Awnings: a simple cooling tech we apparently forgot about

Seriously - where'd they go?
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[@TechnologyConnections]

A note on sun angles throughout the year: I included (then removed) a section in the script where I explained how the correct overhang on a South-facing window will completely block the sun in the summer when the sun is high in the sky, but will let sunlight pass in the winter when the sun is low in the sky. A remnant of that lived on when I discussed those really fancy home design techniques. The reason I decided to remove it was that there are plenty of places on Earth where this is irrelevant! If you live where heating your home is rarely if ever a concern, then that sort of selective blocking wouldn’t be important to you. You’ll want to block the sun all the time! And in any case, since adjustable awnings are a thing, a discussion on ideal overhang angles felt too weedsy. But, since a few remnants of that discussion remain, I wanted to leave this explanation so you’re not confused.

[@brianmiller1077]

My Uncle had a 70's designed house that had a couple of cool things long overhangs on the south facing picture window A square design with the stairs to the basement in the middle. It had a hallway that went around the entire house

[@MichaelSteeves]

I've got a south-facing window in my office. In the summer it is not bad. In the winter the blinds need to be closed all day, otherwise the sun will be shining on the far side of the office!

[@TheReedsofEnki]

A lot of modern houses just don't have overhangs and I hate it. In addition to the wrap-around porch and other things, many rural farmhouses plant a row of deciduous trees along the southern property line that provide shade to the house and grounds in the summer when they have their leaves and in the winter allow more sunlight through to the same space. Its the same thought as the overhanging roof but expanded out to the area around a house.

[@johnbailey614]

Photochromatic window film also exists

[@johannordenswan1200]

Here in Stockholm, Sweden there are still awnings installations dating back from 15 years and further, but due to an almost complete drop in availability of retailers and competent installers there's just no way to buy them and to have them installed anymore. I imagine the situation is similar elsewhere.

[@namenamenamename7224]

Any technology channel can make a video on a new $1000 smartphone, only a master of the art can make a 20 minute video on awnings.

[@mr_gerber]

And only one of them is actually interesting and contains useful information.

[@daniegamin]

​@mr_gerber what do you mean? How else will I know that the new Phone has a camera, can take calls, and watch KZbin, and checks notes..... still missing a headphone jack?

[@LRM12o8]

Only Alec can make a 20 minute video about awnings without causing any yawnings!

[@SolarWebsite]

That is GOOD

[@mr_gerber]

@@daniegamin xD

[@matthewwhite546]

In temperate climates, planting deciduous trees on the sunward side of a house shades it in the summer and lets the sun in during the winter. Genius.

[@CollectiveSoftware]

Agreed, thank you people who thought of that 50 years ago so I could buy this house and benefit now

[@Vinline1995]

That's how my granny's house stays cool. Even in the hottest days her house is pleasant even without any fans. Just open all the windows and all is good

[@dvlmc]

Generally good but unfortunately the tree roots get to be a problem for water draining off the property and into the sewer, so they can end up incurring a maintenance cost. They sure are pretty though.

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

My boss has that on the southern facing side of his home, he used wisteria and a trellis. It makes a huge difference as soon as that stuff takes off for the year.

[@Schwarzorn]

​@@dvlmc How are roots a problem for drainage? People plant trees SO their large puddles of water, or soft muddy yard, can become more dry. Trees drink the water. They _promote_ drainage.

[@alexanderkvenvolden4067]

15:16 "It's not like awnings don't come with any drawbacks..." Indeed. Many awnings can be drawn back during the winter months to let more heat energy in, and let you enjoy the sight of a beautiful winter day.

[@jimurrata6785]

The point is that the sun is lower in the sky in winter, so how much light reaches the window automagically changes seasonally.

[@lauram5905]

@@jimurrata6785 you're right but also whoosh because joke about "draw-backs"

[@jonathankorman4031]

@@lauram5905 Also whoosh because the windows can be left open while still being shaded from the sun because awning

[@chrisjones2878]

And some places still get this white powdery stuff in Winter called snow. You don’t want this on a fabric awning!

[@Scoupe400]

@@jimurrata6785 this is correct. And hence you can do this with a permanent roof or solar shade, measured to allow a certain angle of light through.

[@explorerofmind]

No other KZbinr has ever influenced me to buy things as much as you. I’ve changed the type of can opener I buy, the type of air conditioner, and now I’m going to cover all of my windows with awnings.

[@RuslanLagashkin]

I've recently been in Vienna historical center and noticed baroque buildings to have awnings (didn't know the name back than, but understood its for cooling).

[@christineb8148]

Same on the can opener!

[@swisswildpicsswp3095]

I bought a 1950’s toaster because of him. Best toaster ever (it’s automatic beyond belief!)

[@AshiStarshade]

Don't buy the awings yet, he hasn't provided convincing evidence that it's better.

[@mewoozy2]

@@AshiStarshade lol, I live in Australia dunno about you, but they are everywhere here because they do work.... Not everyone has them because they are considered ugly by some and or the developer/owner decides to cheap out.

[@user-ih3se7nj6r]

Michigan just prohibited HOAs from banning "Energy-saving improvement or modifications.” It doesn't specifically mention awnings, but I think it would be easy to argue they count. Here is what it says: “Energy-saving improvement or modification” includes, but is not limited to, all of the following: (i) A clothesline. (ii) Air source heat pumps. (iii) Ground source heat pumps. (iv) Insulation. (v) Rain barrels. (vi) Reflective roofing. (vii) Energy efficient appliances. (viii) Solar water heaters. (ix) Electric vehicle supply equipment. (x) Energy-efficient windows. (xi) Energy-efficient insulation materials.

[@mindstalk]

Great to hear!

[@MinttMeringue]

That's great! Makes me think I should check my state's laws - we probably don't have that.

[@Skracken]

Maybe you could argue it's insulation? Since it insulates you from the sunlight

[@user-ih3se7nj6r]

@@Skracken yeah I mean energy efficient windows are on the list and it says "not limited to the following," so I feel like you wouldn't even have to make an argument beyond the obvious energy savings.

[@LlywellynOBrien]

I know this is good news. But the idea that the government has to ban HOAs from banning these is very sad to me. The insulation one is the most egregious. At least the other ones you can actually see.

[@RandomDudeOne]

If you've ever lived in a house that had awnings and then had them removed, you learn quickly why they were installed in the first place.

[@HunterB738]

Not really though

[@tayl0r612]

Same with mature trees. We had a massive old oak that fell during a storm and we immediately realized just how valuable that shade was. Something to the tune of $50 a month.

[@MonkeyJedi99]

The best compromise for areas that WANT the sun's heat in winter? Retractable awnings. A bonus of retractable awning, you can retract them to protect them from extremely windy weather - edit: And as usual, He covers that AFTER I posted my comment... I need to learn patience.

[@robertl.fallin7062]

​@HunterB738 I removed four awings from my south and west windows in November and loved the winter sun. Come May I installed the newly painted awnings. I have ordered canvas units that can be cranked into a storage condition in the winter allowing the huge windows to admit sunlight. One season savings suggest a two year payback.

[@cherriberri8373]

​@@HunterB738 if you already aren't paying much attention to how often/long your AC runs, it's hard to notice it running for longer and more frequently. But it does.

[@theCountOfTotal]

0:35 “i’m not here to sell you anything” And now it dawns on me that this guy had never run an ad in any of the days of videos that I have watched… Thank you! You’re awesome 😊

[@leprifacioncustard4921]

Truly such a blessing to not have to endure an ad🙏🙏

[@zztopwater8568]

Damn you're right..

[@freedomandguns3231]

@@theCountOfTotal he also the progenitor of the best response ever for the haters. "Be sure to tell me how wrong I am in the comments. It boosts engagement :D."

[@werefrogofassyria6609]

The Werefrog must have the ultimate of adblocker because KZbin never plays ads for The Werefrog.

[@aidancooper9498]

​@@freedomandguns3231I love our homeboy as much as the next nerd but he did nooooot come up with that lol

[@unetherized]

Yo I'm living in an apartment where the sun comes straight through windows on one wall and that side of the house is 15 to 20 degrees warmer in a heat wave. I've been huddling in one room with the ac and blankets nailed up to keep the cold air in, thinking to myself "what in the world can I do to improve this." I did NOT think of awnings! This is a blessing thank you for reminding me that awnings exist

[@astronemir]

Close white aluminum blinds on those windows. Put awning and any shade you can outside the window. It will cool the place insanely

[@Yuukire]

Nah, awnings suck and are ugly. Lookup thermal window film. They keep the heat out so so well and no one outside, can see inside your window- BONUS! Let's see a stupid awning do that! Plus those things only rip and fall apart....they are a money pit and that film is like 20 bucks. Trust me.

[@TS-eo9uf]

(It's forbidden in my lease), but you can also tape aluminum foil to your windows to reflect the sun! It's ugly, but it works!

[@Trista201]

@@TS-eo9uf Same! I used some old reflective roll insulation - it's like bubble wrap but painted silver - and taped it to the inside. Definitely helps; not perfect, but helps.

[@JJAB91]

@@Yuukire Shit taste. Awnings are neat and look cool.

[@ahmedel-sayedosman2951]

An architect here. The weather in North Africa gets really hot in the summer (more than 40 degrees Celsius or 104 F) and most of my clients request these automatic aluminium shutters which are quite ugly and make all the windows look like mini- garages, but they do a great job in reflecting most of the heat and direct sunlight. The issue that it's either you solely rely on artificial light or just turn the house into a glorified greenhouse. What most contemporary architects do is actually look back at how traditional houses were built because they were excellent at utilizing materials and shade to naturally cool down houses by A LOT. One of the techniques used is that the awning is actually part of the building, where the window seems like it is indented in the wall (which is either built thick 50cm or almost 20 inches or it is a double wall with air between them that act as an insulator. ) or carved in and almost no direct sunlight reaches it unless it's late afternoon and by then it isn't that hot. the thick walls also help a great deal with not letting the heat reach the internal walls. Some old houses have horizontal wooden slanted louvres called "Shish" and that blocks the sun without blocking airflow and it is surprisingly effective. Another technique which is genius is the use of windcatchers, where a chimney-esque structure is built but facing the wind (Which is NW where i live) and that "catches" the cool breeze. Cold air is heavier so it descends until it is heated back up again and escapes through other openings that are high near the ceiling creating a cross-ventilation system and you have natural cooling all day long. some old lavish houses in Old Cairo even have a dedicated livingroom with a water fountain right under the windcatcher to introduce humidity to the dry desert wind and make it even more pleasant and cooling. It baffles me how these are solutions that are tried and true, much cheaper than AC, more aesthetically pleasing and more environmentally friendly, yet everyone opts for AC that just dumps more heat making outdoor spaces unbearable in the summer.

[@freedomandguns3231]

There is a building in India designed to be cool you may want to check out if you havent heard of it. It uses purely tricks in the architecture to keep the building cool. If I remember correctly it stores historical documents and stuff

[@Stiftoad]

As a German I'm repeatedly surprised people don't have our style of shutter more around the globe... I wonder if European colonial influence has had any hand in bringing this trend over there. Personally living in an old brick home and having our "Rolladen" down during the hottest time of the day keeps me nice and cool, at least downstairs... They also provide great protection against the weather yet are typically made from plastic

[@Jon-hx7pe]

window shading and air exchange do nothing for dehumidification. one of the main reasons to use a/c is to dehumidify.

[@donhomer6348]

Because capitalism

[@freedomandguns3231]

@@donhomer6348 you tried. Now go back to the basics.

[@cobble616]

4:10 props to Alec, a well dressed man, for wearing a necktie to avoid being compared to a beautiful home which is devoid of awnings

[@RedCocoon]

And also for not wearing a necktie to avoid being compared to an old, dated home

[@TonytheEE]

Nice Tie Alec.

[@LexYeen]

Nice Alec, tie.

[@BryanTorok]

Tnx for pointing that out. I missed seeing it.

[@rmp5s]

Ya beat me to it. 🤣

[@AdamMPick]

Scrolled a bit, did not find a comment on it, but won't read 5k+ comments, so here it goes. "European" roller shutters are double walled. They do not get hot from the inside. Some even have extra insulating foam inside. The window does not get warm. Their added bonus is that they provide extra isolation in the winter, too. Keeping the cold out. Also, they provide protection from the elements. Hailstorms are no match for those shutters. They can also be closed all the way, if properly installed, providing a blackout effect on the light, so you can sleep better during the day. Last but not least, they provide added sound proofing. PS. a few spelling corrections.

[@MonsterUpTheStairs]

thx, came here to say this too! I love a good roller shutter

[@SebastianD334]

I love window shutters, which is why I’m annoyed that I have the only real window in the house without one.

[@caesiumx1334]

Yea... I love those things... I want that at home...

[@amypeggs9606]

Rolladen are amazing. The instant relief when you close one on a sunny hot day. No, the windows definitely don't get hot - the main issue with them compared with awnings is that they block the light and view completely. It can be a bit depressing sitting in the dark. Personally, I haven't noticed a big soundproofing effect - and when it's windy, they can be very noisy, rolled or unrolled. Wasps sometimes try to nest in them, but if you make sure to open and close them daily then they don't really get very far. On the plus side though they can be electronically controlled and presumably some of the more up to date versions would be smart-enabled as well. Certainly there is an office building I go past frequently where I assume they are smart controlled because it seems that either every single blind is closed in the building or they are all open. BTW the fabric awnings seem to be in common use here in Germany too, especially in apartment blocks. They can look a bit retro, but they work. I don't think they work as well as Rolladen but it's definitely something.

[@the_retag]

Living with rolling shutters in germany, the window can get hot, but ultimately most heat is reflected back out, either directly, because of the insulating double wall design or because of the airflow gaps that are present when not fully closing

[@MyLordSpartan]

As an employee of an awning manufacturer in southwest PA, the pride i take in my job even more after this

[@stevenrichman7101]

European guy here living in an old home: we have old wooden external rollers, which can be skewed in the summer to get some cooling airflow between the window and the roller. Have not seen those anywhere else, so once again: old-school passive solutions are sometimes just pure genius.

[@tinekejoldersma]

Same, works like a charm. And tree and greens, leafless in winter and shading in summer.

[@d.aardent9382]

Very interesting. Ive been drawing up different solutions to my solar heating problems and one of my ideas has been building shade walls outside the main walls so i can either have fencing to grow a living shade producing vines or using the sunblocker fabric fence/covers along the secondary wall. I also thought on creating entire secondary outer wall to block sun and storms wind and rain, snow, ice as we have a very wide range of weather and seasons here. But blocking as much of the sun off house to me would be the best function, as it would eliminate most all my overheating issues as long as i insulated the ceilings of rooms from attic space. But we just had new roof put on abd they installed series of new vents, and that really made a difference in getting the heat out, but we have attic fans also, so the air is always moving up there anyway. I had ideas for something like you are describing also, but figured due to the height on the south side of house where most of these would be, it would require too much labor adjusting them all the time, as its so high,id need to use ladders to do that. Im trying to create something with as little need for adjustment as possible, and my plans kept increasing the size of coverage of the awnings. As for the shade walls, i was trying to decide which would be more cost effective and all seasonal useful, the entire large shade wall or independent awning system on house on different sides. But as my design for awning building kept making them increasingly larger, thats when i thought maybe i should just put the money into total wall shading construct. And i could grow plants on it also.

[@azraal]

Yup same here windows pane are great and it also provide less light at night and more insulation when closed totally.

[@Moskito844]

I live in a hot place and that's not enough for the summer.

[@tinekejoldersma]

@@Moskito844 If it is 40 degrees Celsius here I turn on the airco, mosquito, only for a couple of days, the shade and wind do the rest.

[@OMGItsRob]

The best "air conditioning" I've ever experienced came from trees all around our house. In summer, their leaves block the sunlight, and in winter, they shed their leaves to let the sunlight in. Great video 👍

[@lynnwilliam]

I live in a Tree 🌴 you can't hear it

[@alf3071]

the trees won't block the hot air all around the house tho

[@MichaelButlerC]

Trees... Is there anything they CAN'T do!?

[@jmi5969]

I don't have any grown trees yet.. but the 30-cm thick concrete slab coupled directly to mother Earth does the trick. Right now, daytime temperatures hover well over +30C, and inside it's +22C day and night without AC or forced ventilation. The catch, of course, is that it only works in single-floor houses.

[@Mr-pn2eh]

​@MichaelButlerC they can't do your taxes

[@evildude109]

Growing up, my grandparents' house (built in the 50s) in Miami had corrugated aluminum thicc boi awnings, which served double purpose as storm shutters. When a hurricane was a few hours away, I would go outside with my grandfather and disconnect the poles holding them up, then screw the bottom of them into an anchor point below the window. So much easier than buying plywood or putting up single purpose shutters. Edit: Found them, they're called clamshell awnings.

[@Stillouttolunch]

Oh! I had these on the house I grew up in! They're really wonderful and should honestly be much more popular in hurricane zones.

[@brandenwaltz9879]

And they are fun as hell to pull behind a 4 wheeler.

[@TomLuTon]

I've seen enough 80s cartoons to call that "transforming to base mode"

[@EagleKai]

Grew up in central Florida in a house from the 20s, it also had those clamshell awning/storm shutters. EDIT: Just looked at the old house on Google Street View, looks like one of the newer owners got rid of the storm shutters, although it also looks like the windows themselves were replaced at some point. Between that and the trees in the front and back yard, heat from the sun entering the windows probably isn't a huge concern for them.

[@kjj26k]

The house I grew up in in Broward County had those, but over the years they became damaged and lost and we were too poor to replace them, so plywood and metal sheets gradually replaced them.

[@chriskoropeski6771]

My grandfather was an awning builder. This is a great video. Thanks. It reminds me of him.

[@ProstMeister]

Funny to notice that here in Italy basically every house, condo, or villa is equipped with awnings, typically retractable ones. You're so encouraged to install them that if you buy certified sun blocking awnings, you get a tax refund.

[@LutraLovegood]

You're saving the state money, smart government move

[@garthhh]

I'm in the US and I was at a newly developed mixed use area today (lots of shops with tons of apartments above) and I noticed that all of the apartment units that face the sun during the day have a sort of metal awning above every window. There's also a new community center in a neighboring city which has this sort of interrupted perforated metal structure a few feet in front of all of the south/west facing windows. We're back to awnings in some areas.

[@Alt4d1s]

@@garthhh You are telling me that US building code allowed something reasonable (energy saving measures) while at the same time telling me that US zoning code allowed something reasonable (mixed use)? Would you look at that, the US is actually following the ideas of other places (sometimes).

[@saladspinner3200]

Don't forget the olden wooden window shutters, or their spiritual successors, the rolling shutters. You could use them to make the inside of your house pitch black during the hottest days of the years. Many houses in Belgium still have them, they're more energy efficiënt than AC, that's for sure.

[@ProstMeister]

@@saladspinner3200 I do have them, of course! For sake of efficiency, they're filled with insulating foam.

[@liamcollins7031]

That windows joke at the start really came into it's own today 😅

[@irfanmb17]

underrated comment 😅

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Sometimes what's bad for the world is good for the joke.

[@ItBeThatWaySometimes]

“It’s” means “it is”.

[@chiquita683]

Chill too soon

[@thespaceman4808]

​@@ItBeThatWaySometimes dont care

[@danielharmon15]

The cut back to Alec with a tie on was hilarious.

[@OnlookerNK]

Simple, Unexpected, yet Inevitable.

[@anonymousvampire9572]

I love how it was loosely fit and disheveled to really draw attention to it.

[@windharp]

@@anonymousvampire9572 And it helps make us all think "ah, he looks better without a tie" 🙂

[@Pylodictisolivaris]

Cue me, listening while folding laundry, then seeing the outtake and going back to see what I missed.

[@Yay295]

@@Pylodictisolivaris 3:50

[@neonsigns6721]

When i was a kid, i remember helping my great grandfather take down the awnings in fall and put them up in the spring. This was in the 90s. Fun times!

[@velvetfrogg2273]

When I was a kid, I remember helping my dad lower them in the beginning of summer and raise them in the fall. lololol. I live in Florida, we did it anytime a hurricane was coming and then eventually he was like eh, we'll just keep them down all the time.

[@awiewahh]

"That one infomercial" dudeee my family has quoted The SunSetter Retractable Awning commercial for close to two decades now. That commercial is the one constant in this ever changing world.

[@Gakulon]

Who WOULDN'T want an instant porch in their backyard? I can't believe that commercial is still going

[@SheepUndefined]

It keeps our patio at least twenty degrees cooler! I find it wild how instead of making a new commercial, they just redub the price on the old one every so often.

[@BrentFiore]

I remember the radio version which had this annoying voice saying "tell them about the discount Harry!" and the audio of it is somehow missing from the Internet

[@tylerboothman4496]

​@@SheepUndefined I don't think the price has actually gone down. At least not on the commercial

[@SheepUndefined]

@@tylerboothman4496 No I mean it's gone up.

[@SingolloLomien]

Hats are the same way. A wide brimmed hat on a hot sunny day helps a lot more than you'd expect.

[@russmitchellmovement]

Even a Trilby like I wear helps considerably.

[@dbclass4075]

Some tropical countries use umbrellas instead for sun and rain.

[@Larechar]

I love my hat when I'm in the hot sun, despite the hair disappointments

[@oz_jones]

​@@dbclass4075 technically those are parasols. Not as large but same idea

[@dbclass4075]

@@oz_jones Parasols are purpose buillt for sun, though. Since rain can occur suddenly in the tropics, might as well have the umbrella do double duty.

[@JustinFrascona]

Growing up in FL, all the houses used to have awnings. Not only did the provide shade for the windows but they also protected the windows during hurricanes. I remember going out and removing the bottom rods, folding them down and then bolting them to the wall under the window.

[@yesterdaydream]

Gotta do this on my FL mobile home a couple times a year. Even if the trailer is blown away, at least the windows are protected😅

[@andyt1313]

In Florida they had metal awnings designed to double as hurricane protection. You would collapse snd fold down and lock in place over windows. They were incredibly simple and functional but I think are also largely gone because they make the house look dated.

[@hoperules8874]

I'm adding a whole set someone threw out! Fashion never gives consistent returns on cost like good design.

[@clueless_cutie]

These make a lot more sense than dumping a bunch of time and money into running to the hardware store for plywood alongside everyone else and repeatedly fastening covers into your windows frames. Dated or not, my lazy ass would prefer the shutters/awnings. Oh and it would be fun to quite literally batten down the hatches!

[@yensteel]

They should bring them back. Who cares about dated looks when they're functional.

[@hoperules8874]

@@yensteel Srsly-Yesss!

[@BabyMakR]

We have the same in Australia for Cyclone season.

[@babis.]

Since you mentioned us Europeans, I have to mention that awnings are still quite a bit popular, at least for the warmer climates. Greek roads are literally characterized by the unimaginably dull look of (cheap but very effective) canvas awnings littered on every building. This video actually kind of surprised me; I had no idea that they were so uncommon elsewhere, especially when they do their job so effectively!

[@hbp_]

Very common in central and southern Italy, but more often in the form of a rolling shutter. Although, recessed balconies have replaced them in some new buildings. Also door-like shutters are gaining popularity again.

[@hbp_]

Ah, I should add that most rolling shutters I have seen also have an awning feature of some sort.

[@neondharma]

you aint european

[@babis.]

@@neondharma idk man, we picked the name for the continent... You can call it whatever you want tho

[@tokarukora7272]

"Dull" canvas is the thing that makes that streets look not overwhelming littered but belonging together and most of the time quite nice. Just imagine if this canvas was printed with whatever that owner fancies... Would look much more horrible.

[@brennandavis2313]

Hey there! I work as a blueprint designer for a fabric production business that primarily works in awnings, both metal and fabric! I think a large part of awnings fading away in residential appliances that wasn't discussed was the tightening of government restrictions and building codes. Back in yesteryear, there weren't a lot of solid, universal restrictions and standards, so awnings could be designed and installed inexpensively by relatively cheap labor. However, things have changed, and now building codes, permits, and licenses muddy the water. Awning frames have to be thicker, especially for climates with harsher weather, the fabrics have become heavier and higher quality, engineers have to be consulted to determine structural integrity not just for the awning but also for the building its attached to. All of this red tape and regulation, while it is a good thing, has drastically risen the prices of awnings, especially when you consider that the cover may need to be changed in less than a decade. The frame does make up most of the cost, so a recover is considerably expensive, but if you're using a luxury, decorative fabric or a vinyl covering, a recover could still cost thousands of dollars. Anyways, all this to say tha4 thankfully, not all awnings are fading away. The company i (admittedly just started to) work for has expanded a good deal lately, and we still gave more work than we know what to do with.

[@mindstalk]

What about building in a rigid overhang?

[@johnhaller5851]

I expect that building lines and lot line setbacks can contribute to the red tape. The commercial awnings shown didn't extend past the front of the building and were quite narrow. A house with a zero lot line on one side might not even be able to install awnings on that side.

[@foechicken8023]

Red tape is often not a good thing. How did people survive so long without red tape...

[@abunchahooey]

Brennan, might you divulge which company you work for? And if my home (not business) is on 2.5 acres and awnings would not affect anyone else, is there still a lot of red tape involved?

[@seasidescott]

Living on the coast where no one except tourists try to use an umbrella that will be demolished in seconds by the wind, we are very careful about shoddily built or weak framed devices that easily become wind blown projectiles even under normal (for us) wind conditions. Building there is not about holding things up but holding them down. Even unsecured sheets of plywood can become airborne and smash through a window or kill someone.

[@sucotronic]

Spaniard here doing a clear distinction: - window blinds: they're for blocking all the light. This way you can sleep until whaterver hour you want in spite of the sun shining since 6AM - awnings: they're to prevent the sun coming directly through windows (as you commented). Motorized smart ones are the norm one. Also, here we don't have HOA, but exists something similar ("comunidad de vecinos"). They dictate the color of the awnings, but cannot forbid to install them ;)

[@bzqp2]

That's basically one of the lectures I got at my 1st year of architecture. Generally we try to use external shading solutions whenever it's possible. The rule of thumb is that the same shade (ie from shutters) inside of the window is worth 30% of the shade outside the window.

[@AtomicBuffalo]

That's an eye-opening difference. I'm thankful that energy efficiency is asserting itself in commercial and multistory residential design -- sheer glass walls look neat, but exterior shading elements can add a lot of visual interest. They can also help ward off bird strikes.

[@Superiorplatypus]

Can you speak to why they've lost popularity?

[@Bout_TreeFiddy]

​@@Superiorplatypus Costs money

[@bzqp2]

​@@Superiorplatypus I'm not sure if they indeed lost popularity in a global sense. I think it depends on the area and local fashions. In southern Europe (i.e. Greece) they are still very popular. Almost every new residential building there has some sort of an awning system installed. Generally we try to design the windows, their, shape, placement and shading with permanent architectural solutions, whereas add-on awnings often feel like an afterthought (and they usually are). Awnings also often need to be mechanical in some way to adapt to the changes in the external environment. You need to fold/roll/lift them when you want to increase the window's exposure. This means extra complication (especially since they are out in the elements). They can break and need to be serviced, so people are generally a bit reluctant when it comes to installing them.

[@KairuHakubi]

​@@Superiorplatypus I have to imagine it's that the average modern person has no time or inclination to go outside their house and do stuff to it like stand around folding up an awning or pulling down an exterior shade. Neighbors are no longer people you're happy to see. and if you have another story, forget about it. I'm not getting out a ladder for that. I think a good solution is more windows need to have far more easily removed screens, so that you can reach out from inside and pull an awning or shade down, then replace the screen. None of this "Carefully pinch two parts with your fingers then wiggle it just right" stuff.

[@samariamccord4302]

This video is a primo example of what I love about this channel. Forgotten technologies, design elegance and solutions to modern problems that we just left laying around getting dusty.

[@miquelllorca8308]

Forgotten in the US lol

[@AdamXJ]

Like that neat microwave he got from his grandparent's house.

[@mindstalk]

@@miquelllorca8308 Forgotten in lots of places. Lots of comments about Europe using rolling shutters instead, which aren't the same. Not sure about modern Asian construction; balconies often have a similar effect as awnings.

[@miquelllorca8308]

@@mindstalk well thats even more sad. In Spain we have awnings on balconies also, which then have rolling shutters in their windows, so, triple protection?

[@patriciatinkey2677]

​@@miquelllorca8308Smart! Marvelous!

[@Zaphod0414]

LOL shout for the necktie. Bonus points for not acknowledging it in any way. That was the right way to go.

[@Vid_Master]

that made me crack up

[@SillyNep]

I find it funny how you mentioned the window shutters in opposition to the awning, but I have window shutters in my building and they can be turned into an awning by pulling a little lever to the side, so they can be both

[@8Kazuja8]

Yeah, a retractable awning is just a slanted shutter, if I understood correctly. You could totally just design one device that is both based on how retracted it is.

[@NotALot-xm6gz]

It always makes me smile when a fellow Brit that recently purchased a house in southern France tells me that they’ve removed all the shutters from doors and windows and have carried out a loft conversion as I know when I meet them again after their first summer, they’ll be whinging about how hot their house it.

[@AloisMahdal]

on the other hand, I (non-Brit) have to acknowledge that with the weather they had to put up for most of their lives, it's understandable that the instinct to overcompensate is "baked in" (for a tangible lack of a better word)

[@michaelmartin9022]

I moved to Japan and went through the first summer going "I don't need to turn the AC on! We don't have it at home and it's fine there!", through gritted teeth as sweat literally dripped down my back

[@catinusz.4741]

@@michaelmartin9022 Ah, the humid summer, fun times of you are gonna be a ball of sweat even if you are in shade.

[@SingolloLomien]

@@michaelmartin9022 It's bad for your house too. In very humid climates, you either run the AC at least sometimes or spend all summer cleaning mold off the walls and ceiling.

[@golfboy83]

I love the awnings on my little 50s house. People have told ne to get rid of them to "update" my homes look. But I love the shade and bring able to have the windows open during rain. And the noise of raindrops falling on the aluminum awnings is so soothing.

[@BlackJesus8463]

facts

[@alexgramberg1272]

Paint them if they dont look modern enough. Little updating but you get to keep em

[@sicfrynut]

are these "people" willing to help with their ideas. everyone has an opinion until actually work and planning start.

[@jkzero]

"A beautiful home which is devoid of awnings, resembles a well-dressed man without a necktie," the addition of the necktie at 04:10 was just brilliant. Also, I installed a retractable shade on my east-facing window a few years back to fight the morning sunshine and I can confirm that this low-tech device really reduced the high temperatures inside my apartment.

[@eleonorabartoli2225]

You forgot pergolas and vines: they are beautiful, can have fragrant flowers, can provide food, and...in the winter they "disappear" all by themselves!

[@robert.staubs]

Was thinking about this video when driving around today and realized: Awnings sure aren't gone on commercial storefronts! I guess that speaks to how effective they are -- if financial considerations loom large it doesn't matter that you don't "need" them with your big A/C units.

On commercial storefronts awnings are also good place to put your branding.

[@stuntmonkey00]

The problem is that a lot of the new buildings where I live have flat minimalist glass awnings... which are completely useless at blocking the sun, until they inevitably slime over with algae and bird poop.

[@Verchiel_]

Living in eastern europe (in a fairly small area so my experience is limited) i don't really recall ever seeing awnings. Maybe i just never looked for them and didn't lock them in my mind, though i know i certainly will now. There's a south facing window in my room with a balcony over it, but it's annoyingly too high to block really any sunlight for basically the entire morning.

[@mindstalk]

@@stuntmonkey00 Alec did speculate about an awning of low-heat-gain glass, thus letting light through but not heat.

[@jo_dean]

As an architect into passive design, I love this video. I convinced our landlords to get us awnings by showing how hot it got by our south facing windows.

[@null6634]

I love passive design. Do you know of an online calculator that will tell me the correct size of awning for my window size based on my latitude?

[@saladsalad9991]

You’re an architect and you have a landlord😮

[@craigstephenson7676]

If the awning is retractable, wouldn’t that make it active design?

[@jo_dean]

@@saladsalad9991 it's a special kind of hell

[@jo_dean]

@@craigstephenson7676 generally we use passive design for anything that's not, like, HVAC, because even if it's a powered awning it uses way less power than HVAC.

[@tangydiesel1886]

Having a family member who purchased a home in a southern state that is only a few years old, i was shocked at how poorly insulated and designed for keeping the heat out. It was pretty much made with the mindset of "let the ac do all the work." Ducting in exterior walls, virtually no wall insulation, no attic insulation, no attic ventilation, no roof overhang. Just multiple ac systems running... i didn't know a house could be made like that today.

[@timderks5960]

Honestly, looking at US house construction from a European standpoint is shocking no matter where you look. And I'm not trying to be the "matchstick houses"-type commenter here, but I'm serious. On virtually all levels other than the concrete foundation, US building construction is shoddy at best. It's like code regulators, builders and customers simply refuse to learn anything over the years. In Europe you can only build houses that are virtually energy neutral, in the US they just slap a bigger AC unit and heater on the building to keep it comfortable. Energy prices in the US really need to skyrocket, it's the only way that people actually care about consuming less energy, and thus making everything more efficient. If you can run an AC all day for basically pennies, obviously that's gonna be the preferred choice.

[@scarlet_phonavis6734]

@@timderks5960It makes sense if the electricity producers and house designers are in bed with eachother Or if you look at housing as a in supply thing that you want to produce as many as possible to sell as possible, because there’s a demand that results in trash being sold

[@alexkolesen3765]

Yeah. I live in New Orleans and the lack of awnings is the least concerning thing about the hoses in the area. Even new construction is often built with only 2x4 in the exterior walls and minimal insulation. The older houses have no insulation at all just sheetrock and cypress siding with nothing in-between, not even plywood. My neighbor's houses (one of which was completely "renovated" just 5 years ago , gutted and everything) have no subfloor. The houses are raised and you can see the ground through the floor board gaps.

[@Case_]

It's truly mindboggling how much energy your average American home uses.

[@wyominghome4857]

Sounds like Northern Virginia, where building contractors are big donors to state and local political campaigns. The housing there is built with cheap materials and unskilled labor - because they can.

[@roxy4396]

As someone with awnings and tree cover on the southern side side of my home, I can 100% ABSOLUTELY CONFIRM they are keeping my house cooler than if we didn’t have them. We don’t have AC and my first floor area stays much cool during the day than when I lived in houses without awnings.

[@rtel123]

Our 1940s house came without and needed them. Very soon, a neighbor trashed theirs, same size windows we had. So a quick transplant, and life was cool. Moved to a 1980s house that was built with them. This time they were roll up types great for the winter. This third house has no awnings, but huge roof overhangs of about 3 ft. Works like awnings. And winter is not a problem in the north, because the sun sits so low it does get past the roof and into the house. Perfect!

[@Msmeohmy52]

Just don’t replace glass with Low E Many are tinted “green “ your white walls look green and No beautiful winter heat gain

[@rtel123]

@@Msmeohmy52 Interesting point. Have not noticed, but HAVE noticed that just plain old uncoated 6mm is much greener than 3mm thick. Have a 3 section window where the narrow side sections were supplied with 3mm because they were smaller area, so look silly beside the green tint huge section. Really noticeable on the opposite white walls.

[@jamess.3013]

That windows joke at the start was better timed than you could’ve possibly known

[@Peace2920]

Haha! so well observed. I had to go back and see the video was released right before the Crowd Strike outage

[@LiberatedMind1]

@@Peace2920 To be fair it's not the fault of Windows.

[@kenwalter5502]

EE consultant and energy modeler here - we do have overhang and exterior shading as part of the modeling prototype, but you're correct that they aren't being looked at by most EE programs. Your introduction essentially spelled out why - people consider awnings outdated and have little to no interest. Utilities don't want to invest rate payer money into program options that can't get traction, and neither the builders nor the public are likely to embrace code requirements for something seen as an aesthetic choice - no matter how functional it might be. And a home with a half decent thermal envelope might see 300-400 kWh savings over a year, which at most power rates in the country means 15-20 years to pay back your investment on even a small $1,000 awning investment. (And of course that's for cheap self install ones, things like the motorized roller models are several times that, but don't save any more energy...)

[@sunshineyellow]

Yep, and shade tree programs are more popular.

[@svr5423]

had one extendable in my last rental apartment. Never really used it. Cannot leave it extended due to weather. external shutters seem the way to go in my view. Also block out the sun during hot days, among other things. And they don't break due to UV radiation or when there's a bit of wind.

[@jennteal5265]

Awnings are great! It's just I can't find any modern ones that aren't trash. They're usually poor materials or just plain ugly. It stinks. I want some nice looking modern options.

[@AndreSomers]

The motorized rollers provide an excellent opportunity to save additional energy actually, because system can be used way more consistently. My parents have a system installed that automatically extends & lowers the sun screens when there is a lot a incoming sun, but automatically raises them when the wind conditions require that to protect them (among some other variables, and a manual override is available). This makes them much more useful, you can leave them down/extended even when you leave the house and when you are not there, they will still work. It's also that much more convenient that you use them a lot more than if you have to drop and extend each one individually.

[@nuclearattackwombat8390]

That makes sense. Whenever somebody asks, "Why don't we do X?", the answer is usually "because X is expensive."

[@marklefler4007]

I suggest writing your senators and congressmen to have the DOE study how effective awnings are, and then release this report. I contacted DOE and they said they had not yet done any studies, but would if Congress tasked them to.

[@JEBavido]

I live in Oklahoma. My home was built by its occupant in 1962. The south exposure has a porch. The west exposure has awnings and a pair of large pecan trees. I’m so blessed.

[@SlinkyD]

Pecan is good BBQ wood.

[@teriinekoyama1369]

@@SlinkyD And the pecans are good for snacking and cooking.

[@rustlebruxz0013]

When we took down an old and ailing tree we quickly learned how much shade it had been providing. We added a covered deep porch across the entire southern face of our house; it provides more shade than the old tree did and the house is cool on the hottest days we are currently experiencing.

[@Bob-nc5hz]

If you want even better insulation, close up the porch into a verandah, it provides a nice space in the spring and autumn which is open and light but protected against the cold, in winter it adds a layer to the facade, and in summer the still air is insulation despite the insolation. Even more so if you add rolling exterior shutters (or blinds but that's not as good unless they're highly reflective)

[@jarivuorinen3878]

@@Bob-nc5hz Without rolling shutters or further awnings there's again problem with greenhouse effect inside the veranda. Open space on the covered porch has natural ventilation, and the temperature on porch won't noticably rise higher than air temperature anywhere else. If you put any obstructions there that limit the natural airflow, you'll have hot air standing there in sunny weather and that is then against house wall. Not optimal solution.

[@KoroWerks]

​@@jarivuorinen3878as an option, one could get a bunch of sliding glass doors from habitat for humanity restore or an apartment renovation, and you can leave them open during the summer and close them as the weather cools. We have a "sun room" that was once a deck and was previously renovated to be included into the house, they even cut through the siding and added a louvred vent so the heat and AC reach that space if you choose. It isn't perfect, and shade cloth blinds/drapes can be almost as good in winter at blocking wind or sun, so there are options, but it all depends on the home and the needs of the owner. Greenhouse effect is important to note, some people in the house seem to think keeping the glass doors closed in summer is better insulation FROM the heat, but I'm pretty sure it just puts more work on the AC, and heats up that room more.

[@nahnope8581]

@@Bob-nc5hz You mean like a sunroom?

[@patriciatinkey2677]

Smart Move! Porches are under- rated!

[@twobladedswordsandmauls2120]

@2:05 Funfact: "Insulation" and "Insolation" have completely different etymologies. "Insulation" comes from the Late Latin word "Insulatus", meaning "Made like an Island", which itself comes the word "Insula" meaning "Island" (also the origin of "Isle" and "Isolated") "Insolation", on the other hand, comes from the Latin verb "Insolare", meaning "To expose to the sun".

[@mgancarzjr]

_Inflammable means flammable? What a country!_ - Dr. Nick

[@melsbacksfriend]

I knew that

[@MikeV8652]

@@mgancarzjr The word "inflammable" means capable of being inflamed, but many people thought it meant "not flammable," so safety and government authorities eventually standardized on "flammable" for such warnings.

[@klausbrinck2137]

Insolare = to "solarize" (something), by putting it "in the sun".

[@CaptainSamuelVimesBootsTheory]

Cool 🤩👍🫶

[@jon_j__]

@18:15 As someone who has roller-shutters on their windows, a couple of thoughts: (1) The windows themselves are double- (or triple-) glazed. So, if you keep the window closed behind the shutter, it doesn't matter how hot the shutters get or whether there's heat trapped between the shutters and the glass - the shutter and trapped-air is acting as another layer of insulation between you and the outside. It's normally pretty cool inside in this configuration. (2) If the shutters are part-open (eg. @18:30) and the windows are open behind the shutters, you can set up a nice through-draught. This can be quite nice at night because, if necessary, you can close the shutters fully when you get up so that you're keeping out the heat of the day. (But I guess if you have air-con then you won't be opening windows, so this isn't that useful.)

[@theCountOfTotal]

EU here. Rolling shutters are very normal around here indeed. They insulate pretty well. On hot days with no AC, they do keep the house cool. However, there are a few downsides. Larger windows require huge shutters, which require a lot of force to pull up. Usually they are electric, but that increases the installation cost. But most of all: they’re depressing! On hotter days you basically turn your house into a bunker. I think that’s why on new houses outdoor rolling screens are winning against rolling shutters. You can still see the outside when they’re down, but they block most of the sunlight…

[@EmperorNefarious1]

When I visited my Aunt in Europe she pointed out every awning we passed. And constantly said they were excellent. During those 'hot' August days with no AC they made a difference. Though I personally never felt hot coming from the humid insanity that is the US east coast.

[@Charstring]

Yes, I had an apartment with big windows on the kitchen side which faced the rising sun - so you could have the choice of a sunny breakfast or keep the shutters closed (no more view of the car park, just blank shutters). Keeping the shutters down all morning made a tremendous difference to the temperature in the apartment in the afternoon.

[@nekokichi11]

Always wondered why these were so popular in Europe! It really stumped me on a few trips to places that didn't seem to need storm shutters or security shutters, which are typically the only metal shutters in the US.

[@LlywellynOBrien]

In some suburbs in Australia where I live it is common to have both. Awnings for when you are home, shutters for when you are out/night.

[@ZePopTart]

I’m glad somebody said it! I find it super depressing to sit in a dark room in the middle of the day.

[@gregoryfilin8040]

Do keep in mind, many homes used to be designed with an east half and a west half. As the sun rises, spend time in the west half, and as the day goes on, spend your day in the East half with an awning, warm, but totally shaded. It's an old method, but worked VERY well at my grandfather's home. And it got up to 125 on some summer days! It could be cooking 120 on the west side of the house, turning that part into an actual oven approaching 150. The east side with open doors and windows but closed screens allowed that side to stay at about 85. Very livable and doable and pleasant. Having many fruit trees in the yard allowed for berry bushes and grapes. Old techniques are so simple, yet so deliberate.

[@DanielinLaTuna]

In Los Angeles (and other US cities that were founded by Spanish colonists) there are no east-half and west-half, because the streets aren’t N/S-E/W grid. Instead, they are built at 45°, giving everyone a shady side as they travel. Trees were also mandated by the Spanish government.

[@jazzmusiccontinues1134]

Are you a bot? There are very few places in the world where temperatures of 125 or above are regularly recorded as a normal summer temperature. I've never heard of a house space that wasn't an attic going to 150. Either you're talking out of your ass or this comment was generated by an AI which imitates the style of the comments it trains on but often gets the actual details of what is being discussed wrong, or it exaggerates those details.

[@TeamFortressTwoGaming]

​@@jazzmusiccontinues1134 I think a bigger indicator would be the grammar, very few real people have such composed KZbin comments lmao.

[@supercellex4D]

@@jazzmusiccontinues1134 Or he's an ammonium lifeform and talking in kelvin. Or he's talking about the coolest summer day in Arizona or Texas.

[@Monicalala]

@@jazzmusiccontinues1134 his account started in 2015, so before AI

[@steve32627]

As an HVAC guy thats currently building a new house, we have awnings figured into the equation already. We only have two south facing windows and one west window.the house was purposely laid out on the lot to factor in solar gain on the structure. The south awnings will be designed based on the suns angle when heating starts to be needed but will be covered during the hot summer and high sun position. The west window will have some sort of exterior shutter to clos off after about noon. I was of the same opinion that the best way to deal with solar gain was to simply eliminate it before it ever entered the structure.

[@williamjones7821]

When my one-story ranch house was built, in 1965, they put one of those old belt-drive 24-inch fans in the ceiling of my central hallway. It was the "poor man's air conditioning". In the evenings in spring and fall, the cooling effect can be very refreshing !

[@jessicapritchett9517]

I showed this video to my husband, and he's sold. We're getting awnings.

[@fntthesmth423]

Don't forget to come back and edit your comment with a short report on your experiences!

[@lfla0179]

Portuguese Architecture imported to Brazil left us with porches all around, awnings, clay tiles for roof, and 15 inch-thick walls are used on the places where awnings are not possible. A proper "Varandão home" can leave windows open even in the most fierce storms, and the heat absorbed by the thick walls comes out after dark, keeping the temperature balanced for the entire 24 hours period.

[@Olcia_01]

European here about the shutters, yes they can get very hot on the outside but on the inside part they are noticeably cooler and the window glass itself is waaaaay cooler to the touch

[@pascal6871]

I think they key detail Alec doesn't know, is that most Rolladen elements are hollow, like crushed tubes and offer decent insulation on their own

[@rafaelvarga8185]

@@pascal6871 also available in different materials, higher grade ones are usually made of aluminium/metal

[@asnovasdodia]

@@pascal6871 they also allow air to flow, so that there's not really an accumulation of heat.

[@ThunderWorkStudioAMGE]

yeah tested it myself the aluminum frame of the window is much cooler behind the shutter than it would be when exposed to direct sunlight

[@FailRaceFan]

​@@rafaelvarga8185 Hang on, you say there are Rolläden not made from metal?

[@mikefirth9654]

When we moved into our house in 1980 in Dallas, Texas, it had only two window, air conditioners and a nonworking swamp cooler. The enclosed.back porch had large west facing windows in a rather small room. We intended to use it as a utility room. I installed a cheap awning of surplus fabric from an awning store that I sewed around PVC pipe to hold it away from the building. It certainly helped. It also rotted out 2-3 years as I recall. I added in ceiling fans to the rooms that did not have them already, and several years later, after upgrading the electricity from tube and post, added air conditioning.

[@justinw1765]

Silpoly fabric would be a good fabric for this. Silpoly is a tight woven, light weight polyester fabric that is coated with silicone. UV will eventually degrade it, but the darker the color of the fabric, the longer it will last. Black, very dark brown, and very dark navy blue versions would last probably around a decade or so. Perhaps even a better fabric would be a silicone coated hemp fabric, but it would be definitely pricier (and you would most likely have to add the silicone coating yourself, but that is not hard nor expensive to do).

[@alicewandler]

I have been making and installing custom awnings for a mom and pop shop in oregon for the last 10 years and i am so excited to see you covering awnings! Underappreciated and underutilized.

[@mffmoniz2948]

Traditional homes in Portugal have wood shutters. Little rows of wood are placed at an angle that allows for some light in the day when they are closed. They also allow wind in if you don't close the window glass. At night, they would help to keep the room dark. If it was a warm night, we could leave the glass open to let in the cooler night air. I miss these. Especially in warm summer nights.

[@cobbeaver]

We have these in the American South, too, though they aren’t on new homes. Here people call them colonial-style hurricane shutters

[@a2jy2k]

I'm glad I'm not crazy when it comes to this topic! A friend of mine recently moved out to where I live (A suburb of Phoenix), and his apartment stays way, way cooler than my house despite them both being built within the last 4 years. The main difference I've noticed is every single outward facing window on his apartment has an awning. Awnings on homes out here, at least newer homes, is basically unheard of, but I really think they should be more common.

[@Uufda651]

My dad's office is an old single-level brick building built in the 1890s. It has awnings but there are issues. 1) Repairs and replacement parts 2) Fabric gets gross and/or bleached, and needs cleaning/replacing 3) You have to physically put a cast iron tool that looks similar to a tire iron into a mechanism and crank it. It also needs periodic lubricating. 4) Forgetting to bother to use the awnings TL;DR They need maintenance and it's kinda hard to find someone to pay to do it for you if you're not a handy type. But also, it's not automatic so you kinda forget to use the things. My parents did semi-recently have an electronic awning set up over the deck, though. Dad's very thrilled about it. However we still have the issue of forgetting to extend it. To be fair though, pretty much all of our house is automated as a smart home.

[@barvdw]

1) is definitely an issue, there just aren't enough companies even making these, so good luck finding parts. The building owner might be better off just replacing them with a newer type, if he can find one...

[@karurosu3dx]

Spanish here, living in a city by the Mediterranean sea. I lived in a south facing flat that the living room wall with the exterior was just enormous windows. In the summer it was the textbook definition of greenhouse. The roller shutters were better than nothing but in the middle of summer that thing was heated so much by the sun that it irradiated the heat into the room. With the awning the room wasn’t as darker and the room was cooler. It is not awnings or rolling shutter, for me is having both and use the most suited for each moment.

[@my-spinning-wheel]

I live in a mobile home in Northern California and evening in my house is super hot. Saw another mobile home with awnings and it got my thinking… part of my plan for later this year. Did a double take when I saw this video!

[@Niyucuatro]

You should get mayorquinas installed in that window if possible. They are great for blocking sun while lettting air go trough.

[@Doct0r0710]

Granted I haven't been to many places in Spain yet, but wherever I stayed had roller awnings. These were mostly East facing windows near or at a beach.

[@klausbrinck2137]

Greek here, our awnings never rise in the summer, and their vertical parapets (at the awning´s edge) reach to the height of our balconies, albeit leaving an 1-meter-gap between them, as a look-out-posibility and for air-crculation, but privacy remains at normal levels, so, we can sleep at the balconies at night... Normaly, people will start chatting with their neightbours at the balconies across the street, till they, one-by-one, go to sleep...

[@thinking6307]

@@klausbrinck2137 Ah..yes. Reminds of the families sleeping on the screened (mosquitoes) porches of upper Texas coastal villages.

[@zetsumeinaito]

My house still has it's original 1940's awnings. We kept em because Kansas tends to have hail 3 to 6 times a year on average. The Awning protect the windows as well as provide shade since they're full metal. Full of dents too.

[@Jablicek]

Each dent is one saved pane of glass.

[@choo_choo_]

@@Jablicek No? Not every hailstone is guaranteed to hit and break a window.

[@Lord_Maraptor]

​@@choo_choo_ if it caused a dent, it's gonna damage the window

[@Jablicek]

@@Lord_Maraptor This was my thinking. The dents show it's protecting the glass.

[@choo_choo_]

@@Lord_Maraptor If it doesn't hit the window, it doesn't hit the window.

[@BoHunter2010]

Nice touch with the “well dressed man” having a tie @4:13. Didn’t go unnoticed.

[@breeanaoldham2634]

I grew up in Phoenix and now live in Tucson. When I was young there were a lot of different sun shades outside, but you are right they are mostly gone. One big reason is the storms we get. The monsoons create huge wind storms. It rips off roofs, trees, ect. Saying that me and my hubby have one from Costco and it’s a game saver. We also have plants giving shade all around our house.

[@mwjones71]

Here in Texas, the trend has been towards "Solar Screens", these mesh panels retrofit over the existing windows, and reflect much of the light at a certain angle, but if below that angle (for example in the winter when the sun is lower on the horizon), will allow the light to pass. It also allows the residents to look out with minimal blocking of their view, or even open the windows to let fresh air in. The only drawback is that the home from the outside has the windows looking like big, black squares, and the window details are lost.

[@3v068]

Yep. Austin resident here, can confirm about the look on these kinds of houses.

[@ramdynebix]

I also have these on my 6th floor east facing bedroom in Europe. It means waking up in a cool bedroom in the summer. Since it is a black screen on a window I can reach from the balcony the HAO can’t get involved

[@mememaster147]

Sounds like a brise soleil

[@mfazi456]

HVAC and Energy engineer here - commercial energy codes are fairly strict about glazing area and solar heat gain coefficients allowed in new construction and renovations. There's nothing explicit about requiring shading or overhangs, but its very widely known that external shading elements can have significant reduction on cooling loads. Residential construction is driven primarily by first cost and aesthetics. Only standards like Passivhaus or other net-zero home designs have requirements on external shading.

[@P_RO_]

Life-long building contractor here (including commercial) and I've never encountered "codes" requiring anything regards glazing area or solar heat gain. But I have seen it implemented and considered in the sizing of the HVAC system, and I've built some passive and active solar design elements into homes an buildings including one 'commercial' where the entire active part of the HVAC was one blower and two in-duct 'dampers' which routed the airflow to change between heating and cooling. Less than optimum siting of that one meant that additional heat was sometimes needed for worst conditions but the HVAC costs are about 15% of the same area using conventional construction techniques. Other than industrial construction where form follows function by necessity, all construction in the US is driven by aesthetics, and consideration of costs is in an inverse relationship to market value and position. Everything is based on "looks" and damn little consideration is given to anything else as long as you meet or beat the prices of 'comparables'. Everything given 'value' today is superficial, and things which should matter aren't hardly considered at all. It's stupid, but that's what sells so that's what gets built.

[@rossg9701]

​@P_RO_ Recent urban planning graduate here (Australian). Solar passive design was the focal point for one of my core classes. The bulk of the first week was more or less a manifesto on how the west approaches structure design and construction with the logic and reasoning of a three year old in mid tantrum. A reoccurring trend in my interactions with tenured professionals thus far has been "they taught you over protective and over exaggerated bullshit"Im not saying either side is right, just what I've seen.

[@P_RO_]

@@rossg9701 Much of the world pays a lot more attention to the world around them and how to best use it than we do here in the US.

[@mfazi456]

@@P_RO_ The International Energy Conservation Code, which is the model energy code for a majority of US States, has very specific requirements about window performance. Its the energy component to the International Building Code, which im sure you are familiar with.

[@Saturnome]

I'm canadian and never heard of HOAs before a few days ago. What a weird thing. You should be free to put Awnings over your windows, door, mailbox, anything, if you want.

[@Colonel_Overkill]

Completely agree. For the land of the free we have far too much bullshit. I live in the southern Appalachian range so we have no regulation here, and I just cant understand living in a HOA area.

[@VariasCapivarias]

Thanks god Brasil don't have HOAs

[@OtisFlint]

There's a reason HOA communities have higher property values. People want to live in HOAs because they are maintained and regulated. Most older neighborhoods in the US without HOAs look like absolute garbage.

[@yeye3800]

​@@OtisFlint no

[@sgtpastry]

​@@OtisFlintAh, the classic "housing is an investment first and need second." And people wonder why young people aren't able to afford homes.

[@Bibble1911]

18:31 Recently we had a few hot days in germany with ~32-35°C. On the south west facing windows the roller shutters were "cold" from the interior side. They were like ambient temperature, but not heated up by the sun, which i believe is by design. They are made up of two layers of plastic with a hollow inside for the air to circulate. On days like these they really do a lot to keep the inside of your house cool.

[@balintx2980]

Hey Alec, a european here! Yes, our roller shutters do get hot during summer. However, some of these shutters can actually function like awnings! You can push the lower metal frame out around 50cm to not have the shutters right in front of the window. Keep in mind that my windows are old as communist Hungary and it has this feature.

[@user-bi7xd8ry5p]

My grandparents' house had this feature, too, and it was built in the early 70s.

[@kaitlyn__L]

Plus in the sideways opening ones (rather than roll down ones) that are common in traditional houses in Spain and Italy etc; you can just open one side, on the side the sun is not coming from. Then it’s only closed on both sides for a few hours a day (when people take a siesta rather than looking outside!) I noticed the Arizona homes _looked_ like they had that Spanish-ish kind of covers, but they might just be decorative features rather than functional elements on them. The windows don’t look right to integrate those covers/shutters/whatever they’re called in the same way. Because in the traditional design the cover should be flush like a coverless window, and the open window should therefore be inset by an inch or two. And there’s ways to adjust the angle of the outside shutter from the inside without reaching-around, similar to opening the window inward but put through another couple sections of mechanism to invert the direction.

[@garak55]

Yeah, I was really sad when my landlord changed the old ones that could be pushed outwards by these new ones who can't (but are electric).The room is much hotter in the summer now unfortunately.

[@marcpym5251]

I have to say it has never been a problem in my homes so far. They never heated up too much and if you just lower them by a third of the window height, you have yourself an awning where hardly any heat is trapped between the window and the shutter. And for the really hot days, you lower it completely which basically turns your window into a wall that leaves no heat in at all. They are also great if you want to have a pitch black room during the day to deal with a cold, a jetlag or a hangover.

[@longiusaescius2537]

@kaitlyn__L what are the Spanish or Italian ones called?

[@jackmino729]

From the UK Window Awnings are very uncommon here, and so is air conditioning for homes. During the summer heat waves, we are required to suffer

[@ziggarillo]

Our heatwaves last about a week.

[@KitsuneRogue]

Can you craft your own? Or buy prebuilt kits and install them?

[@kellyngrey4950]

That's because y'all are actually ridiculously far north! Seriously. London is the same latitude as Winnipeg. That's in Canada! Canada! Y'all real north up there. Plus, ofc y'all don't have ac. In the US, the Sun Belt would have never been possible without ac. Since we had ac and dependency on fossil fuels and climate change was a problem for another generation, we didn't bother with awnings. I live in South Texas and spend quite some time in Phoenix, awnings should be common sense. Curtains and reflective window screens aren't enough. Awnings! Let's all start a revolution for awnings!

[@gerry343]

Even in UK high street shops used to have awnings over their windows.

[@cyan_oxy6734]

​@@kellyngrey4950 Sure we are as north as Canada but that doesn't mean we have the same climate as canada. You also seem to overlook that the more north you go the longer the days are. Currently sun sets at 21:30 and rises at 5:00 meaning our houses get a 16 hours of sunlight in summer. Our houses are also on average way older and made with brick and mortar to keep heat in and sustained heatwaves just weren't such a regular thing in the past.

[@TastyBusiness]

I always got the impression that people thought awnings were ugly, which is why we stopped seeing them even in appropriate applications. I find awnings pretty, useful, and pretty useful.

[@Jar0fMay0]

From what I remember, it was purely aesthetic. People didn’t like how they looked and made the home look like a low income house.

[@RobertLutece909]

The problem with awnings is you have to replace them every few years or the begin to look ragged. In poor neighborhoods this doesn't happen, so people began to associate awnings with run-down neighborhoods.

[@davidw7]

@@RobertLutece909 Absolutely not.... why. Chicago this video used and 50s built Chicago neighborhood homes HE SHOWED ..... ALL them homes shown LITERALLY have their ORIGINAL AWNINGS... or added quickly after the original owner purchased and had it built. I DO MEAN LITERALLY THEM AWNINGS LASTED 60+ years already as they were mostly REAL brick homes and aluminum awnings that in-general.... did last for sure. Even when new windows more energy-efficient came.... the awnings remained. Of course a cloth awning is horse of another color in awnings and can last... just will fade and get brittle. I lived in Chicago in the 70s 80s and always admired its architecture and brick oh-so-well-built homes with zoning since the 1920s and builders had to maintain quality building. So all these old homes last and no one needs to change their look in brick. Finished basements added a additional floor most did also. QUALITY BUILDINGS LAST..... Not sure how long some built today in stick-wood will.... most could-not-care-less as they do not plan for many decades forever homes as most in the past did and they were at least till retirement.

[@jussikankinen9409]

Oil parons didnt like

[@davidw7]

@@jussikankinen9409 guess you man Oil barons? Still since Chicago housing was used.... that city is a Natural gas heat using city and not burning oil in a home. Now in the northeast oil used to heat a home was common. I heat by home in central PA with oil. Though I am sorry I went with oil and not Natural gas that would have cost more but saved me money over time from those past polar vortexes of skyrocketing fuel oil cost too vs Natural Gas that my state now has by fracking and therefore cost was past years lower.

[@Leongon]

This video has left me in awe-ning.

[@cjj312]

I would love to see Technology Connections cover whole house fans. My parent's house has one that pulls air into the house and pushes it into the attic, where it vents outside through the attic vents. For the vast amount of the summer in the PNW we barely had to run AC, with it only becoming necessary when the outside temperature exceeded 85°. Edit: to clarify, it was only run when the outside temperature was under 74, usually at night.

[@Bambisgf77]

Ahhh! I was just talking about this yesterday! I was asking someone if they remembered whole house fans! In my youth I lived in 2 homes that had them. Nothing cleared the smoke from a burned dinner than the flick of that switch! 😂

[@Watchoutforsnakez]

I have one in an Atlanta suburb. There are common in older homes here. It is useless in the summer here because it never gets below 74. (That’s my threshold for use as well). But since there are elongated autumns and springs here, it is used a lot. Super useful. I’m from Southern California and the last year we lived there we put up canvas awnings from Amazon. Super useful as well. I loved how pretty they were and they definitely, unquestionably kept the house cooler in summer.

[@cjj312]

@@Watchoutforsnakez I would have figured that most of the south wouldn't be a good place for whole house fans, but I hadn't really considered their usefulness in Spring or Autumn. Do you have to run some sort of dehumidifier as well, or are the Spring and Autumn less humid than I imagine they are?

[@Watchoutforsnakez]

@@cjj312 no. I’m new here and the humidity eases off significantly simultaneous with the temp dropping. So, in September the nighttime temps drop enough to air out the house early in mornings all the way to November or so. Then it warms up again in late march/april to June 15 or so. So that’s a lot of time we use it to cool down the house at night and freshen it up in morning. It can act as an AC only if temps are below 70 or so at night and it is very nice to have fresh air blowing through the house in spring.

[@bassplayer137]

I work in the installation-branch, and one of the first things taught is: if you don't get the heat in your house/building (something blinders, curtains etc don't completly negate), you don't have to cool it out. Awnings are one of the best ways to keep the heat out and save a bunch of energy on cooling the space.

[@dougdobbs]

My dad built my childhood home in northern NJ right after WW2. He installed huge wooden awnings over the big windows that face south west. They were not solid, but had vanes in them that were angled to block the summer sun but let the winter sun come through. One of my favorite childhood memories is laying in the big red leather recliner in the library in the winter sun, enjoying the warmth of it. I'm in the process of building a large living room/library addition to my current house and am looking at various configurations of shades/overhangs to block the summer sun but take advantage of the winter solar gain. The goal is to make the room essentially passive solar and self sustaining heat wise. One other innovation will be interior insulated shutters so I can block the heat moving through the windows summer or winter as the direction of heat flow changes.

[@jeanfalconer6377]

As someone from the southern hemisphere 1)thanks for remembering it exists. 2 Both sets of my grandparents had awnings. They were wonderful.

[@franmoreno8566]

Hi! Spanish Architect here, I have been working some time with climatic upgrades in buildings and there is a lot to learn and understand. Seeing where your content is leading, you may want to learn about "Passive House" or "Passivhaus", as a way in which the buildings themselves work to reduce the need for active cooling/heating. The main take is that there are different ways to adapt to different weathers depending on temperature, humidity, sun exposure and their change along the year. Not only are there better materials, but also the use of awnings, "european" blinds, exterior shading (trees or other buildings*), water (as a way to de-extreme temperature changes) and having different facades for each orientation (horizontal “briloleis” soth, vertical “brisoleis” east and west, and none north). There are a lot of case studies that one can learn from. In countries like Spain, it is very much studied and known, just because it is very much needed. *: Historic cities tend to have narrow streets in places where there is too much heat, to reduce the heat not only the buildings received, but also the streets.

[@Hum4nBeing]

It's also worth noting that the HVAC modeling software for Passive House / Passivhaus is _far_ beyond Manual J's capabilities.

[@longiusaescius2537]

Thanks

[@Scotty_in_Ohio]

One of the huge benefits, for us at least, is that you can leave your windows open when it's raining (and even when quite hard).

[@Psilly-Spirit]

As someone who loves rain sounds and smells, that’s freaking great.

[@veganguy74]

Awnings (and overhangs in general) also help to protect the windows (and doors) from the elements.

[@leakingamps2050]

That right there sells me, even if I didn't care about anything else

[@yensteel]

I'm always torn between closing windows for rain or opening them for airflow. The best I could do is keep them open in the bathroom and kitchen.

[@DarkFiber23]

Aluminum slat-style awnings are quite common on commercial buildings down here in FLA. We live and die by our A/C here, so anything we can do to improve it gets pretty popular. As an addendum: We use the hard, box-channel style aluminum ones because they need to be hurricane rated. They get permanently installed to the building and don't move.

[@sorellla]

The problems I always encountered with awnings is that if you live somewhere it's windy they get ruined, ripped and if you are not paying attention they might even fly away

[@fhangorn]

Dutch awnings are storm proof.

[@Taffoman]

Greetings from northern Europe. My uncle build a new home in the last decade and they had automatic awnings installed. They roll out when it's sunny, but also can be rolled out to cover the porch from rain. If it's too windy, the awnings roll automatically in so they don't get torn.

[@markwiygul6356]

my great aunt use to have huge awnings over all her windows, and they made summertime so much cooler, and it was always a joy to look out the windows in summertime because it was looking through a cool porch no matter which window looking out. sooooo cooool. I enjoyed looking through them and the rooms never seemed the least bit dark. You don't need DIRECT sunlight beaming into a room to make it seem bright and airy!

[@galndixie]

When I was a kid, we had no air conditioning. We kept all the doors and the curtains closed in the daytime, kept out the sunlight, and our house was very cool. In the winter, we opened all the curtains in the daytime, to let the sun heat the house. My grandmother had awnings on her 'fancy' brick house, no ac, house fairly cool. When the house was 'updated', the contractor convinced them to take down the awnings. They had to go buy 2 window units to keep the house as cool as it was with the awnings.

[@LeonardBlyx]

There are also adjustable window shutters where you can use them as shutters or extend them out to use them as awnings. You can also recline them completely when you don't need them at all.

[@tylere.8436]

Bahama shutters. 😊

[@nutsnproud6932]

I live in rural France. We have shutters that can be opened to see out in winter. The shutters can be kept closed and the bottom pushed out so it's at an angle and keeps the window shaded.

[@ncooty]

I love those. They also allow the windows to be open in the rain.

[@WakerPT]

I'm from Portugal and I second this. I live somewhat near the beach and I used to have those shutters. I absolutely loved them. Also loved pushing the bottom out when raining so I could open the window and get that fresh rainy air in. I renovated my house recently (it was built in the 1920~1930s originally) and I couldn't find those shutters anywhere unfortunately. Really sad that I wasn't able to keep those... Hopefully someday I find a way to retrofit those on my windows.

[@cvoisineaddis]

Are they like bahama shutters? Do you know if they have a name or there is a picture somewhere?

[@gubx42]

@@cvoisineaddis It is called "volets à projection" in french. They can be opened like regular shutters (rolling, swing, ...) but the entire frame can also be pushed out like bahama shutters, meaning you have two options for opening them, depending on whether you want shade or not. Google suggests "awning shutters" as a translation, which seems appropriate.

[@cvoisineaddis]

@@gubx42 Thank you. I was not able to find anything with any combination of english words, so it seems they are not available in the anglophone world. It seems there are two types of volets à projection with the wooden louvered type and the roulant rolling type. If I ever get my own house I want to install those louvered ones.

[@SirBoden]

Don’t forget storm shutters. The ones that actually close, not the fake ones nailed to the walls next to the windows.

[@KLondike5]

On this Old House they once pointed out that most of the fake shutters have the louvers facing the wrong way because if you were to actually be able to close them they would allow water in rather than repel it out because the angle is wrong.

[@gwety4496]

builders in america and I imagine canada too love adding those stupid undersized fake storm shutters on every new development, the worst part is the real ones arent even that expensive and theyre insanely useful

[@MishenNikara]

Not to mention storm shutters can be the better option for places that regularly deal with tropical storms and hurricanes

[@Guy_GuyGuy]

Fake shutters are the bane of my existence. The 10th circle of hell is reserved for whoever invented/popularized fake fucking shutters. They don't even look good because they're more often than not too short to actually cover the window they're nailed next to, sometimes comically so.

[@Andy-fd5fg]

@@Guy_GuyGuy but they are fashionable... and we all know being fashionable is far better than be practicable.

[@joshuawhitmore2606]

As a young homeowner of a 1950s rancher that has some aluminum awning I have to say you're on point. Shade - check, Keeps water and sun away from your windows - check. The best part though is having your windows open when its raining outside. Cool fresh spring and fall breezes, and listening to the rain hit the metal. It's a poor man's metal roof for falling asleep.

[@manaswikumar4969]

Here in India, most windows made in the last decade have some sort of concrete slab over them, protecting from sun as well as rain. I think they are similar to your awning things. And you're right about sun's heating effect, if we could just optimize our lives, we could save a tremendous amount of energy.

[@raafmaat]

i have no idea how it would look, can you give us a name to google or something so that we can see what that slab in front of the window would look like? :)

[@piyush_HIND]

Search Indian windows chajja, it is just a permanent horizontal awning to help you visualise ​@@raafmaat

[@billcox6791]

I was born and raised in Minnesota so, when I first visited family in India, they were initially worried about how I’d deal with the heat, but the houses there are designed for it and it wasn’t really an issue. The concrete construction, granite or tile floors, shaded windows, and, when needed, those powerful ceiling fans, it was rarely an issue. Clothing also helps. It’s dry enough there that a cotton shirt worked really well. Not everything would translate. It’d be horrible to heat one of those homes in a Midwestern winter, and it’s humid enough here that cotton isn’t always ideal. But there are definitely lessons to be learned about designing for the climate.

[@YateyTileEditor]

South African here. I added concrete 'awnings' - they double as a rooftop balcony - and apparently that makes me some of of madman. But it works wonderfully. In the summer the windows are entirely shadowed and and in the winter there is only a thin strip of shadow across the top of the window. Cool in the summer, sunshine in the winter.

[@manaswikumar4969]

​@@raafmaatI don't really know what they are called in English. But they call them "chhajja" in Hindi.

[@federicomarintuc]

One of the cool things of living in the tropics is that shadows are almost vertical in summer, so you just put the window 15cm behind the outer side of the wall and no sunlight gets in

[@itsd0nk]

Unless your windows are facing East and West?

[@felixmoore6781]

One of the not so cool things about the tropics is the year-round temperatures.

[@alihms]

As someone who actually lives in the tropics, there are some nuances to this. Yes, the sun goes almost directly overhead, but for only 3-4 hours (11am - 2pm). By 3 pm, the sun has moved sufficiently low in the sky. That 15cm awning can't shade effectively anymore. In the tropics, even at 5 pm, the sun rays (and the heat) are still very strong. You need a very deep awning, in excess of 1.5m or more. There are many awnings in use in the tropics. But seriously, they aren't as effective as portrayed here. What houses in hot and humid tropical weather need is a lot of ventilation. Ventilate (and shade) much as possible.

[@rbtjan]

​@@felixmoore6781always warm and not really care about temperature is a neat thing for me. The real downside of a tropical climate is when the heat and the humidity decides to start to go really really high together

[@laurencefraser]

@@alihms Humidity is a whole other factor playing into the temperature issue.

[@wyominghome4857]

A half-century (and more!) ago, we had a lot of innovations to deal with hot weather. I grew up in Phoenix in the 1950s, where the summer temperatures could be over 100 degrees F for 6 months straight, with occasional bumps into the 115-118 degree F range. My family stayed perfectly comfortable with an evaporative cooler on the roof. My mother grew up in Phoenix in the 1930s, when they didn't even have that. Instead they had cots on a screened-in sleeping porch where they soaked their sheets with water and let the natural evaporation cool them off enough to sleep. Other and earlier inhabitants had houses with thick adobe walls to keep the heat out. We rolled with it, and without air-conditioning.

[@RoRo07770]

Hey! I live in Wyoming!

[@mattwolf7698]

My dad grew up in Georgia and there was a big attic fan in the hallway which sucked air out. The house would still get uncomfortably hot at times (our humidity really doesn't help) but it would still keep the house a lot cooler. Honestly I wish my house had that, it would probably be pretty good if it's still in the 70's or possibly even low 80's. It would also be nice in the spring and fall where our lows are getting into the 60's at night.

[@TheAruruu]

I lived in Mesa, AZ (suburb of Phoenix) back in 2005-2008. Everything relied on AC to keep cool within the phoenix bowl. outside of that, you'd find plenty of adobe (clay) buildings, and houses half built into the ground. geothermal cooling is really powerful, and people seem to have just given up on that sort of building because it's more expensive and harder to work wires into. instead, i saw plenty of structures that seemed to substitute the clay with concrete, ending up with just really thick concrete walls. while it kinda has a similar effect, clay is just FAR more dense and does a significantly better job. i can also attest to NOTHING using awnings. the only time i think i ever saw awnings on a building down there, it would be on a golf course's clubhouse, or some super niche chic tea house. also, STOP SPRAY PAINTING GRAVEL GREEN! it looks horrible!

[@satsumagt5284]

Did the walls have a monthly subscription?

[@DasGanon]

​@@RoRo07770There's 3 of us!

[@calvinslater3695]

They look great as well. Improves the charm and character of a plain building

[@joeybernard99]

When we built our house, we built to the passive solar standards. As part of that, the roof overhang is designed to provide shade during the summer, but not block out the sun in the winter. That manages the second floor. For the first floor, we included an eave type structure to provide the same sort of solar control. It works really well.

[@mistformsquirrel]

"We like windows" Me, in my room with the curtains drawn at all times - "Must hide from the hated flame orb..."

[@sadssddsd2926]

my feelings exactly....who LIKES dat....when i want sun , i leave the house 4 a walk

[@TheClaw47]

The dreaded day star.

[@skyweapon]

I am a general contractor. We sort of DO still use window awnings. however we call them eaves. When properly designed the edge of the roof will block sunlight from high in the sky during summer. Then as the sun falls lower and lower in the sky come fall, the eave is suddenly out of the way letting the sunlight in! Southern states still sometimes even actually use awnings.

[@b_uppy]

That works great on one-story buildings, a lot less so on two-story ones. Also fails when the sun dips to the west...

[@gorak9000]

except that most houses have 6" or 12" eaves now, to save on a tiny bit of rafter tails and sheeting and shingles. Houses in most of Canada have noticeably larger overhangs - houses in the US look like the Rabi got too aggressive with the briss

[@b_uppy]

@@gorak9000 That's an image...

[@OhOkayThenLazySusan]

I recognize that you did say "sort of" but eaves and awnings are just not the same thing. Especially in the context of what this video is trying to communicate.

[@b_uppy]

@@OhOkayThenLazySusan Depends on the depth of the eave, and heighth of the building...

[@MysticNessly]

Another good option to reduce heat are solar/UV reduction film you can install on the inside of windows. They reflect most of the solar heat outside while still retaining an unobstructed view of outside. They have an added benefit of giving you privacy during the day since people outside will only see a reflection when trying to look in. I recently had these installed on all my windows and notice a significant difference. I can comfortably sit in direct sunlight in my home and barely feel the heat. They do tint the windows a little bit though, but still allow most light to still come in.

[@mackpines]

Cloth awnings never last long here in the Pacific Northwest. They get mildewed in no time. We mostly have metal awnings.

[@SenilTheSynth]

Cloth awnings would probably fare better on the east side of the Cascades, we don't get nearly as much rain or cloud coverage here.

[@ebanschbach]

How do you keep ice buildup from destroying them? In my experience, one winter ice storm can take out ANY awning. Are there aluminum awnings on the market that have an integrated heating element to negate this issue?

[@alexxxanderarmstrong]

​@@ebanschbach In Montana, we used heat tape wiring on the perimeter of roofs and awnings. It worked, but good luck if the plug was frozen into the ice!

[@elia_berti]

I live in northern Italy in an area which is roughly as rainy as the PNW (imagine Seattle but slightly hotter in summer, snow in winter maybe once a decade and even rainier in spring and fall), the most common kind of awning here is the retractable cloth one, they generally get extended June to September and then they stay rolled up, and that way it's really hard to get them moldy

[@eveeastteam7518]

We have the exterior security roll up shutters on all of our windows. The people who owned the house previously installed them for security purposes. When we purchased the house, the previous owner told us that the shades were great for cooling the house down during the summer. My husband and I thought “yeah, sure.” Well, we have eaten those thoughts repeatedly over the last 10 years! Those security shades do block the heat from the sun. The windows stay cool and so do our rooms. They are fabulous! Definitely not as charming or attractive as the awnings (which I would love to have! They add so much charm to a house!) but, very affective at cooling the house! The shades that you showed in your clip were not closed all the way, they were still letting light in. When you close them down all the way, the light is completely blocked. My husband and I enjoy your show! Thank you for sharing the results of all of your thorough research on such fascinating topics!

[@DrHylke]

Yep, we also have those. The space between the window and the shutter does indeed get quite hot, but since we have double glazing, that heat doesn't pass through the window much. Ours don't do anything for security though, from the outside you could just push them up... If we didn't live on the 3rd/4th floor of an apartment building :)

[@UwePieper]

I have several rooftop windows. Since it's rather enervating to move through the flat and put a handle in a square hole to roll down the exterior shutters, we have interior ones, as well. Even though those have a reflective coating it's such an enormous difference. Exterior shutters are just awesome for keeping out the heat. (not cooling though)

[@sahasrahla7]

As a German this whole video confused me a bit because roller shutters are pretty standard here and not just for security. The only benefit of awnings is that your rooms still get some daylight, so you don't have to sit in the dark.

[@twilek8621]

@@sahasrahla7 Yep external shutters are the norm in a lot of european countries. They are more secure, less intrusive and are perfect black out shades for the night. One might make the point that while normale slate grey they are not the most beautiful thing in the world.

[@UwePieper]

@@sahasrahla7 I'm German, as well 🙂

[@acephantom903]

As someone who lived in an hold Florida home with the clamshells, they were wonderful. The only issues we had were the wasps which you just whack it with a broom from the window and close it fast. The windows kept the home so much quieter and they doubled as semi-decent hurricane shutters if you were able to lock them to the wall. I have fond memories of sleeping under the living room window with the heavy afternoon rains beating on the metal awning like a chaotic windchime.

[@MASSspec1990]

Funny you upload this video now. I was just talking to my mother about this. My favourite type of house, I am Australian, is called the Queenslander. It is nearly fully surrounded by a veranda, and designed to allow and promote passive cooling. I had the pleasure to live in one for a while, and while it still hot, Australia after all, it was amazing what it could do without electrical cooling. Southern US houses are not too far off what we traditionally did in Australia. Edit: I do need to say, don’t underestimate the power of a very heavy curtain in the summer. It won’t be as effective, but it is amazing the difference. In our house, an awning, with our roofs already overhanging our houses, and a heavy curtain, it can be 35°C out side and it will be comfortably cool inside. With our eaves a heavy curtain will lower it a lot. A heavy curtain alone will lower the temperate enough to be on the higher side of comfortable. The house I grew up in was from the 1960’s, and we only needed air conditioning if the temperatures reached over 45°C, which was two or three days a year where I live. The majority of summer is in the mid to upper 30’s, and a combination of either awnings or hyper aggressive eaves, with heavy curtains, we never touched our AC.

[@RogerTheil]

Yep, Southerner here. We traditionally build houses that are either easy to air out or are naturally breathable (cracker houses), and awnings and shutters were traditionally ubiquitous. Now that houses are much more insulated, you need to be extra careful about building up heat. So removing awnings is an awful idea for modern houses, and modern architecture almost always removes awnings. But they're perfect for modern house design. Literally perfect.

[@lordvlygar2963]

In North America, we call them Queen Anne houses. It's funny how the etymology is so similar, yet just different enough to be noticeable.

[@MASSspec1990]

I love the old Southern US plantation houses. I have no particular desire to go to New Orleans, but the architecture in the older sections is beautiful. Our ancestors weren’t stupid, despite what my generation were taught in school. I don’t know if you guys had that, but I had teachers mock historical ideas, designs, and people, and say how smart we are, only to be proven wrong.

[@matthew.b.thomas]

I’m an architecture student living in the Southern US, so this comes up a lot in study. As a basic rule of thumb, shading windows is a percentage function, where blocking 50% of light reduces 50% of heat gain (roughly). So a translucent material or a material that dapples light (think perforated metal or shade through a tree) can have enormous benefits. If this is interesting to you I’d say have a look at some of the other options that are out there that do similar things, a favorite of mine is Fritted Glass, which has a ceramic paint on the glass to reflect light off of the windows. That’s kinda similar to your translucent glass awning idea. I get really excited about this stuff, so if it’s an interest of yours I’d love to see more about these topics from you