Building decarbonisation has become one of the main challenges facing the construction sector. Reducing energy consumption and lowering CO₂ emissions are increasingly important objectives in both new-build and renovation projects. Building decarbonisation involves reducing energy consumption and, consequently, the emissions associated with building operation.
In this context, solar control strategies represent a passive solution capable of improving the energy performance of buildings by acting directly on their glazed surfaces, without the need for major interventions to the building envelope.
What Is the Relationship Between Solar Control and Decarbonisation?
Large glazed areas allow buildings to make the most of natural light, but they can also increase the amount of solar radiation entering the building and, particularly during the warmer months, raise indoor temperatures. This increases the demand placed on HVAC systems and, therefore, the building’s energy consumption.
As a result, HVAC systems need to operate for longer to maintain adequate comfort conditions, increasing energy consumption and the CO₂ emissions associated with the building’s operational phase.
Solar control films reduce the amount of solar energy passing through the glass, reducing heat gains and helping to lower cooling demand.
This is a passive measure that acts on the building envelope without altering its day-to-day operation and can be combined with other energy-efficiency strategies.
An Especially Interesting Solution for Energy-Efficient Renovation
One of the main benefits of solar protection films is that they can be installed on existing glazing.
This makes it possible to improve a building’s energy performance without replacing windows, modifying the façade or carrying out major construction work, reducing both the costs and the environmental impact of the intervention.
For this reason, solar control has become a widely used solution in offices, hospitals, hotels, educational buildings, historic buildings and tertiary-sector buildings seeking to improve their energy efficiency while maintaining the property’s original appearance.
Lower Energy Consumption, Lower Carbon Footprint
When cooling demand decreases, the amount of energy required to maintain the building in comfortable conditions also decreases.
This results in lower carbon emissions associated with energy consumption during the building’s operational phase (operational carbon), one of the main objectives of decarbonising the European building stock.
Although the impact depends on factors such as orientation, climate or the type of existing glazing, solar control is an effective measure for reducing thermal loads and improving the building’s overall energy performance.
Contribution to Sustainable Buildings and LEED and BREEAM Certifications
More and more projects are incorporating strategies aimed at achieving environmental certifications such as LEED or BREEAM, which assess aspects related to energy efficiency, occupant comfort and the environmental impact of the materials used.
Solar control solutions can contribute to obtaining credits within these certification schemes by improving the building’s energy performance, reducing cooling demand and promoting users’ thermal and visual comfort.
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD): Transparency Throughout the Life Cycle
At Solarcheck, we are committed to data-driven architecture.
For this reason, our films have an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), an independently verified document in accordance with the international standards ISO 14025 and EN 15804 that analyses the environmental impact of the product throughout its entire life cycle.
The EPD provides transparent information on aspects such as:
- CO₂ emissions;
- resource consumption;
- energy used during manufacturing;
- the product’s overall environmental impact.
This documentation is particularly valuable for architects, engineering firms, sustainability consultants and developers working on projects based on ESG criteria or environmental certifications.
Solar Control as Part of a Global Building Decarbonisation Strategy
Decarbonisation does not depend on a single solution, but rather on a combination of decisions that improve a building’s performance throughout its entire service life.
Solar control makes it possible to act on one of the elements with the greatest influence on comfort and energy consumption: glazed surfaces. Reducing thermal loads, protecting interiors from UV radiation and improving energy efficiency without major interventions makes solar control films a highly valuable solution for both new-build and renovation projects.
At Solarcheck, we have been developing solutions for more comfortable, efficient and sustainable buildings for more than 40 years. Our films have an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) and can contribute to certification strategies such as LEED® and BREEAM®, providing verified environmental information and helping architects, engineering firms and developers address the challenges of sustainable construction.
Because the architecture of the future must not only consume less energy. It must also make better use of the energy it already receives from the sun.
