Blinds & Shutters - Issue 3/2023

SOLAR SHADING
External blinds
Automatic outdoor blinds ensure a
thermally and visually comfortable indoor
environment with minimum energy
demand on any installed heating and
cooling systems, reducing energy costs and
CO2 emissions as a result.
Unique perforated solar controlled
fabrics can provide an evenly distributed
natural light source whilst maintaining the
view and connection to the outside. This
quick solution can help override high levels
of insulation and glazing, minimising any
unwanted solar heat gain by averting the
sun’s rays from reaching the glass and
keeping buildings cool.
Glazing vs shading
Large expanses of glazing such as
rooflights, panoramic windows and
sliding/folding doors help blur the
boundaries between inside and out by
flooding a room with natural light and
creating a feeling of endless space and
openness – all whilst emitting free solar
gain to passively warm a building in the
colder months.
However, despite these benefits, the
combination of extensive glazing and high
levels of insulation coupled with a warming
climate is resulting in buildings severely
overheating. Although this is primarily the
case in the summer months, it also happens
during the winter too, with indoor
temperatures rising to uncomfortable and
unsafe levels that put occupant health at
risk.
Adjustable solar shading in the form of
awnings, external blinds and even
bioclimatic pergolas have an important part
to play in saving energy and helping our
climate journey. Not only do they allow us
to control the amount of sunlight in our
inside spaces but also help to prevent glare.
Additionally, smart solar shading can help
intelligently manage heat and light for the
highest levels of energy efficiency, improving
comfort and ultimately cooling our planet.
To conclude, whilst the solution to
combat the issue of overheating buildings
already exists to an extent, solar shading
products need to be designed and
incorporated from the outset. We need to
begin to opt for alternatives to solar
control glass (that doesn’t prevent solar
heat gain) or air conditioning that is “energy
hungry”.
Every measure needs to be taken to
address the importance of external shading
during the design stage of any building in
order to ensure its energy efficiency is at its
highest and to prevent the growing number
of eco and ultra-modern glass properties
from turning into unhabitable
‘greenhouses’.
26 Blinds & Shutters • ISSUE THREE 2023