Awnings can provide an attractive appearance to your home that can make your patio a comfortable place to relax. It is less well known, however, that they can also provide environmental benefits. Here are some reasons why installing an awning in your home can help to cut its environmental impact.

Natural air conditioning

Firstly, awnings can decrease the energy consumption of your home. In the summer, they have the effect of cooling your home by using shade to protect your building from the sun's rays. They also keep the sunlight off your windows, which can magnify the heat and make your home too hot and stuffy. They therefore work as a natural air conditioner and will reduce the need for air conditioning in your home, decreasing the amount of energy you need to use. Any reduction in energy will lower your carbon footprint and should save you money as well.

Insulation

This effect continues in the winter — the awning can help to keep your home warm. It does this by providing an extra layer to your home, which acts as an outer layer of insulation. It will also help to keep drafts to a minimum and will protect your property from some of the worst effects of the weather. This provides further savings of energy throughout the year.

Protection for your home

Awnings will also protect the interior of your home from the sun's rays. Over time, these can cause your carpets and furniture to fade and become discoloured. This lowers their lifetime and means they will need to be replaced more often so that the old ones need to be disposed of and new ones need to be manufactured — all of which will have an environmental cost. Anything that increases the lifetime of your interior furnishings will lower your impact on the environment.

Sustainability

Finally, the awnings can be produced in an environmentally friendly manner. They can be made from sustainable and recycled materials that are locally sourced to decrease the environmental impact of production and transportation. They can also be made to be especially efficient to ensure that they deflect the maximum amount of sunlight possible and have good insulation properties. How efficient the awning will be will depend upon your own choices.

Awnings can keep your energy consumption down and protect your furnishings. To find out more about their environmental benefits, just talk to your supplier.