A hot day outside requires sun protection and a wide-brimmed hat for you, but what about your home? Buildings feel the heat, too. Thankfully, architects and designers are stepping up to shade buildings in new and innovative ways that reduce heat and UV damage.
Is the Sun Getting Hot Enough to Damage Buildings?
Contrary to popular belief, the sun isn’t getting hotter. NASA states that greenhouse gases are to blame for the increased surface heat the planet experiences, as these trap heat and prevent normal UV refraction, increasing the overall temperature. The result of climate change is people and buildings experience greater heat, humidity and light exposure.
UV Protection Measures and Innovations
You and your home feel the heat — you may have noticed more damage like cracked wood, paint chipping and fading color coating. What can you do to prevent costly heat and light damage?
Façades and Sunscreens
By adding terracotta façades to buildings, architects contribute to reaching net-zero goals. The material also reduces cooling costs. These natural clay screens have incredible thermal regulation properties, so façade walls and cladding help insulate buildings against heat. They need no painting and are resilient to high temperatures.
Double screens have a natural cavity, which increases air circulation. It cools the building and prevents excess rain exposure. When correctly installed, the cavity also channels water away from foundations for increased protection.
UV-Resistant Surface Coatings
UV-resistant paint and coatings refract UV rays to cool the surface temperature for longer-lasting finishes. In fact, some powder coatings cure further for greater strength when exposed to UV rays, hardening the surface quality. These coatings are safe for wood, steel and concrete applications, such as metal frames, garage doors and walls.
Remote Control Awnings
Another innovative use of technology is to install a motorized awning or pergola. These structures protect your garage doors and building sides from direct sunlight. Considering even a high-quality garage door may begin fading within a year or two, it’s worth protecting.
Natural Protection Measures
There’s an increasing drive toward biophilic architecture and design. More professionals are taking advantage of the regenerative and resilient properties of materials like hemp and bamboo. Designing screens to shield buildings using these materials can create alternative ways to cool and protect shelters.
Solar Façade Technology
In transformative architecture, designers use solar façades to absorb light and heat, transforming it into energy. These include eco-sustainable insulation using hemp and mushroom fibers. Window blinds and heat barriers feature similar design technology. Self-sustaining buildings use photovoltaic panels on siding and roofing to produce power.
Reflective Window Film
Double-glazed windows are still a popular insulation option to keep heat out. However, newer technology includes a reflective film that easily applies to windows. Light passes into the home, but the film keeps heat and UV rays out, protecting indoor flooring and furniture.
Cool Roofing
Rooftop gardens are fast gaining interest. It’s a way to insulate buildings, protecting the underlying structure from heat. A few layers of dirt and some plants to anchor it can effectively prevent roof damage from heat and UV rays. Covering the largest surface of a property with layers of insulation effectively stops radiant heat.
The same living technology can extend to walls. Green walls are gaining traction as a way to cool buildings naturally, but adding reflective surface treatments to roofing has a similar effect. These coatings protect the building from light and heat.
The choice of roof material has a significant impact on heat exposure. Changing from a steel roof to terracotta tiles can reduce heat ingress in warm areas.
Design and Layout
How architects plan buildings also affects structural resilience to environmental damage. They can use false walls, overhangs and careful consideration of local airflow patterns to create naturally ventilated properties with increased light management.
Natural Design
Melding indoor and outdoor environments protects buildings and people. Planting shrub screens can cut back on light exposure, while large trees can overshadow roofing for heat reduction. Natural stone cladding ensures limited painted surfaces for reduced maintenance.
Architectural trends incorporate rammed earth or earth-sheltered homes. Most of these properties get built into an embankment. The natural insulating qualities of soil create a 100% barrier to heat and light damage for all buried elements, reducing maintenance costs.
Architectural Sun Protection Solutions
Whether using terracotta rain screens or solar cladding, the building environment must adapt to climate change challenges. Net-zero construction is a reality, so turn environmental challenges into innovation. Integrate new technology and designs into building plans or add these to existing structures for improved efficiency and damage reduction.
