-Design: Mira Laaf, Frankfurt

achieve special light
redirecting effects.

RE in ins
with
TR ulat
OF ion g
lexT
her lass
m
View into the
double façade

RETROFlex is installed as venetian blind or – alternatively – in fixed, precise calculated positions according
to the slope of the roofs, the orientation of the building and the latitude. RETROSolar offers support in the
daylighting design by raytracings and energy simulations to architects, building physicists, lighting designers and
façade planners.

Su
nli
Su
gh
t
nli

O
gh

TR
The basic idea is to reflect RE
TR t

IN
the high, overheating O
sunlight back into the sky
Re

(RETRO), while the Ligh

t red
tro

louvers stay in a flat, open irect

ion
position. All RETRO
25 mm
louvers are availabe as
motorized venetian blinds, Detail of RETROFlex in the roof glazing
BlueWin, Zürich, Arch. Heinz Zimmermann to be controlled separately Shadow
+ Rolf Läuppi, Zürich or centrally.