Modern Scottish homes love glass. Whether it’s a stunning gable window, big frontal picture panes, or inviting sliding doors onto the patio, there’s glass to be enjoyed everywhere, making the rooms feel open and full of light.
But all that light comes with heat, too, and without some decent shading, your home can start to feel more like a greenhouse than a cool personal sanctuary – even in Scotland, where we’re not entirely well known for blazing sunshine!
When you’re picking your windows for a new-build, it pays to know what to look for. At the Scottish Shutter Company, we’re here to help.
Lowkey Knowing Low-E from Low-G
One important consideration is what type of glass you’ve got. It might all be pretty much transparent and hard to tell the difference at a glance, but there’s a lot going on there. Two things that help to know are low-E and low-G.
Low-E means low emissivity, or, simply put, glass that is designed to keep the warmth in. This is glass with a nearly invisible coating that bounces heat back into the room. It’s excellent in the winter as it aids insulation, cutting energy bills and making sure everything is comfortable.
Low-G is all about solar control. It’s effectively the opposite of Low-E and is all about keeping the sun out. The ‘g-value’ measures how much solar energy passes through. Numbers around 0.60 to 0.65 are about right for standard double glazing, suggesting two-thirds (60% to 65%) of the sun’s energy is passing through; lower levels that you would find in specialist ‘solar-control’ glass drop that to 0.30 to 0.40 – 30% to 40% energy (or around a third).
It’s all very technical sounding, but can be boiled down to:
- Low-E = warm in the winter
- Low-G = cool in the summer
Most new builds are extremely concerned with energy efficiency to meet global sustainability targets, so they’ll be optimised for Low-E – and that’s great for most of the year, but when the sun is high and the glass is big, it leads quickly to overheating.
But… This is SCOTLAND!
We do hear this a lot – people (both Scottish and not) are often stunned to hear that we might suffer from overheating in our traditionally blustery part of the world. The truth is, while we might not get Mediterranean summers, the Scottish sun isn’t completely useless. On a bright July afternoon, you can get 700 watts per square metre heating your glass.
In real terms, that means a glass-enthusiastic home with ten square metres of glazing will feel like it has five fan heaters running full blast in it.
Combine that with some nice Low-E glass, and it can get pretty toasty.
We’ve managed to engineer our way to beautiful, warm winter homes and left ourselves panting in the heat!
The Solution – Efficient Shading
The trick is to block the light, and that’s best done with some bespoke shutters. This is where our expertise at SSC can really help.
Option 1 – External Shading
Shutters on the outside of the property are designed to stop the heat before it even gets in. This is particularly useful for glass-centric homes, as the problem is solved before the Low-E factor can kick in.
Here, the standout solution is MicroLouvre – a precision engineered, technology advanced shutter solution that offers exceptional heat and light control.
A MicroLouvre screen is custom-fitted to match your glass. It’s made from a woven copper mesh, attached to a slim aluminium frame that’s weather-resistant and extremely durable. The louvres can be adjusted to sit at a precise angle, blocking harsh, high-angle summer sun before it even hits the glass, while still letting in the embracing softer daylight.
Starting at £2,500, MicroLouvre will result in:
- Noticeably cooler rooms – with the heat blocked from ever coming in, the difference is incredible.
- Reduced glare – excellent for working from home or theatre setups.
- Clear views – the thin louvres are virtually invisible when looking out, keeping your stunning views of the Scottish countryside unhindered.
- Discreet appearance – from the outside, MicroLouvre meets your aesthetic, able to be colour-matched to your existing palette.
- No motors
- No wiring
- No running costs
- Very little maintenance
Another great option for keeping the heat out is the External Roller Screen – essentially a motorised roller blind designed for outdoor use. Fully weatherproof, it stands up to wind, rain, and sunshine giving you a long term and reliable solution.
With motorised options available, you can lower it at the touch of a button to block the sun before it reaches your glass, helping to keep your interiors cooler and more comfortable while still allowing soft, natural light to filter through. And when it’s not needed, the screen retracts neatly into a slim headbox that blends seamlessly with your home’s exterior.
Option 2 – Internal Shading
With large areas and potentially irregular angles, we often look to honeycomb blinds for a complementary internal finish. Their unique cellular structure provides impressive thermal benefits as well as precise light controls, making them ideal for kitchens, living rooms, and high gabled windows.
Starting at £4,000 for a set of four shaped gable fittings, honeycomb blinds offer:
- Soft, even light with no glare
- Room-darkening options, perfect for bedrooms and home cinema environments.
- Advanced insulation for colder winter months.
- Hugely customisable designs, to seamlessly fit your space and internal decor.
- Motorised and smart controls, integrating effortlessly with your smart home system to provide voice or scheduled activation.
While internal blinds cannot cool quite as effectively as external shading, they make a huge difference to the comfort and aesthetics of any room.
Making an Informed Choice
Choosing what’s right for your home means taking a few factors into consideration:
- Your window glass ratings – Are your beautiful windows Low-E or Low-G rated? If Low-G, then there may not be a need for an external MicroLouvre system, and some fitted honeycomb blinds or traditional internal shutters could provide the answer you need. Low-E might nudge you in the direction of some precision MicroLouvre shutters for a comprehensive solution to scorching summer heat.
- Your house aspect – South-facing rooms will get a more significant portion of the sunlight, making shutters that help reduce glare while still letting in the enriching brightness an aesthetic delight.
- Your view – Looking out onto expanses of countryside? You’re not going to want to block such a vista at any time of the day. MicroLouvre can seem almost like magic, shading you from the heat while giving you an unspoiled view of the land.
- Your room use – Late-night comfort for socialising or curling up with a blockbuster film? Honeycomb blinds create a cosy sanctuary.
No matter your priority, a consultation with an SSC expert will help you measure up the options. Book a consultation for a personalised assessment.
Tips for New Builds
Considering your window covering needs early will smooth over later challenges:
- Decide early – It’s far more cost-effective to have fittings and recesses for blinds or internal shutters in place during the build.
- Consider power – While battery options for mechanised blinds are standard, dedicated power helps efficiency and flexibility for both direct feeds and recharging.
- Vent high – Warm air will pool near gable peaks. By adding a small roof light or ridge vent, that air can be expelled efficiently to cool the room below.
- Combining shading with ventilation – By designing your home with both shading and ventilation in mind, you are assured year-round comfort.
Shading Large Windows with the Scottish Shutter Company
At SSC, we’re confident we can offer the ideal shading solution for your home – whatever the size and scope. For a personalised video-call consultation that allows us to explore your challenges and suggest solutions at an early stage, contact us today.
