Shading

The shading design needs to balance heat, light and glare by controlling direct sunlight on windows and thermal mass.

The heating load can be reduced by:

• using adjustable shading to reduce your cooling load but allow winter solar access and keep your heating load at the same level (BASIX assumes that adjustable shading is used in summer but drawn back in winter to permit solar gain);
• using shading with clearer windows instead of tinted windows; and
• reducing the extent of shading.

The cooling load can be reduced by:

• using shading that is appropriate for the orientation, as detailed below; and
• increasing the extent of shading.

Eaves and other simple projections can provide effective seasonal shading on the north orientation. Effective shading on other orientations requires verandahs, pergolas, awnings, external louvres or external vertical blinds.

See also:

• YourHome Passive Design Shading

Example of a house with external window shades