What is Fenestration?

The arrangement of all the cutouts in the building which are a natural source of air, light and ventilation are known as fenestrations. The building elements which are a part of the fenestration designs are doors, windows, louvers, curtain wall glazing, vents, skylights, storefront glass, etc. Daylighting is introduced into the building through the fenestrations so as to complement or replace the artificial electrical lighting. A well-automated control system can modulate the amount of daylight that can be admitted and cut the electrical lighting thus reducing electricity costs.

A good fenestration design has the following benefits-

• Improves the comfort level of the occupants by providing good air, light, and ventilation.
• Increases the amount of daylight but does not allow heat absorption into the building through efficient glazing systems.
• Good fenestrations can result in energy savings by reducing the air conditioning and heating costs.
• A good louver design can let natural diffused light into the building but reduce the glare and direct sunlight.
• Good shading devices like chhajjas, jaalis, and pergolas can be aesthetically designed such that they allow diffused light into the interiors and reduce solar gain and glare.