4 benefits of solar-powered zipscreens

With rising temperatures and surging energy costs, we have to rethink the way we design and renovate homes and offices. We look for sustainable and cost-friendly ways to prevent overheated buildings during hot summers. One of these solutions: the zipscreen, a sustainable outdoor product that covers windows and provides protection against sunlight and heat.

As of recent, sun shading product manufacturers offer a new sun shading product: solar-powered zipscreens, which are vertical sun shading products with a solar motor. This feature makes these screens an attractive and sustainable addition to every building.

What are solar-powered zipscreens?

A solar-powered zipscreen is in many ways similar to a regular zipscreen, with the difference that the former is equipped with a solar panel and rechargeable battery, whereas the latter is attached to the energy network. The motor of solar-powered screens uses sunlight to operate the awning fabric.

On average, solar zipscreens are slightly more expensive than regular screens, but the following benefits make them a sustainable and cost-friendly product for a long-term usage.

1) Easy to install

Every zipscreen needs to be mounted properly. However, regular zipscreens are more difficult to install: the motor needs to be attached to the power supply for it to function. Mechanics need to drill additional holes and cables should be neatly concealed.

Installing a solar-powered zipscreen requires less effort, materials and installation costs. The motor comes with an integrated solar panel, which allows for more flexibility and less additional installation costs.

2) Install anywhere

More extra installation costs are necessary when you want to mount a zipscreen on a place located far away from building’s power grid. Think of attaching a zipscreen to a veranda or garden house, for instance. Then you would need to connect the screen to the power supply via an underground cable.

Solar-powered zipscreens can be installed more flexibly, since they do not have to be connected to the power grid. Again, this saves installation costs.

3) Cool down homes and offices

Zipscreens are effective in blocking sunlight and heat. With these products, you are not only able to darken rooms, but you’re adding an extra insulating layer in front of your windows as well. This allows you to keep the heat out of the building, by simply rolling down your zipscreen.

4) Save energy costs

As result, there is less need for using an air conditioning system or ventilator to cool down a building, which reduces the total energy usage and costs. And with solar-powered zipscreens you will not use any additional energy when operating your screen.