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10.4: Shading Devices

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    Before innovations in glass, films, and coatings in the past decade, a typical residential window with one or two layers of glazing allowed roughly 75 to 85% of the solar energy to enter a building, which has a negative impact on summertime comfort and cooling bills, especially in hot climates.

    External Window Shading

    External window shading devices such as awnings, roof overhangs, shutters, and solar screens, and internal shading devices such as curtains and blinds, can control the entry of solar heat. Although external window shading devices are about 50 percent more effective than internal devices at blocking solar heat, they do have some disadvantages.

    Internal Shading Devices

    Table 10.4.1 shows the percentages of the radiant energy that different types of internal shading devices transmit, reflect, or absorb.

    Table 10.4.1. Percents of radiant energy

    Shade type Transmitted energy (%) Reflected energy (%) Absorbed energy (%)
    Roller shades 25 15 to 80 20 to 65
    Vertical blinds 0 23 77
    Venetian blinds 5 40 to 60 35 to 55

    This page titled 10.4: Shading Devices is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Sarma V. Pisupati (John A. Dutton: e-Education Institute) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.