The old style Venetians and blinds did a good job in the past, but it wasn’t until modern science came along that people started doing qualitative analyses of exactly what blinds were capable of doing. Modern window blinds are technically a long way from their origins, and it’s worth a look to see how your blinds can improve your home environment.

The basic role of the window blind hasn’t changed, but just about everything else about the technology that makes and designs blinds has. Blinds were originally used just to block light. They’re now used as actual environmental controls, able to screen large buildings and provide massive energy savings costs by blocking heat as well.

This has been one of the big lifestyle and environmental technology changes which everyone now takes for granted. When you’re shopping for your own blinds, though, it’s a good idea to know how to make your selection based on an informed set of choices. Some blinds are perfect for some jobs, but not for others.

The science

The new technology is based on assessing light and heat blocking capacities. Light and heat can be extremely destructive forces inside a home or office, actually destroying equipment, bleaching fabrics, and in some cases making living and working conditions pretty grim. A modern office building using a lot of window space can be like an oven, without proper environmental controls. A big new expensive modern home can be much the same.

The new science assesses light and heat as energies and essentially calibrates the blocking capabilities of the blinds. This is extremely effective, to the point that it’s actually possible to compute temperature variations and light inputs into any environment very accurately.  

The practical side of window blinds

Functionally, this means that temperature variations can be pinned down in measurable terms, meaning saving on air conditioning and a much simpler approach to environmental management. It’s a lot less wasteful and far less expensive than just turning on the air con and hoping it can do the job.

Blinds are typically considered “passive” environmental management, but that’s slightly wide of the mark. Modern blinds can be adjusted to achieve fine tuning of environmental factors, often extremely useful in seasons when one side of a building is exposed to dazzling light and lethal heat levels while the other is in the shade.

This situation simply can’t be managed by building air conditioning, unless you’re prepared to pay the sort of big money needed for a truly inefficient air con usage which can be operating night and day. Blinds prevent the buildup of heat, which means the air con system is under a lot less pressure, and doesn’t have to compensate on a minute by minute basis for temperature fluctuations.

When you’re looking for your own window blinds-  

• Remember that the new technology also allows you to do an onsite evaluation, and get a tailor made system of blinds for your specific needs.
• Remember that you can also see product specifications, and get a very good idea of the possibilities.

 The more you know about the science, the better your options.