Combatting Overheating in Buildings 

As an umbrella organisation ES-SO is convinced that automated solar shading is the best  defence against climate change and could form part of the structural solution. Based on the  results of the Guidehouse study, ES-SO is urging EU policy makers to make solar shading  compulsory under the EPBD, as a first solution – before using active cooling, such as air  conditioning – in the fight against overheating. 

Anders Hall, President of ES-SO: “Nowadays, buildings are the largest consumers of energy  in Europe. They consume 40% of our energy and account for 36% of greenhouse emissions.  The results of the Guidehouse study are definitely impressive, demonstrating a potential  energy saving of up to 60% on space cooling of buildings by the year 2050. This research  shows that there must be no further delay, and that solar shading must be the first solution in  combatting overheating in buildings. We are already looking forward to a future in which  buildings have to be more climate-resilient and less energy-dependent.” 

Study: Solar shading vs. Air Conditioning 

Climate change goes hand in hand with higher temperatures and longer-lasting and more  intense heatwaves. Buildings requiring air conditioning are estimated to grow by 60%. In  their study, Guidehouse, who act as advisors to public and commercial markets all over the  world, analysed the impact of solar shading versus the use of air conditioning in buildings.  

The simulations and the various scenarios are quite definite: if smart solar shading is used as  the first measure before active cooling (preferred scenario), then we should be able to stop the  growth of buildings requiring air conditioning between now and 2050.

Illustration: dynamic solar shading can halt the predicted trend of increased need for air  conditioning (1) 

Positive Impact of Solar shading  

The results of the Guidehouse study show that automated solar shading has a definite positive  impact and this not only on the planet, but also on society and people.  

• Planet: A CO2 reduction strategy 

Between now and 2050, approx. 100 million accumulated tonnes of greenhouse gas  emissions (*) can be avoided in the preferred shading scenario of the Guidehouse  study. This 100 million tonne reduction in CO2 emissions is equivalent to the annual  CO2 emissions of 22 million cars. 

(*) The CO2 factors are in line with the EPBD Impact Assessment 2021 and based on  the Climate Target Plan 2030 of the European Commission. 

• Society: an energy-savings first strategy 

In the preferred scenario, solar shading can reduce energy used in the EU building  stock by 60% in space cooling. According to the Guidehouse study this energy saving  (of approx. 870 Terawatt hours of electricity) is roughly equivalent to the final energy  consumption of Spain, which has 47 million inhabitants. 

• People: a cost-effective strategy 

The research shows that solar shading is a much more cost-effective investment than  active space cooling, such as air conditioning, given that this solution could save up to  285 billion euros between now and 2050. This amount is similar to the GDP of  countries like Finland and Luxembourg together. 

Shady Attia, Professor in Sustainable Architecture and Building Technology at Liège  University (Belgium) states that solar shading could potentially make a huge contribution to  the European Green Deal. “Nowadays, less than 50% of buildings are equipped with solar  shading, and a large proportion of this is not automated. The results of the Guidehouse study  confirm my firm belief that solar shading is a much better solution than air conditioning for 

our planet, and that we urgently need to consider automated solar shading to make buildings  more climate-resilient and more energy-efficient.” 

Illustration: Ultimate energy saving of 62% by 2050 using automated solar shading in all  buildings that require cooling (preferred scenario) (1) 

(1) Solar shading, Guidehouse Germany GmbH, 5 November 2021