Cotto sun shields

The function of the shading

The sunscreens are elements which are placed on facades or inside them. Their function is to control the solar radiation by reducing the thermal load imposed on the structure.



Applying a sun shield you get to limite the temperature rise inside the building and a reduction in the use of air conditioning.

The shields are in fact an external solar control system more efficient than those placed inside, as in the summer months they intercept the solar radiation before it reaches the glass surfaces, thus avoiding that trigger the greenhouse effect and the consequent overheating of the environments.

In contrast, the indoor shields allow light to pass through the glass and therefore require ventilation or air conditioning to remove the accumulated heat inside the building.

The shading in terracotta

The solar shading systems can be made with different materials: from plastic to wood. Recent studies have also led to the spread of a new type of solar shading, in cotto.
A leading company in this field is Palagio Engineering which devised TerraSHADE.

The mounting of this particular shading occurs through the use of metal profiles inserted in the inner hole of the cotto element, obtained by extrusion.

The dimensions of the tubes have been studied in order to achieve combinations of light and dark and alternations of texture on the building facades.
Also in the case of complex surfaces it is possible to combine the design of these with the striped one, typical of sun shields.

These sun shields in cotto can reach a length of 3 meters and the shapes can be quite different.

Their presence outside the building allows to limit the deterioration due to ultraviolet rays, of the objects near the windows, as well as protecting from the glare.

In fact, the sun shields have a very important role because without them, especially during the summer months, the brightness is concentrated and strong and then all the solar energy is transmitted within the house, heating up the environment.

The shading proposed by Palagio Engineering differentiate into five ranges of colors that recall precisely the five possible colors of cotto:
- Lands of Impruneta, which recall precisely the natural tones of imprunetino cotto;
- The Burnt Sienna, paste color of the whole element, which are inspired by the strong red-brown hue typical of the Sienese hills;
- Lands Ochre, color paste of the whole element, which are inspired by the warm tones of the Mediterranean ochre;
- Colourful lands, color paste of the whole element, which are inspired by the ceramic traditions of far countries;
- Majolica, which is inspired by the glazed cotto from Robbia. It is a real glazed earthenware available in a wide range of bright colors, which has a high strength and durability of the outer surface.

If you want to opt instead for a more decorative shading, then you can contact the company Ceipo, which offers a wide range of decorated items, colored and assembled together, to create the veritable shading walls.



The elements are all made in terracotta, available in natural color glazed majolica type or in earthenware or porcelain.

Using this system, solar shading, different from the classical shading consists of assembled monolithic elements that together make up a wall, you can create game of light inside the environment, protecting it from indiscreet eyes as it limits the view from the outside.

Benefits of the cotto sun shields

The cotto shading guarantee a series of benefits that can be obtained only if the sun screen is designed in function of the latitude, the local climate, the analysis of the site and orientation of the building, and verifying in the different periods of the year the effect that this produces according to the destination use of the building.

Sun shields also have an aesthetic value appreciated both inside and outside of the town.

The solar shiled made with sun slats, creating a partial shading, helps to achieve the environmental standards of comfort.
In the design phase, performs an analysis of the daylight factor, considering the amount of natural light and the lighting level in the environment.

The sun shielding allows you to adjust the luminous flux transmitted by the opening, ensuring greater comfort for the user.
The presence of a sun shield, moreover, allows to reduce the leakage from the openings during winter and to limit the cooling effect due to the action of the wind.

At the same time it allows, during daylight hours, the entry of the solar rays into the building, allowing a natural heating of the environments, remaining always an element of pleasant decor.