Curiosity, Courage, and the Making of a Performance Louver

A person who stays curious but never ventures out will always remain who he or she is.
This was very much who I was in early 2024.

I loved conducting R&D on aluminium products — testing ideas, refining profiles, pushing technical boundaries — yet many of those ideas stayed quietly on my desk. I explored, but I hesitated to share. More than once, my boss reminded me that curiosity alone is not enough; sometimes, you have to step off the boat and trust the journey.

Figure 1: Aluminium Angled Profile Screen

Figure 2: (Aluminium Moveable Panel 'Kinetic Facade')

Figure 3: (Aluminium Corrugated Perforated Panel)

When Data Centres Changed the Conversation

About a year and a half ago, when data centres in Johor were rapidly expanding, I was tasked with developing a product that was both essential and often overlooked: performance louvers. These louvers sit quietly on façades and plant rooms, yet they play a critical role in protecting equipment — especially in environments where cooling fans operate continuously behind the façade.

Figure 4: (Aluminium Performance Louvers in Johor)

The challenge was immediate. Clients wanted high airflow (large free area), yet demanded near-zero rain ingress. Unfortunately, these two variables do not naturally coexist. The more open a louver is, the more vulnerable it becomes to rain penetration — a risk that data centres simply cannot afford.

I spent months — and many sleepless nights — designing, testing, and redesigning profiles, trying to strike a balance between airflow and weather protection. I wanted perfection, only to realise that engineering is always about compromise, control, and understanding limits.

Figure 5: (R&D on Performance Louvers)

From Concept to Series Pro Louvers

After nearly three months of intensive R&D, we launched our SP.ace Series Pro Louvers — Aluminium Triple Bank Performance Louvers.

Figure 6: (Aluminium Triple Bank Performance Louvers)

This system features a triple-layer blade configuration, designed to deflect and break down heavy rain before it can penetrate the building envelope. Water is channelled through our proprietary side mullion, then safely discharged through a weep hole located at the front face of the louver.

The system is modular in height, allowing flexibility in design, while the panel width is intentionally limited to 1 metre to ensure long-term structural integrity.

Pausing, Reflecting, and Re-engineering

As the Johor data centre market slowed slightly in late 2024, we placed our performance louver sales on hold. While designers continued to specify them for lift lobbies and warehouses, we took the opportunity to reflect and refine.

Then came an urgent request: a client not only wanted a competitive price, but also demanded verified test data — specifically, rain penetration performance to ensure that no water would enter the building.

This request reflected a broader shift in the Malaysian market. Clients no longer want products that are merely cheap or visually appealing; they want solutions that are cost-effective without compromising quality.

Value Engineering Without Compromise

In response, we re-engineered our louver system. The original design used 1.2 mm thick aluminium extrusions. Through careful analysis and testing, we transitioned to a 0.6 mm thick rolled-form aluminium profile.

Figure 7: (2 Aluminium Coil weight over 300kg equivalent to 3kPa over on the louvers surface)

The result?

Significant cost reduction (nearly threefold)
No compromise in structural integrity
Maintained performance under simulated 3 kPa wind load, as demonstrated by the aluminium coil loading test shown above

This step reaffirmed our belief that good engineering is not about adding material — it is about using the right amount of material, intelligently.

But What About Rain Performance?

This is a fair question — and an important one.

In my honest opinion, even double-bank louvers are susceptible to rain ingress during heavy storms. When rain protection is critical, especially for sensitive environments, triple-bank louvers are the responsible choice.

The drawings below reflect our relentless R&D journey — countless iterations before arriving at a solution we could confidently stand behind.

Putting Our Claims to the Test

On 7 January 2026, I made a personal decision: if we truly believed in our product, we needed independent verification. We invested close to over hunder thousand ringgit to send our aluminium performance louvers for testing in accordance with BSRIA EN 13030.

The test procedure is rigorous:

Water spray rate: 90 litres/hour
Wind speed: 13 m/s
Constant spray and wind conditions
Variable suction airflow behind the louver (measured in m³/s)

Water penetration was collected and measured in grams over 15-minute intervals as airflow increased from 0 to 3.0 m³/s.

Figure 8: (Louvers hung over the Opening for BSRIA EN 13030 test)

Figure 9: (Blower going at a wind speed of 13m/s)

Figure 10: (Pressure Gauge showing the airflow rate 'suction')

The results were clear:

Measured Water Penetration Results (A rough calculation based on on-site data acquired)

Airflow (m³/s)	Water Collected (g / 15 min)	Effectiveness (%)	Indicative Class
0	0	100	Class A
0.5	0	100	Class A
1	0	100	Class A
1.5	192	99	Class A
2	8,520	62	Class D
2.5	14,300	36	Class D
3	17,800	21	Class D

Typical Data Centre Airflow in Malaysia

Based on common MEP and data centre design practices in Malaysia:

- Normal operating intake airflow typically ranges from 0.5 to 1.5 m³/s per m² of louvre face area.
- Full cooling load or peak operation may reach 1.5 to 2.0 m³/s.
- Extreme airflow above 2.0 m³/s is uncommon and generally associated with abnormal or emergency conditions.

Intepretation for the Data Center Use

The test results demonstrate that the louvre achieves Class A water rejection performance up to 1.5 m³/s, which aligns with the typical design airflow range for most Malaysian data centres.

Water penetration increases significantly beyond 2.0 m³/s, resulting in Class D performance. This behaviour is expected for many performance louvres when subjected to extreme negative pressure conditions exceeding normal design intent.

Suitability Statement

For data centre applications in Malaysia, the tested louvre is considered suitable when:

- The design airflow does not exceed 1.5 m³/s under normal operation.
- The louvre is used with appropriate secondary protection such as plenum chambers, drain trays, or baffle systems.

The louvre should be specified as providing Class A performance up to the design airflow, with controlled water ingress beyond this point to be managed by the building’s mechanical and drainage design.

Conclusion

The BS EN 13030 test results are consistent with data centre industry expectations. The louvre performs excellently within realistic Malaysian data centre operating airflow ranges and meets practical performance requirements when properly integrated into the overall intake system design. SP.ace Products is not a company focused solely on turnover figures or monthly achievements. We are a young, energetic aluminium manufacturer that believes in learning, sharing, and solving real-world problems together with our clients. If you are a designer, engineer, or builder facing challenges in your projects, we welcome the conversation.

Reach out to us — we are always ready to help.