| More and more organisations are recognising the benefits of shading in all types of buildings to help create a more sustainable future and respond to the challenges of climate change. |
Rising energy costs have made energy efficiency a top priority for everyone.
Blinds and shutters are a proven way to save energy. They should be considered like other building energy efficiency measures and are typically low cost and can make a real difference.
In the winter, during the day when it is sunny, open blinds to benefit from the free solar energy from the sun and close them in the evening to provide extra insulation and reduce heat loss to save energy and money.
In summer, the process is reversed and closing the shading during the day can stop heat build up in the room while opening them during the evening when the temperature is cooler allows some of the heat to escape with ventilation.
External shading fitted to the outside of buildings such as venetians and awnings are widely used in warmer countries, acting as a shield to stop the heat entering the building. With rising summer temperatures in the UK, external shading would be effective for areas exposed to direct sunlight
Energy Saving by type of blind and shutter
Several types of shading products were tested on a modern, double glazed window and the following summary was provided:
Roller blind with zipped side channels
heat loss reduction, up to 33%
Honeycomb blackout blind in framed bead / perfect fit system
heat loss reduction, up to 32%
Internal plantation shutter
heat loss reduction, up to 28%
Roller blind with side channels
heat loss reduction, up to 22%
Standard roller blinds