Shutters and blinds are so much more than attractive additions to your windows. Efficient shading in your home is a substantial step toward protecting the environment and making your home the most enjoyable and usable space possible.
Global Shading Day, supported by the European Solar Shading Organisation, raises awareness of the benefits of solar shading products both inside the home and around the globe.
To celebrate Global Shading Day, we’ve compiled a quick guide of everything you need to know about solar shading…
What Is Global Shading Day?
This global event is held by the European Solar Shading Organisation, a leading organisation committed to promoting sustainable practices. Global Shading Day is a special event that encourages industry professionals and everyday consumers to discuss what solar shading can do for us, our way of life, and even our planet.
The annual event is typically held on the first day of spring to remind us of our effect on the changing seasons and climate change as a whole.
This day brings together the general public, building professionals, industry leaders, and politicians alike to raise awareness of the role that solar shading plays in our daily comfort, energy efficiency, and climate.
Ultimately, Global Shading Day aims to deepen our understanding of what smart shading technologies can do for the environment and our use of indoor spaces. In support of this goal, the BBSA (British Blind & Shutter Association) is encouraging British companies to follow the lead of eco-conscious trailblazers in making ‘smart solar shading a standard in building legislation’.
What Is Solar Shading?
While solar shading is widely used in homes and businesses worldwide, its many benefits and uses aren’t as well known. To go back to basics, when Global Shading Day talks about solar shading, it means any strategically used device to control the amount of sunlight entering a space.
Broadly speaking, this applies to things like shutters, blinds and curtains.
The main goal of solar shading is to control the light entering your building or room. These shading systems seek to manage indoor temperatures, reduce glare, make the most of natural daylight, and simultaneously reduce the need for artificial lighting or cooling and heating systems. It might sound ambitious, but solar shading can achieve all these things to various degrees, depending on the device or technique.
When it comes to application, solar shading solutions can be used all across the board. From windows and facades to outdoor spaces, shading systems are essential to sustainable building design.
What Are The Benefits Of Solar Shading?
There’s a reason that solar shading has an entire day of celebration dedicated to it on Global Shading Day, and it’s because of its many benefits. These include:
Energy Efficiency: One of the most widely enjoyed benefits of solar shading is how much it can contribute to your energy efficiency. Solar shading solutions give you a more regulated indoor temperature by reducing the amount of heat gained during warmer summer months and allowing warming sunlight in colder winter months.
This function lets you rely less on heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, as all have substantial financial and environmental costs.
Enhanced Comfort: A comfortable indoor environment starts with proper solar shading. Reducing excessive heat and glare is integral to making spaces more inviting, usable and comfortable. Occupants can make the most of natural daylight without the discomfort of harsh sunlight.
More comfortable environments mean better productivity, more enjoyment of space and improved general wellbeing.
Sustainability: Sustainability goals are at the core of many businesses and industries, including solar shading. It reduces the carbon footprint associated with production and energy consumption while optimising natural ventilation and light so your building can function more sustainably.
By using proper shading systems rather than relying solely on energy-consuming heating and cooling methods, you can drastically reduce your personal energy usage and cost and promote a more eco-friendly environment. Sustainable building practices are becoming the norm.
UV Protection: Shutters, blinds and awnings give you more control over the sunlight entering your space, but this isn’t just for aesthetics or comfort. Natural daylight comes with the risk of harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. These rays have been connected to diseases such as skin cancer and can pose potential health risks.
Not to mention, they damage furnishings and materials after prolonged exposure. Solar shading offers an added layer of protection against UV.
Types Of Solar Shading
The varieties of solar shading solutions available are enormous, as new innovations are frequently brought out. However, there are basic types of solar shading that act as the basis for most shading systems. At the Scottish Shutter Company, we offer the following:
- Shutters—Interior shutters are a truly versatile classic. They can come in various styles, the standard ones being traditional, louvred, and solid panels. Each version offers its own visual appeal and functional uses.
- Blinds—Window blinds come in a wide range of styles and materials, making them a popular choice because of their versatility. Styles usually include roller, Venetian, and vertical blinds, though there are several subtypes and additions for each.
- Awnings—Exterior awnings are usually used on business premises or domestic gardens and patios. They are mounted above windows and outdoor spaces to provide shade and additional space. They’re available in various materials for different applications and can improve the visual appeal of a building while still being practical.
- Microlouvre – Deserving its own mention, this cutting-edge technology is an innovative take on solar shading. It involves a series of micro-sized louvres that dynamically adjust to control heat gain and sunlight. This makes for a hugely appealing, ‘automated’ effect for built-in sustainability.
How To Get Involved
Getting involved in Global Shading Day is important to promoting sustainable building practices. It benefits industry professionals and homeowners alike. The BBSA plans to celebrate the event with a week of activities and offer informative materials to spread the word.
You can support the special day on your own by starting the conversation online using official hashtags or exploring new technologies from trusted shading professionals near you.
Global Shading Day In A Nutshell
This special event will bring forward the discussion of sustainable building standards for shading. By using innovative solar shading solutions, we can all benefit from increased energy efficiency, sustainable buildings and more comfortable spaces.
If you’d like to celebrate the day with us at the Scottish Shutter Company, take a look at our previous informative articles on solar shading innovations.
