Specifying External Blinds for Wind Resistance

Ask any solar shading expert or building physicist for their advice on the best solution for reducing solar heat gain and they will immediately tell you to put the blinds on the outside. External shading systems can reduce heat gain to almost zero, and result in savings of some 65% on air conditioning costs. They remove the internal clutter of boxes or rollers around your windows, and can even provide insulation in winter. There is only one problem: the weather. For external solar shading systems to perform well, they must withstand precipitation, extreme temperatures and, most crucially, strong winds.