Solar Shading Systems for Facades
External shading is the most effective way to control solar heat gain, glare and daylight on a glass facade. Hanart designs, engineers and installs fixed and operable shading systems — aluminum louvers, aerofoil blades, perforated screens and integrated shading glazing — as a coordinated part of the building envelope.
Why external shading belongs on high-performance facades
Sunlight is free daylight and free heat at the same time. External shading separates the two: it keeps the visual comfort and energy that daylight provides, while rejecting the solar gain that would otherwise drive up cooling cost.
On an unshaded glazed facade, direct sun can push peak cooling load up dramatically. Blinds inside the room only reflect heat after it has already crossed the glass. External shading works before the heat enters: louvers and blades intercept solar radiation on the outside of the envelope, so the glass does most of the thermal work it was designed to do.
The effect is measurable. In warm climates, a correctly sized external shading system can reduce annual cooling energy by 20–35%; on east and west orientations, it can also cut peak cooling demand enough to downsize HVAC plant. Shading also controls glare — the single most common daylight complaint in offices — and can protect people near the facade from the discomfort of radiant heat.
- Blocks solar heat before it enters the building
- Cuts glare and improves visual comfort near the facade
- Reduces cooling load and peak HVAC demand
- Adds architectural rhythm and identity to the elevation
Shading systems Hanart supplies
Each configuration solves a different combination of orientation, climate, daylight and architecture. Hanart selects the type from performance simulation, not from a product list.
Horizontal Louvers & Aerofoil Blades
Deep horizontal blades or aerofoil profiles fixed above head height. Sizing the depth and pitch locks out high summer sun on south-facing facades while allowing low winter sun to enter. Available in fixed, manually adjustable and motorised versions.
- Blade depth 150–600 mm typical
- Pitch tuned with sun-path simulation
- Fixed or operable drive options
Vertical Fins & Egg-Crate Screens
Vertical fins protect east and west facades where the sun is low and horizontal blades lose effect. Egg-crate grids combine both directions for the strongest solar control on highly glazed elevations.
- Vertical fin depth 200–800 mm
- Egg-crate cells for low-angle sun
- Perforated or solid face options
Perforated Panels & Mesh Screens
Perforated aluminum panels or woven mesh provide a continuous second skin that filters sun while preserving partial views. Perforation ratio is engineered per orientation to balance shading, daylight and see-through quality.
- Perforation 10–50% open area
- Light and view retained by design
- Ideal for retrofit and second-skin layers
Blade Shutters & Operable Facade Elements
Motorised blade shutters and operable facade elements adapt through the day: closed on hot afternoons, open for daylight and views in the morning, retracted after dark. Control can follow a time clock, a weather station, a BMS or occupancy.
- Sync with BMS and daylight sensors
- Weather station overrides for wind
- Low-voltage drive with maintenance access
What shading actually changes on the facade
Shading systems are bought for outcomes. Hanart simulates each option and reports the numbers the design team and the owner care about.
| Measure | Unshaded Facade | With External Shading |
|---|---|---|
| Peak cooling load (east-west) | Baseline | Reduced by up to 35% |
| Annual cooling energy (warm climate) | Baseline | 20–35% lower |
| Glare near facade | High, blinds often closed | Controlled with daylight retained |
| Daylight autonomy | Reduced by blind use | Higher with tuned louvers |
| HVAC peak capacity | Picks up unshaded load | Can be downsized |
Designed as part of the facade, not added afterwards
Coordinated with the curtain wall
Brackets are fixed through the mullion with thermally broken supports, so shading loads transfer into the primary structure without creating cold bridges or puncturing the weather seal. Movement joints are coordinated so the shading follows the curtain wall's thermal movement.
- Thermally broken brackets
- Movement joints coordinated
- One engineering responsibility
Shading with double-skin and BIPV
Shading is a natural partner for double-skin facades — blinds or louvers sit in the cavity where they are protected and serviced — and for BIPV facades, where shading and power generation are optimised together.
- Cavity shading for double-skin
- Shared energy modelling with BIPV
- One performance story
Simulation before specification
Every shading recommendation starts with sun-path, daylight and energy simulation. Hanart documents blade depth, pitch, angle schedule and operating logic so the shading system is specified from evidence, and verified in a mock-up on large projects.
- Sun-path & daylight analysis
- Energy model with and without shading
- Mock-up verification on large projects
Choosing the right shading for your building
The best shading system depends on four inputs. Hanart runs the same four-step logic on every project:
- Orientation — south facades favor horizontal blades; east and west facades need vertical fins or operable blades that can follow low sun.
- Climate & code — cooling-dominant climates justify deeper, denser shading; heating-dominant climates need shading that can admit winter sun.
- Daylight & view — blade pitch and perforation are tuned so glare is controlled without darkening the room or blocking the view.
- Operations — fixed systems are maintenance-light; operable systems add control value and need a maintenance and control plan.
On larger projects, Hanart offers a shading mock-up so the owner can see blade finish, pitch and light quality before fabrication starts. The same evidence-based process used for the curtain wall applies to the shading that sits on top of it.
Solar shading questions, answered
External shading intercepts solar radiation before it reaches the glass, so most of the heat is blocked outside the building envelope. Internal blinds only reflect a portion of the heat that has already entered the room. Depending on climate and orientation, exterior louvers and blades can cut cooling load by 20-35% compared with an unshaded facade.
Fixed shading — horizontal blades, vertical fins or perforated screens — is low-maintenance and zero-energy, and works best when the solar angle is predictable. Operable shading adds motors and control logic so blades can track the sun, open for daylight or retract for views. Operable systems cost more but adapt to changing weather and occupancy.
Yes. Hanart supplies shading as a coordinated part of the facade package: brackets fixed through the mullion, thermally broken supports, hidden cable routes and coordinated movement joints. The same engineering team designs the curtain wall and the shading system so loads, tolerances and weather seals are resolved together.
Not necessarily. Correctly sized blades block direct sun while admitting diffuse daylight, and perforated or louvered screens preserve partial views. Daylight simulation is used to tune blade depth, pitch and angle so the balance between glare control, daylight autonomy and view is decided by evidence, not guesswork.
Get a shading study for your facade
Send your drawings, orientation and energy targets. Hanart will prepare a shading recommendation and budget within 24 hours.