Blinds down under – a comparative analysis of shading systems for sustainable building refurbishments

This research investigates glare control strategies in reference to operational energy consumption and productivity for sustainable upgrades of existing buildings in two very different climate zones. This way the climate sensitivity of glare prevention solutions including the impact on operational energy consumption can be shown. Operating control strategies for various internal blind configurations for a tight renovation budget are tested for three different desk positions and compared with the impact of the Australian “blinds-down approach”.  Different financial scenarios have been analysed, including productivity increases. The savings due to productivity are compared to the cost reduction due to the achieved operational energy savings and to capital expenditure for the initial costs for the buildings in Melbourne and Darwin.