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These folding louvered porch doors provide effective shade from low-angle east and west sunlight and can open for views; the photovoltaic panels overhead allow in filtered natural light
An NFRC glazing system energy performance label will report U-factor, solar heat gain coefficient, visible transmittance, and air leakage; if the window is ENERGY certified, the ENERGY STAR label will be located next to the NFRC label
Awnings, overhangs, and porches shield windows and doors from sun, rain, and snow in this sunny mountain locale.
Clerestory windows bring light in from above, reflecting it off of surfaces, making it more appealing than the direct light that comes from skylights
ENERGY STAR reflective roof shingles and low-SHGC windows with low-emissivity coatings help to minimize solar heat gain.
Exterior shading devices such as awnings or overhangs can significantly reduce cooling loads
Infrared photometry shows the impact of a roof overhang on the south façade of a home, where the unshaded patio stonework is significantly hotter than the shaded portions of the patio and wall surfaces (temperature scale shown is in Celsius).
Multi-layer honeycomb cellular shades such as these can provide summertime energy savings by blocking and reflecting solar heat, as well as wintertime energy savings by providing added insulation.
Permanent awnings help minimize unwanted solar heat gain from high overhead summer sun.
Porch roofs, pergolas, and large overhangs can effectively shade windows and doors facing south, southeast, southwest, or even due east or west for most of the day if the overhang is very deep and sufficiently wide.
Right - This house has key features to block heat such as such as tree shading for the west wall and roof, minimized west-facing windows, and a porch roof, floor, and wing walls creating deep architectural overhangs and fins to shade south-facing windows
Right - Window shading is built into the south side of this home and east facing windows have been minimized to reduce heat gain from the summer sun while allowing low winter sun into the home
Right – Horizontal overhangs on this house block sunlight in the summer while allowing it in during winter
Right – This model home for the Solar Decathlon competition incorporates vertical trellises and retractable exterior blinds to control solar heat gain.
Sheer shades can provide very effective daylighting and glare control while maintaining a softened view to the outside
The 2-foot extended-width overhang on the left allows more wintertime solar heat gain to this west-facing window than the 2-foot side fin on the right (results shown for west-facing window, mid-winter, 36N latitude)
The 2-foot overhang on the left performs better than the 2-foot vertical fin on the right for providing shade in the summer and solar heat gain in the winter (results shown for west-facing window, 2pm, 36N latitude).
The 8-foot deck/overhang on the left provides better summer shading than the 2-foot extended-width overhang, which performs better than the 2-foot window-width overhang, which performs better than the 2-foot vertical fin (late summer, 36N latitude)
The 8-foot-deep west-facing overhang on the left provides much better shading late in the day than the 2-foot-deep overhang on the right (results shown for west-facing window, late summer, 36N latitude).
The design of this home incorporates multiple methods to reduce summertime solar gains including roll-down exterior blinds, wide exterior horizontal louvers, minimized east/west-facing windows, and vegetation.
The overhang on the left is much wider than the window, allowing it to provide better shade throughout the day than the overhang on the right, which is only the width of the window (results shown for south-facing window, late summer, 2pm, 36N latitude).
The overhang on the left is much wider than the window, allowing it to provide far better shade throughout the day than the overhang on the right, which is only the width of the window (results shown for south-facing window, late summer, 36N latitude).
The patio roof on this home provides full shade to large glass doors and windows, reducing the home's heat gains.
The Solar Radiation Data Manual for Buildings provides window overhang sizing guidance for 239 locations across the U.S.; this example is for Boulder, CO
The south face of this home has an overhanging second floor, a pergola, and a roof eave to provide effective window and door shading for both floors in the summer without blocking view, diffuse daylighting, breezes, or ingress/egress
Thermal mass stained concrete slab absorb solar heat during the day and release it into the rooms at night.
This overhang for a south-facing window provides full shade in the summer and full sun in the winter, optimizing savings in both cooling and heating energy (results shown for 2pm in both summer and winter, 36N latitude).
Vertical side-shading, such as these side fins, can provide effective summertime shading for north-facing windows, but are generally not recommended for other orientations due to their marginal performance and restricted views