Awnings

Awnings and canopies serve as great energy saving and environment friendly solution to reduce air conditioning costs.  Adding protective covers to exterior windows blocks direct and/or reflected sunlight which decreases solar radiation levels.  The result is less heat gain within the building and lower interior temperature.  Solar radiation accounts for about 20 percent of an air conditioner’s work load.

According to the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating and Air Conditioning Engineers) fabric awnings were found to reduce heat gain by 55 to 65 percent on south-facing windows and by 72 to 77 percent on windows facing west.  This result may lower interior temperatures from 8 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit (or 4 to -8.5 degrees Celsius).

A lower interior temperature results in less need for air-conditioning, either in terms of the number of hours it is used during a day or the number of days it is used during the year.  This decrease in temperature can lowers energy costs by 23 percent (depending upon hourly usage per day, the number of days used throughout the year, and the total number of awnings on the building).

When awnings and canopies are factored in new building projects, architects and planners can reduce construction costs by specifying smaller, energy-efficient air conditioning units.  The purchase of an awning or canopy is an investment that will pay for itself in a matter of a few years, and will continue to offer end-users savings in energy usage, as well as help the environment.