External sliding shutters
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Sliding shutters made of waterproof, hardwearing materials attach to tracks fixed to building façades. Like sliding doors, shutters can slide away completely, revealing windows in full. Furthermore, their inherently dynamic nature can enliven a façade’s appearance. When opened, shutters typically stack behind each other, while multiple shutters can be overlapped within the same track to fully shade wider windows.
| Overheating mitigation | High | Blocks most of the solar gains when fully closed. Effective in all orientations |
| Winter solar gains | High | Allows maximum solar gains when fully opened |
| Daylight | Medium | Depends on the free area of the shutters and how much they are closed. In winter allows maximum daylight when fully opened |
| Ventilation | Medium | Allows ventilation, but depends on the free area of the shutters and how much they are closed |
| Wind resistance | High | Robust device fitted within channels |
| Operability | Low | Manually operated that requires leaning out the window. Not suitable for reduced mobility occupants. The performance depends on occupant behaviour |
| Maintenance | Medium | Inspect channels and wheels |
| Cost | ££££ |
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“ The sliding mechanism of the shutters and their Hanham Hall, South Gloucestershire |
This is an extract from Shading for Housing, Design guide for a changing climate, published by the Good Homes Alliance and the British Blinds and Shutters Association in 2023. You can download the guide in full at: https://bbsa.org.uk/new-design-guide-on-shading-for-housing/
--BBSA
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