BUILDING FABRIC 43
That is a logical sequence. We would not normally specify a heating system without fi rst considering insulation and the performance of the building envelope, so overheating deserves the same level of thought.
The evidence for giving shading greater consideration is also growing. Research commissioned by the British Blind and Shutter Association examined overheating in a block of London fl ats. In the study, rooms without shading reached a maximum ‘feels like’ temperature of 47.5°C, while rooms fi tted with external blinds reached 28°C. Those fi gures relate to the specifi c building and conditions of the study, so they should not be treated as universal performance guarantees. They do, however, demonstrate the potential difference that effective solar control can make. For architects, the implication is
signifi cant. Solar control needs to be considered alongside glazing specifi cation, orientation, ventilation and the wider performance of the building envelope. It should form part of the design response to solar exposure rather than being left until the end of the project.
Dynamic shading also deserves consideration. Movable systems can respond to changing solar conditions, allowing shading to be deployed when solar gain is problematic and retracted when daylight or useful solar gains are desirable. Automated control can further improve performance by responding to solar radiation and internal conditions. This makes shading part of the building’s environmental strategy rather than simply a product applied to the facade. It also reinforces the importance of considering shading early, because the relationship between glazing, solar control, daylight, glare and ventilation is too fundamental to be resolved effectively as an afterthought. The same thinking needs to extend beyond new-build projects. The EIA is clear that the UK needs to address overheating in existing buildings as well as future development. Retrofi tting passive measures can be more challenging where the original facade, window design or planning constraints limit the available options, but shading should still be considered wherever signifi cant solar gain is contributing to overheating. The EIA also warns that an unmanaged expansion of mechanical cooling could
ADF SEPTEMBER 2026
increase energy demand, emissions and inequality in access to comfortable indoor temperatures. Mechanical cooling will have a role in many buildings, but the question is whether it should be the fi rst response to overheating.
I believe the EIA report gives the industry an opportunity to reconsider that hierarchy. Architects already balance daylight against glare, glazing against solar gain and openness against thermal performance. As summers become hotter, overheating needs to sit fi rmly within that conversation. External shading is not a substitute for good building design, ventilation or mechanical systems where they are genuinely required. It is one of the tools that can help make the whole building work better, and it needs to be considered early enough to infl uence the design. If we are serious about creating buildings that remain comfortable as the climate changes, preventing excessive heat gain should come before fi nding ever more energy-intensive ways of removing it. For more information about solar shading solutions, scan the QR code.
Stuart Dantzic is MD at Caribbean Blinds
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
External shading is not a substitute for good building design, ventilation or mechanical systems where they are genuinely required
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