Balancing Light + Comfort: Shading and Glass Solutions for the Pacific Northwest

Savannah Jones
Aug 27
4 min read

Updated: Sep 5

Following careful placement and orientation of our buildings on a site, there are two primary strategies Rhodes Architecture + Light uses for managing sunlight and its impact on interior spaces through windows and doors. Sunlight brings both heat and light. We typically want to embrace light while limiting heat gain in the hotter summer months. To realize a well-daylit and thermally comfortable design we carefully plan the timing and quantity of sunlight (and therefore heat) that enters the interior of our homes and businesses. The first strategy for doing so is to control it before it strikes the surface, and the second is to manage it as it strikes.

A grey home with board and batten siding exemplifying the use of Brise Soleil shading devices

Before it strikes: Brise Soleil

What are Solar Shades (Brise Soleil) and Why Use them?

An architectural rendering of a Modern home with shading elements

Rhodes Architecture + Light thoughtfully considers and designs roof overhangs to limit sunlight, especially on the southern and western sides of buildings and during the summer months. Openings well below roofs can also be shaded using a solar shading system called a brise soleil.

Brise Soleil, meaning “Broken Sun” in French, is a type of sunshade that is mounted to the exterior of a building, controlling the sunlight that enters. Brise Soleils use fins to block the higher-angled summer sun, while allowing in the lower winter sun. They are designed with “blades” or fins, so sunlight can pass through at specified angles; the blades are specifically angled to allow winter sun in, lessening the heating needed inside while blocking summer sun, based on the latitude and longitude of a location. Brise Soleils are effective devices, especially in northern latitudes, like Seattle, letting in as much winter light as possible for the wellness of the space’s occupants. At RA+L, one of our core values is supporting the health of the occupants using our buildings. We design spaces to embrace winter light, helping to reduce Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which can result from limited sunlight and vitamin D during the darker months.

A diagram of winter sun angle vs summer sun angle and the shade — Summer's higher sun angle vs. Winter's lower sun angle

Another advantage of Brise Soleils is that they need little maintenance and operate without manual adjustments. Because they are designed with angled blades, they allow rain and snow to pass through so that drainage is not an issue. They are also lighter and simpler to structurally support, requiring less framing than roof canopies that gather rain and especially snow loading. A solar shade can be made from wood, steel, aluminum, (even concrete). Since the Brise Soleil is in the weather all year Rhodes Architecture + Light usually uses metal systems (aluminum preferred) with a simple frame and metal or composite wood blades. There are manufacturers that will design and fabricate solar shading for our latitude and longitude as well, ready to be mounted to the exterior.

Brise Soleils are mounted above openings to provide shade without obstructing views, unlike many other shading devices. In summer, they shield entire windows or doors, reducing sunlight, heat gain, UV exposure, and stress on building components. In winter, they allow in valuable light and warmth, improving energy efficiency and reducing reliance on mechanical systems.

a wood shading device in front of a window with warm sunlight shining on it

While we love these shading systems, there is one caveat: western sunlight, especially in the evening (think 7 PM on June 21), sits low in the sky and can sneak beneath a horizontal brise soleil or sunshade. The only effective way to fully block this late light is with vertical shades or a grid system (like an egg crate), though these obstruct views. In Seattle, we typically accept the brief late-summer sun as less problematic than the stronger midday or afternoon heat, and design solar shades as horizontal elements above doors and windows.

As it Strikes: Window + Door Glass

What is Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) + Low Emissivity Coating (Low-E)?

The amount of heat transmitted through glass from sunlight is measured as the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC). A lower SHGC value means the window is better at reflecting heat away and keeping interiors cooler.

a contemporary home on the water with solar panels and shou sugi ban siding and large windows. theres a patio with a garden and a red planter. the picture was taken at sunset, which reflects in the windows

Low-E (low emissivity) coatings help achieve this. These are microscopically thin, transparent metallic layers applied to glass that reflect ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) light while allowing visible light to pass through. By reducing solar heat gain, they improve energy efficiency, limit fading of interior finishes, and increase comfort.

At Rhodes Architecture + Light, we typically specify Low-E coatings on all east, south, and west-facing glass, including both windows and doors. Products like Cardinal Glass LoĒ³-366® provide excellent performance—blocking 95% of UV rays while maintaining clear, natural-looking glass.

Double vs. Triple Pane Glass + the Role of Argon Gas

Double vs Triple Pane

Modern building entrance with large glass windows, showcasing illuminated stairs inside. Horizontal wooden slats that work as a sun shade and provide privacy adorn the exterior.

Double-pane (standard in Seattle) consists of two layers of glass separated by a spacer and either a vacuum or inert gas. This system provides much better insulation over single pane windows while keeping costs and weight manageable. Washington State's mandatory energy Code typically requires at least double-pane glazing.
Triple-pane adds a third layer, improving sound reduction. This can be valuable in noisy environments or when maximum sound reduction is desired. However, triple-pane units are heavier and typically 20–30% more expensive than double-pane units.

Energy Efficiency & Argon Gas

The space between panes is also can be filled with argon gas, an invisible, inert gas that slows the transfer of heat by about 35% over air. Think of it like a Yeti or Stanley insulated mug—just as the air and vacuum layers in a thermos keep your drink hot or cold, argon slows the flow of heat between the inside and outside of your home.
While argon can slowly escape over time as seals age, high-quality windows typically maintain their performance for 15–20 years or more.
Triple-pane glass combined with argon fill provides superior sound reduction and good thermal resistance; in Seattle’s mild climate, double-pane windows with argon and Low-E coatings often achieve the optimal balance of performance, cost, and weight.

Gray modern farmhouse at dusk with large windows reflecting light, surrounded by tall trees and grass, under a cloudy, serene sky.

Rhodes Architecture + Light has more than 30 years of experience creating a balance between light and interior comfort in the Pacific Northwest. By combining exterior shading strategies like brise soleil with high-performance glazing technologies, we create homes that have a carefully curated light environment. The result is architecture that enhances wellness, energy efficiency, and comfort—spaces that feel good to live in, season to season.

Modern building exterior with sunlight streaming through horizontal slats. Concrete path and greenery in foreground. Warm, serene atmosphere.

References

“BTO Seeks to Increase Adoption of Energy-Saving Triple-Pane Windows.” Energy.Gov, 23 June 2022, www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/articles/bto-seeks-increase-adoption-energy-saving-triple-pane-windows?

Gilbride, Theresa, et al. Double or Triple? Factors Influencing the Window Purchasing Decisions of High-Performance Home Builders, 1 June 2019, https://doi.org/10.2172/1557862.