JX222
grow more severe, the risk is that poorly adapted buildings turn a climate challenge into a public health crisis. There is a resilience dimension too. Heatwaves drive up demand
for electricity at the very moment when the grid is under greatest pressure. Passive interventions such as shading reduce these peaks, helping to stabilise demand and limiting the need for high carbon backup generation. Despite this, awareness of shading remains strikingly low. Last year Caribbean Blinds published a white paper based on a nationwide homeowner survey carried out during August. It revealed that 41% were worried about overheating, yet only 15% identified inadequate window shading as a major cause. For many, air conditioning is now seen as the default solution. The research showed that bedrooms and living rooms are the most affected spaces, with households relying on stop gap measures such as closing curtains or using portable cooling units. Yet more than 40% said they would consider spending more than £500 on a permanent solution if the benefits were clearer. The appetite for change exists. What is missing is understanding. Shading is hardly a new idea. Across southern Europe shutters and awnings remain integral to everyday architecture. In the UK, traditional high streets were once lined with retractable awnings that shaded shopfronts from sun and rain. These solutions fell out of favour when cheap energy made them seem unnecessary, and the task now is to reintegrate shading into modern design without sacrificing daylight, views or aesthetics. Positioned outside the building envelope, external systems filter light rather than block it,
preserving transparency while adapting dynamically to weather and occupancy. The carbon benefits extend beyond summer comfort. By moderating solar gain, shading reduces the need for mechanical cooling and helps control glare, cutting reliance on artificial lighting. Over the life of a building this translates into meaningful reductions in electricity use and emissions. At an urban scale the effect is amplified. Buildings that absorb less heat during the day release less of it at night, helping to soften what is known as the ‘urban heat island’ effect that keeps cities warmer than their surroundings. Net zero can only be achieved through a network of well-judged design decisions that together limit energy demand across the year. External solar shading is one of those decisions. It is simple, proven and adaptable, yet still widely overlooked. As UK summers continue to warm, the cost of inaction will be
felt in higher bills, greater strain on infrastructure and declining indoor comfort. Restoring shading to its rightful place in building design is a practical response to a changing climate and a simple, essential contributor to the low carbon buildings the future demands.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
