Solar gain through windows
When the sun shines (UV light) through the windows, it is either reflected back, or absorbed inside and converted to heat.
The most solar gain is on the west side of a house.
The second most is on south side, but this is easier to prevent with external shades because of the high angle of the sun.
Benefit¶
Solar gain is great in the winter, heating up your house for free.
Prevention¶
Once the heat is in, it won’t easily leave the house. So the best prevention is to stop it outside with external shades. Or with the shade of a tree.
Research on London flats by the BBSA: (BIASED)
- Rooms with internal blinds reduced operative temperatures by 8-13ºC
- Rooms with external blinds reduced operative temperatures by 12-18ºC
Backlinks¶
- passive house
- A passive house tries to keep the heat out, instead of using energy to cool down a house.
- overheat homes risk factors