How shading your premises can save you money
Avoiding ‘the oven effect’
Insulation needs to be coupled with shading and draught-proofing.
In summer, a lack of shade around an insulated building can lead to what is called ‘the oven effect’. After the sun’s radiant heat passes through the glass and into the building, the heat inside the building increases. This can lead to a spike in your cooling costs.
The easiest way to prevent this problem is to have external shading such as eaves, shutters, shade cloths or retractable awnings. These solutions offer a quick way to reduce heat gain from the sun.
The shade cover should be placed on the side of your building that is most exposed to the hot summer sun – typically, the north- and west-facing walls.
Shading your outside air-conditioning unit will also ensure that it operates more efficiently and cost-effectively.
Alice Springs Helicopters, NT
An audit at Alice Springs Helicopters recommended the installation of shade by the east and west walls of their building. Doing this reduces air-conditioning costs as shade can reduce summer heat load on a building.[1]
Shade Planting
A long-term but effective way to shade your building is to also plant trees and shrubs outside your premises.
If your business is based in a hot humid climate (and some hot dry climates), it pays to plant evergreen trees. For all other climates (particularly cold climates), you should plant north-facing deciduous trees and vines.
This leaf-cover will help to minimise the heat impact from the summer sun. This can reduce cooling costs as the greenery shades the glass from unprotected heat gain.
When their leaves drop in winter, the bare branches let in the warmth of the winter sun. This can help to reduce heating costs.
Deciduous and evergreen trees can also be planted to the east and west of your building. Where relevant, you can also use shrubs to shade your windows.
More Information
YourHome.Gov.au has an excellent fact sheet that shows how shading stops heat build-up and reduces heating and cooling costs. It also has more detail on where to plant trees and shrubs.
Although written for homes, the information is equally relevant for business premises: EnergyCut.info/yh-shading
Direct sun can generate the same heat as a single bar radiator over each square metre of a surface; but effective shading can block up to 90% of this heat. [2]