Outdoor awnings, a luxury or indispensable?

The commodity market has been under pressure for some time. However, the Russian-Ukrainian conflict is now causing a downright hallucinatory impact on energy prices. Being frugal is therefore not only recommended, it has become an absolute must. Every family, every business is looking for solutions to reduce energy consumption. What advice do you give to your end customers? Or what tips do you apply to your own business?

Here's a valuable thought from solar shading manufacturer BUILDING Shutter Systems: How can outdoor blinds help save on energy bills?

Reduce energy needs, winter and summer

Large areas of glass, they create a sense of space and a sleek, contemporary look. However, windows and doors are a weak spot in the building envelope. Logically, there is heat loss in the colder months. With large windows, on the other hand, you take equal advantage of the winter sun shining in during the day, so you enjoy the extra heat that stays inside and will require less heating. On hot summer days, outdoor blinds, such as screens, then offer protection against overheating. Consequently, less energy will be needed to cool the living space. Indispensable nowadays, because an air conditioner consumes an enormous amount of electricity. Moreover, with solar screens for the outside, you score favorably for the applicable energy requirements at the same time. Exterior vertical blinds are taken into account when assessing how energy-efficient your building is: with outdoor screens, you need less energy to maintain the indoor temperature. So you can enjoy large expanses of glass if you offset them with additional shading to save on energy costs.

Recommend solar screens along outside

With solar screens, outdoor screen fabric blocks heat even before the sun's rays reach the window. “Outdoor screens can block up to 40% more heat than curtains, for example,” says Femke Desmet, responsible for marketing at BUILDING Shutter Systems. “This means that additional cooling, such as an air conditioner, is unnecessary with outdoor vertical blinds, and you save a lot on energy costs by already keeping out the heat outside. Research shows that outdoor blinds can reduce energy bills by as much as 10%.” Roller shutters can equally provide solid armor against overheating. Sun shades, however, have the advantage of preserving the view outside. You enjoy the scene of a beautiful summer day while staying inside in a comfortable indoor climate.

Save even more thanks to automation

Automatic control of the screens is not only convenient, it is above all a smart way to save some euros again. Centrally controlled systems (home automation) and sensors take over. The control module immediately responds to weather conditions, even when no one is home. These systems monitor indoor and outdoor temperatures and adjust the blinds according to the chosen settings. “The programmed schedules ensure that no energy is wasted on opening and closing the sun screens unnecessarily,” adds Femke Desmet. “With this dynamic control of the exterior blinds, you're going to manage energy cost-effectively.”

Solar powered sunshades: no power needed

In addition to classic electric control, you can also control solar shades on solar energy. Solar-powered outdoor blinds are even more sustainable, and the sun helps pay the energy bill. Moreover, the system is wireless, making installation simple and quick.
“With summer just around the corner, many are already thinking about how to stay pleasantly cool inside throughout the day. In addition, energy prices continue to skyrocket, and that doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon. Then you really don't want to spend your money on energy-guzzling air conditioning systems. We can already see, with the first spring sunshine, that people are critically examining their energy consumption and looking at how the investment in screens can be earned back,” concludes Femke Desmet. Sun protection screens are indispensable for keeping living spaces nice and cool on sunny days without using extra energy. Screens are also by far the most elegant and minimalist shading solution on the market.

At BUILDING Shutter Systems they go for a beautiful and functional design, 100% Belgian-made and at a no-nonsense price.

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For more info, please visit the website www.building-shuttersystems.com