Celebrating Global Shading Day 2024
The British Blind and Shutter Association (BBSA) is celebrating Global Shading Day this Thursday (March 21) to highlight how shading can help create more sustainable, energy efficient buildings.
Organised by the European Solar Shading Organisation (ES-SO) and timed to coincide with the Spring Equinox, the goal is to help people find out more about the benefits of using blinds, shutters and awnings to save energy and support their comfort and wellbeing in a changing climate.
Shading has been identified by experts around the world as a passive way to help create healthy, productive and comfortable indoor environments.
Andrew Chalk, Director of Operations at the BBSA, which is a member of ES-SO said: “We are delighted to be supporting Global Shading Day to talk about the positive benefits of shading.
“In the UK, blinds, shutters and awnings are often seen as decorative soft furnishings but shading can support our comfort and wellbeing, energy efficiency and the environment during winter and summer.”
Independent research commissioned by the British Blind and Shutter Association, proved that blinds and shutters can help save energy.
The research, by the University of Salford’s Energy House laboratory, showed that blinds and shutters can reduce heat loss through windows by up to 33 per cent.
The BBSA also provided written evidence to the government’s Environmental Audit Committee which has identified that ‘UK housing stock is not designed to cope with excessive heat, and millions of UK homes experience summertime overheating’.
A report published earlier this year, said it is essential to adopt ‘an approach to heat resilience adaptation which prioritises passive cooling – that is, the use of measures which do not require energy consumption.
Andrew added: “Shading is a proven, passive way to reduce overheating and reduce reliance on air conditioning as well as regulating glare from daylight exposure.
“Shading supports sustainable, energy efficient buildings that reject excessive heat in the summer and help retain heat during the winter.”
