Boost Your BREEAM Score: Solar Shading Strategies

Summary

This article provides 11 actionable steps to elevate your building’s BREEAM rating using solar shading. From enhancing energy efficiency to improving occupant well-being, explore how strategic shading solutions can contribute to a more sustainable and comfortable building. Follow these tips to make the most of solar shading and achieve BREEAM excellence.

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** Main Story**

Alright, let’s talk about boosting your BREEAM score with solar shading. It’s crucial, especially now, to build with the environment in mind, and a high BREEAM score really shows you’re serious. Solar shading, believe it or not, offers some fantastic opportunities to get there. So, here are eleven strategies that’ll help you leverage solar shading for BREEAM success.

Enhancing Energy Efficiency

First off, think about energy. We all know how much cooling costs, right?

• Reduce Cooling Loads: Solar shading minimizes solar heat gain, and that’s huge. Less heat coming in means less work for the AC. Simple, effective, and it translates directly to energy savings.

• Optimize Building Envelope Performance: Plus, shading improves the building envelope’s overall performance. You know, the walls, windows, roof – everything that separates the inside from the outside. Better envelope, better BREEAM score, lower bills. I remember working on a project in Dubai, where efficient shading cut the cooling load by almost 40%!

Improving Occupant Well-being

It’s not just about the environment; it’s about the people inside, too. And actually, it is about the environment because you want to build an environment that people can thrive in, right?

• Control Glare: Nobody likes squinting at their computer screen all day. Effective solar shading minimizes glare. Think about it: more comfortable employees are more productive employees.

• Maximize Daylight: Now, you don’t want to shut out all the light. That said you want to maximize daylight while preventing discomfort, so intelligent shading solutions are the key. That reduces reliance on artificial lighting, which saves energy and enhances the indoor atmosphere. It’s a win-win.

Using Sustainable Materials

Let’s get eco-conscious about the materials we’re using.

• Prioritize Durable, Recyclable Materials: It’s pretty obvious: shading solutions made from durable, recyclable materials reduce environmental impact, right? That’s something BREEAM loves. I’ve seen some great designs using reclaimed wood and recycled aluminum.

• Consider Lifecycle Assessment: This looks at a material’s environmental impact, from raw material extraction to disposal. Select materials with a low environmental impact, you’ll enhance your BREEAM score, simple as that.

Reducing Night-time Light Pollution

Don’t forget the night-time environment; after all, it’s important!

• Control Light Spillage: Solar shading isn’t just for daytime. It reduces light pollution at night by minimizing light spillage. This is especially important in urban areas and can even help wildlife.

• Ensure Compliance: Of course, you want to adhere to local light pollution regulations through proper shading. This will contribute to a higher BREEAM score and benefit the surrounding community. It’s just good citizenship.

Implementing Innovative Designs and Smart Integration

Thinking outside the box can really pay off.

• Integrate Shading Early: If you integrate solar shading strategies from the initial design phase, you will ensure seamless integration with other building systems and it becomes a core part of the building, not an afterthought. Early planning makes a big difference.

• Tailor to Climate: Choose climate-specific shading solutions to address your building’s location’s particular sunlight and heat gain challenges. I mean, what works in Sweden won’t necessarily work in Spain. Optimizing your design based on your building’s orientation and sun exposure maximises effectiveness.

Prioritizing User Control

Finally, don’t forget about the people actually using the building.

• Empower Occupants: If you provide occupants with control over shading systems to adjust light and temperature, you will improve their comfort and satisfaction. This user-centric approach can positively influence BREEAM assessments. Because, I mean, who doesn’t want control over their environment?

These eleven strategies will improve your building’s BREEAM score and contribute to a more sustainable built environment. Now, as of today, March 8, 2025, all this information is current. That being said, regulations and best practices do evolve. So, consult the latest BREEAM guidelines and collaborate with experts for the most up-to-date advice. It’s always a good idea to stay informed.