Blinds & Shutters - Issue 4/2023

SOLAR SHADING
A history of shade
External shading is
not a ‘new’
concept: A brief
history from
Caribbean Blinds
Temperatures across the globe have soared
in recent weeks due to the El Niño weather
pattern, and many countries – including the
UK – have experienced multiple heatwaves as a
result.
Because of this, the Environmental Audit
Committee (EAC) has just launched a new inquiry
into heat resilience and sustainable cooling which
aims to look at the relationship between heat and
health and government policies regarding the
current and future need for cooling, as well as the
measures that need to be taken to increase
adaptation and resilience to rising temperatures.
The obvious solution is external shading. Not a
‘new’ concept, different variations of blinds, shutters
and awnings have been used in Europe since ancient
times by people trying to block the sun’s harmful
rays from their homes. Today, these shading products
can effectively manage a number of environmental
factors that have a significant impact on our overall
quality of life, as well as our bank balance.
Why external shading?
Climate change means that our summers are
becoming increasingly warmer, and the issue of
overheating will only become more apparent as
time goes on.
Not only do external shading products such as
blinds, awnings and louvered roofs add style to your
space and provide your home with privacy, but they
also retain and deflect heat whilst controlling light
levels and glare – all year round. They help prevent
unwanted solar heat gain during the summer
months and allow free solar gain in the winter.
External blinds can reject up to 97% of solar
heat gain with minimal energy demand, helping to
prevent overheating. In fact, an appropriately sized,
positioned and specified external shading device
can reduce interior temperatures by up to 18ºC,
which in turn can reduce the energy consumption
otherwise needed to cool down a hot room by
more than 80%, minimising or avoiding the need
for air conditioning.
68 Blinds & Shutters • ISSUE FOUR 2023
continues on page 70