Why Winter Is the Right Time to Think About Summer Shade

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Why Winter Is the Right Time to Think About Summer Shade

Shade sails and external shading naturally make us think of summer. But from a design perspective, waiting until warm weather arrives to start considering shade is already too late.

Autumn and winter can actually be an ideal time to assess how a building or external space will perform when temperatures rise again.

Look at Shade as Part of the Building Strategy

Solar gain is increasingly relevant to building design. Where sunlight passes through glazing, solar energy enters the building and can contribute to increasing internal temperatures. External shading can help because it intercepts direct sunlight before it reaches the glazing.

Government guidance on overheating provides a useful illustration of the principle: Approved Document O includes external shading among the measures used to limit solar gains in the residential buildings to which it applies.

While Approved Document O specifically applies to new residential buildings in England rather than commercial and education buildings, the underlying design principle is relevant more widely: orientation, glazing and external shading should be considered together.

One Size Doesn’t Fit Every Façade

Effective shading isn’t simply about installing the largest possible canopy. Orientation matters.

The sun’s position changes throughout the day and throughout the year, meaning a shading solution that works effectively on one elevation may perform differently on another. Building geometry, glazing area, projection and surrounding structures should therefore be considered when determining an appropriate solution.

Current design guidance from London City Hall similarly identifies external shading as a means of reducing overheating risk and notes that its appropriate form depends on façade orientation and overall building design.

Shade Sails Have a Different Role

Away from the building façade, shade sails can help create more comfortable external spaces. They can be particularly useful over playgrounds, seating areas, courtyards and communal spaces where an open-sided solution is preferred.

However, shade sail design involves more than positioning fabric above an area. Post positions, sail geometry, tension, foundations, orientation and the intended shaded area all need to be considered. The sun also moves considerably throughout the day, so the shadow cast by a sail will not remain directly underneath it. This makes early design particularly valuable.

Plan in Winter, Be Ready for Summer

Considering shade during autumn and winter gives project teams time to assess requirements, develop designs, coordinate foundations and services and incorporate the solution into the wider project programme. It also encourages a more considered approach. Rather than responding to overheating or uncomfortable outdoor spaces once summer arrives, architects and contractors can design shade into a project from the outset.

And perhaps that is the most important point: good summer performance often begins with decisions made in winter.

Able Canopies Ltd. design, manufacture and install commercial grade canopies, shade sails, awnings and shelters across the UK. We specialise in servicing the education, leisure, healthcare and retail sectors and have extensive experience working with architects and contracting firms on small and large projects.
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Back to Blog

Why Winter Is the Right Time to Think About Summer Shade

Look at Shade as Part of the Building Strategy

One Size Doesn’t Fit Every Façade

Shade Sails Have a Different Role

Plan in Winter, Be Ready for Summer

See also