How to choose shading for an office? Think of the people who work in it

External blinds or textile screens perform mainly a technical and practical function in offices – they reflect solar radiation, they black out the space excellently and perceptibly cool down the interior. On the other hand, internal shading has more a decorative function – it completes the appearance of the office and improves its acoustic properties.

If the situation allows you to do so, go for external shading, which mainly in summer will noticeably improve the working conditions in the office. Choose internal shading in the event that external shading isn’t worth it or is meaningless considering the orientation of the windows.

“External shading keeps out not only light but also infra-red solar radiation; interior shading is more about visual screening. Where exterior shading isn’t possible or suitable, interior shading must be used. The budget determines that at times as well”, explains Roman Vrtiška from the Vrtiška & Žák architectural studio.

What’s more, you can combine internal and external shading together. For example, external blinds are suitable with:

“Of internal shading options, for example, roller blinds or drapery are suitable for offices. However, for modern offices we recommend ZOOMTECH-type textile roller blinds, which fit large windows well. They give a minimalist impression and complete the design. You can also encounter wooden blinds but you will then not be able to combine them with external ones as they don’t go together well“, explains Petr Kříž, Commercial Director of Bematech, a manufacturer of shading technology.

Also, adapt the selection of shading to the people who work in the office. For example, if you are choosing blinds for an IT engineers’ office, external blinds are better as they black out the interior much better compared to internal blinds.

“Direct sunlight can be really detrimental to many workplaces, so choosing a suitable type of shading increases user and eye comfort”, says Roman Vrtiška.

In terms of darkening a room, for example, Z‑90 external blinds or external textile screens are excellent. They create nearly absolute darkness in the room. Also, external textile screens work well. Thanks to fabrics with low light permeability they can even shade large windows, they don’t divide up the area and are easy to maintain.

In addition to light, shading also affects the temperature in the room. Even though some people prefer rather warm and others rather cool environments, the ideal temperature for work in an office ranges between approximately 21°C and 23°C. Which is a problem mainly in summer.

External blinds are capable of reducing the temperature inside the room by up to 10 degrees Celsius in a hot summer but only on condition that they are pulled down and blacked out for days at a time, which may not be convenient to everyone. You can also opt for external textile screens, which let in more light, but they a perfect solution, either.

It might interest you: We dispel myths: can external blinds really substitute air-conditioning?

That’s why you should buy an air-conditioning system in addition to external blinds or roller blinds. Thanks to external shading, you won’t be forced to switch it on so often and run it at full power, but it will come in handy in the most intense summer heat.

Are you planning external shading for your office and need some advice on choosing it? Contact our partners, they’ll be pleased to help you.