Cut Costs by Saving Energy with a Retractable Awning A recent study by the Center for Sustainable Building Research shows that roughly 20% of Air Conditioning bills are due to loss in Solar Radiation through glass - this represents a great opportunity to reduce energy use. This same study shows that Sunbrella type awning materials can reduce heat gain up to 60% on southern exposed windows. In western exposures this is even more pronounced with heat reductions up to 77%.
Go Green, do your part! Not only are awnings beneficial to the enjoyment of your home, but they also decrease demand for energy and create a better living standard for all of us for generations to come
Summer is not the only season you can save with an awning. In the winter the solar heat from the sun can help heat our homes. Since the awnings retract it allows us to get solar gain when we need it most in the winter months. With this flexibility it is easy to decide on an awning for your home.
The European's have already figured this out -- most households and businesses in Europe use awnings for energy conservation. However, awnings are quickly becoming the #1 choice for people in the USA to get protection from the sun for better enjoyment of their homes and for cost-savings from reduced energy use.
There are many brands that offer Sunbrella awning fabrics on their retractable awning models. Sunsetter offers its own version of acrylic awning fabrics similar to Sunbrella. NuImage, Eclipse, and Alutex all use Sunbrella awning fabrics.
Read the full study about Energy Savings and Awnings
References
1. "Awnings in Residential Buildings - The impact on Energy Use and Peak Demand" by John Carmody and Kerry Haglund, Center for Sustainable Building Research, University of Minnesota and Yu Joe Huang, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, August 2007
2. The Professional Awning Manufacturers Association websites, Roseville, Minnesota, February 2008.
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