• Save money through reduced cooling bills
• Increase comfort by reducing home’s internal temperature
• Potentially reduce size of and mechanical wear on the home AC unit

“People don’t realize that there are more eco-friendly ways to stay cool.” says Byron Yonce, MFC, chairman of PAMA. “While turning up the air conditioner results in higher energy bills, awnings and shades work with the air conditioner to keep your home cooler and reduce the need for additional energy.” 

Awnings provide shade and with the rising cost of electric the savings can be substantial. Adding awnings to your home not only adds curb appeal, but they will pay for themselves and save you money on cooling cost for years to come.

The study from PAMA calculates the impact of awnings in 50 cities across the United States. The new study shows that fabric awnings or exterior shades can save homeowners as much as $200 annually by reducing the load on air conditioners (depending on where a home is located)

“The significance of this type of energy savings extends beyond reduced home expenses,” said Joe Huang, president of White Box Technology, who conducted the study. “When numerous homeowners in a community reduce their energy use, there is less demand for energy during peak usage, resulting in overall savings to utility companies and the public.”

The study focused on older homes that are typically smaller and less insulated than newer construction. Resulting data supports awnings and solar shades as “smart” retrofits to help make older homes more energy efficient.

“The sun’s rays through glass are responsible for almost 20% of the load on your air conditioner,” says Michelle Sahlin, Managing Director of PAMA. “Awnings reduce direct solar gain through windows.”

“Homeowners often ask how well awnings and roller screens will help to cool their home and make them more comfortable. So PAMA initiated this study to develop credible information about the performance of window shading, as we work to educate home owners and the industry,” says John Gant, PAMA’ s Energy Committee Chairman. “This research uses complex computer simulations for a wide range of variables to generate predictions of the energy conservation.”

The study in its entirety is now available.

Source-http://www.awninginfo.com/home_awning_save_energy.html