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sustainability & energy saving solutions
the overlooked role of shading in net zero buildings
Stuart Dantzic, MD of Caribbean Blinds, describes how solar shading supports net-zero goals and reduces energy use, yet remains overlooked in modern building design...
As with many issues, conversations around the concept of net zero are currently dominated by the big topics; those of insulation, heat pumps and renewable electricity. Less attention has been given to what happens when buildings struggle to shed heat. As heatwaves become more frequent and more intense, managing solar gain must be recognised as a critical part of any low-carbon strategy. This blind spot is no longer theoretical. Around one fifth of UK homes now use some form of mechanical cooling, a figure that would have sounded far-fetched only a decade ago. Designing buildings that overheat and then relying on air conditioning to compensate hardly chimes with the ambition of the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, which calls for fossil fuel free development with limited exceptions. Overheating is driven primarily by solar gain. Sunlight passes through glazing as shortwave radiation and is absorbed by floors,
walls and furniture. That energy is then released back into the space as longwave heat which escapes only slowly. With large expanses of glazing now a feature of modern architecture, the problem is being designed into many new buildings from the outset. However, external solar shading addresses the issue at source by
stopping the sun before it reaches the glass. Independent studies show that effective external systems can block almost all incoming solar heat and reduce internal temperatures by close to 20 degrees during peak conditions. This is passive cooling in its simplest and most reliable form. The consequences of overheating extend well beyond
comfort. Research across the UK and Europe links rising summer temperatures with increased mortality, with thousands of deaths associated with recent extreme heat events. As climate projections
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