About sunscreens

Sunscreens: basic facts and key terms
While it might seem obvious that sunscreens protect spaces against sun rays, there are a wide variety of qualities and characteristics that affect the performance of different sunscreens, depending on the desired effect. They come ranked from 0 – 4 according to their influence on thermal and visual comfort.
Protection against the sun
The openness factor of a sunscreen is the relative area of openings to fibers in the fabric it is made of, which affect the amount of light that is transmitted through the sunscreen. Sunlight come in three types: visible (detected by human eyes), UV (detrimental to our health) and IR light (heat).

Other light-related properties of sunscreens include glare control, night privacy, visual contact with the outside and daylight utilization. These are all affected by the color, weave, contrast and composition of the sunscreen fabric.
Thermal comfort
Thermal comfort is another important factor to keep in mind when choosing the perfect sunscreen for your space. Light can be absorbed, reflected or transmitted by a fabric in different combinations to achieve different ambiances.
Glazing
Glazing is always used as a backing to sunscreen fabric, which together prevent a significant amount of unwanted sun energy from entering a space. Because darker screens absorb more light, they are better suited for exterior applications, since there is no effect on the room being screened. Interior screens can transfer heat into a space, making it ideal to choose lighter colors.