Are you sitting uncomfortably? Then you might want to consider solar shading…
Whilst many people are embracing the heat of the African plume heatwave, with temperatures in the UK possibly reaching 39°C in the next few days, others are finding it unbearable. This scorching spell will, apparently, only last a few days in total before culminating in thunderstorms and becoming much more tolerable but thinking back to summer 2018, the relentless heat continued for weeks. Though it was great for Solinear, proving how effective our solar shading systems were to those who had them fitted to their buildings, others were relying on ineffective, expensive and inefficient methods of cooling down.
Open windows are not cool
It may seem logical to keep the windows open during a heatwave, however, this isn’t always a good solution. During the day – when the outside temperature peaks and is hotter than the temperature inside a building – it’s advisable to keep windows shut. Otherwise, hot air from outside will circulate around a room, making it feel stuffier and at this time of the year flying insects will invade a room en masse making the situation even more unbearable.
It is recommended to keep curtains closed though to keep rooms cool during the day but open windows in the evening when the temperature outside should be cooler than inside.
Fans of the past
Fans can alleviate some of the discomforts from the unrelenting heatwave, but, unless they’re large, expensive, ultra-modern, top-of-the-range products, they tend to waft warm air around and sometimes the effects are restricted to a small area; only being felt if located right next to the individual requiring relief from the intense heat. They can be noisy, disruptive, require regular maintenance and if not cleaned frequently will distribute dust and debris into the air, therefore, causing irritation to those who suffer from environmental allergies. Unless hiring a manual fan operator or punkahwallah (Hindi: पङ्खावाला, paṅkhāvālā), a fan will require power to function. Therefore electricity is needed and, unless equipped with solar panels (which will be harnessing all that sunshine now!), with electricity comes the inevitable hefty bills…and even a punkahwallah will need some sustenance to keep going in this heat!
It raises the question: Who will be the punkahwallah for the punkahwallah when the punkahwallah gets hot and who will be the punkahwallah for that punkahwallah…and so on? Many are probably too hot to care right now!
Air-con is not for everyone
An increasing number of residential and commercial buildings are equipped with air-con to alleviate the discomfort felt by occupants from the extreme heat. Aircon can be costly, disruptive, impact the environment and has contributed to a variety of ailments grouped under the umbrella of Sick Building Syndrome; A condition that manifests itself in a variety of ways whilst the affected individual is occupying a building but almost as soon as the sufferer has vacated the building the symptoms dissipate. Air-con is also a contributor to Legionellosis or Legionnaires disease. Legionnaires’ disease can be contracted by breathing in tiny droplets of water containing bacteria, often from poorly maintained air-con units, that cause the infection and although uncommon, Legionnaires disease is extremely serious.
Air-con can be a cause of friction too, especially in an office, where the occupants will have varying tolerances to heat and therefore what is comfortable for one may be unbearable for another. Rapid extremes of artificially maintained heat and cold can be a source of discord and may lead to general fatigue and lack of concentration.
The pain of solar gain
There are a variety of costly, artificial methods to alleviate the discomfort from the heat; however, they don’t address the problem of blinding solar glare distracting occupants and causing eye strain. Internal blinds and curtains are possible solutions, but they have limitations – becoming unsightly and faded with time, accumulating dust and ultimately, with continued wear and tear, failing to work properly. The requirement to replace them regularly will inevitably result in a burgeoning cost and, as a result of discarding curtains and blinds, there is an additional waste to consider that will go to landfill unless they can be recycled for another purpose.
How can solar shading help?
In its simplest terms, solar shading diffuses and controls natural light and heat entering a building consequently improving the quality and appearance of lighting during the day whilst simultaneously maintaining a comfortable temperature.
Therefore, a common-sense solution to reduce the effects of solar gain, whilst still affording the people inside the building continued enjoyment of a comfortable and uninterrupted view of the landscape, is the installation of solar shading; permanent, secure, reliable, low maintenance, aesthetically pleasing and relatively low cost.
Is solar shading expensive?
Solar shading can provide a long term saving in running costs. A building that is equipped with solar shading will be less severely affected by the solar gain in the summer whilst retaining precious heat and sunlight during the colder months, meaning the end-user will save money on air conditioning and heating costs thus protecting energy reserves and reducing the building’s carbon footprint.
In a report by the Carbon Trust, on a building with existing air conditioning, the amount saved on energy bills could pay back the cost of installing solar shading within 10 years. This is a reasonably conservative estimate and easily achievable. It’s based on installing fixed solar shading – i.e. solar shading, on a 25m by 10m single-storey, open-plan office building, which would cost around £6,000. Assuming an electricity tariff of 10p/kWh (including Climate Change Levy) and a 25% reduction in the use of the air conditioning (around 6,000kWh/year).
Are there confines to solar shading or is the sky the limit?!
With reference to Solinear’s louvre and solar shading systems, they can be fully modified to customer specifications. If a client is dedicated to being eco-friendly, has a concept to discuss, or would simply like to explore the possibilities, there are a range of options available.
If something more specific is required, Solinear’s talented design team can suggest a tailored option; working in tandem with Solinear’s existing louvre and solar shading ranges.
Solar shading is the future
With climate change and temperatures soaring, as witnessed over these past few days, and the technology behind solar shading continually progressing, it has become the vanguard for sustaining happy, healthy, low-energy-consumption, low-cost buildings fit for the future. As environmental issues reach boiling point, the demand for eco-friendly is going to be even more of a hot topic (no pun intended!)
To summarise:
- What do you want?
A. Solar Shading - When do you want it?
A. Now!
