No Longer a Blind Spot: How Blinds Help Achieve BREEAM and WELL Certification
Blinds are a strategic part of building design, not a finishing touch. When considered early, they can improve comfort, reduce energy use and support better building performance.
For projects aiming to meet BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) or WELL certification, the impact of blinds becomes even more measurable, contributing directly to criteria around sustainability, health and wellbeing.
While BREEAM focuses on a building’s environmental performance, from energy use to materials, WELL considers how spaces support the health, comfort and experience of the people using them. Together, they set a rigorous framework for creating places that perform better environmentally, operationally and for the people who use them.
At Waverley, we work closely with architects, contractors and sustainability experts to integrate shading solutions that meet performance goals without compromising on aesthetics or usability. This article outlines how blinds contribute to BREEAM and WELL certification, with supporting guidance from the official standards.
Blinds and BREEAM: Supporting visual comfort, daylight and energy efficiency
Blinds play an integral role in helping buildings meet BREEAM standards, particularly in the categories of Health and Wellbeing (Hea 01: Visual Comfort) and Energy (Ene 01: Reduction of Energy Use and Carbon Emissions).
With the right specification, shading systems can support credits for glare control, daylight access and energy efficiency – all without compromising on design.
Visual Comfort (Hea 01)
BREEAM encourages the use of natural daylight but requires effective glare management to ensure visual comfort. This is especially important in areas with large glazed elements, where uncontrolled sunlight can disrupt tasks or cause discomfort. Internal blinds provide a practical and cost-effective solution.
To meet the Hea 01 credit, BREEAM sets measurable criteria. In the 2014 version, blinds should have a visible light transmittance (Tv) of less than 10%. The 2018 update adds a further requirement: an openness factor of 1% or less. These thresholds ensure the fabric controls brightness effectively, not just offering visual privacy.
Blackout blinds can also be used in spaces where no minimum transmittance is required, as confirmed in BREEAM Knowledge Base note KBCN0447.
Automated systems offer further advantages. By adjusting in response to daylight levels and sun position, they maintain consistent comfort throughout the day. Waverley’s S3 Synchronised Solar Shading system supports this by linking with KNX controls and sun sensors for real-time, zoned blind control.
Energy Performance (Ene 01)
Blinds also contribute to BREEAM’s energy performance targets by improving solar control. Up to 76% of sunlight entering through glazing becomes unwanted heat. Blinds with the right performance characteristics can reduce this by as much as 45%, easing the load on cooling systems.
In cooler months, closing blinds at night helps reduce heat loss by around 10%. Used in conjunction with daylight sensors and lighting controls, blinds can also support energy savings by enabling artificial lighting to be dimmed or turned off when natural light is sufficient.
For wide or complex openings, motorised blind systems designed for large spans are ideal. These solutions can be integrated with building management systems to maintain consistent solar control and contribute to energy performance without compromising on aesthetics.
Together, these systems support energy efficiency strategies and help meet BREEAM targets in a way that aligns with both design intent and operational goals.
150 Holborn: Contributing to BREEAM Outstanding certification
Waverley worked on the new headquarters at 150 Holborn, an eight-storey central London development that achieved BREEAM Outstanding, alongside LEED Platinum and SKA Gold certifications.
We supplied and installed over 550 roller blinds, including 76 motorised units, using Verosol Enviroscreen 2% fabric, a metallised, recyclable material chosen for its solar and glare control performance. The motorised blinds were integrated with the building’s KNX infrastructure, enabling smart-ready control that responds to daylight and solar conditions.
This solution supported BREEAM credits under both the Health and Wellbeing and Energy categories, helping to manage glare, reduce solar gain and maintain visual comfort throughout the day. The project demonstrates how early-stage specification of high-performance shading can make a measurable contribution to certified sustainable design.
External blinds: Reducing heat gain at source
While internal shading plays a key role in controlling light and supporting energy use, external blinds offer even greater performance by blocking solar radiation before it reaches the glazing. This significantly reduces cooling demand and improves thermal comfort, particularly in south and west-facing elevations. As a passive solution, external shading can directly support credits under BREEAM’s Energy category and help mitigate overheating risk in line with Part O of the Building Regulations.
Blinds and WELL: Supporting health, comfort and inclusive design
Where BREEAM focuses on environmental impact, the WELL Building Standard evaluates how spaces support the health, wellbeing and experience of the people using them.
Shading solutions contribute most directly to the Light, Thermal Comfort, and Mind concepts within WELL v2, helping projects create environments that feel better to be in, not just function better on paper.
Blinds support these goals by managing glare, improving thermal comfort, and offering inclusive control over lighting conditions, all of which contribute to occupant wellbeing.
Glare Control (Feature L04)
Excessive daylight can cause discomfort, eyestrain and reduced productivity, especially in screen-based work environments. WELL Feature L04 requires a strategy to manage glare without significantly reducing daylight.
Acceptable approaches include:
- Internal blinds controllable by the occupant
- Automated shading responsive to daylight levels
- Glazing that dynamically adjusts light transmission
WELL’s guidance reinforces the value of occupant control:
“Interior window shading or blinds that are controllable by the occupants or set to automatically prevent glare.”
This places emphasis not only on visual comfort but also on giving people control over their environment, something proven to support satisfaction and cognitive wellbeing.
Thermal Comfort (Feature T01)
Blinds help maintain stable indoor temperatures by reducing solar heat gain and insulating against cold. This supports WELL’s thermal comfort targets, particularly in glazed spaces where sun exposure can create hotspots or uneven conditions. By minimising temperature swings, shading contributes to overall comfort and usability.
Inclusive design and autonomy
WELL places increasing value on environments that support users of all abilities. Manually operated blinds can be difficult to reach or use for some occupants, especially in large, open spaces or where windows are positioned high on the wall. Motorised and automated blind systems overcome this by enabling easy, consistent control via switches, remotes or integrated systems.
In this way, blinds also contribute to broader accessibility goals, giving all occupants the ability to shape their environment without physical effort. That control, delivered in an intuitive and equitable way, is closely aligned with WELL’s focus on dignity, autonomy and mental comfort.
Extra credit: Lesser-known ways blinds support certification
Beyond glare control and thermal comfort, there are additional, often overlooked ways that blinds and shading systems can support both BREEAM and WELL certification.
- Material choice and embodied carbon Fabric selection can support credits related to sustainable sourcing and material health. Blinds made from sustainable fabrics can contribute to BREEAM’s Materials and Health categories. WELL also recognises the importance of low-emitting finishes and sustainable procurement.
- Acoustic support While not a primary shading function, certain fabric types (particularly heavier or textured materials) can provide acoustic absorption. In open-plan spaces, this may complement WELL features relating to noise reduction and acoustic comfort.
- Visual connection to nature WELL rewards environments that support a connection to the outdoors. Sheer fabrics used in blinds can help preserve outward views while reducing glare, contributing to mental wellbeing and the restorative effects of natural light and views.
- Flexibility for multi-use spaces Blinds that offer dual fabrics (e.g. screen plus blackout) or modular shading control can help support dynamic use of spaces, especially in education or healthcare environments. This adaptability aligns with WELL’s focus on multi-sensory, human-centred design.
Conclusion: supporting sustainable, inclusive and wellbeing-focused buildings
As the demands of modern building design evolve, the role of shading systems is changing too. No longer an afterthought, blinds now offer a practical, data-backed way to support certification outcomes in both BREEAM and WELL. From improving energy efficiency to enhancing comfort and accessibility, blinds have become part of a wider strategy for delivering buildings that perform and feel better.
At Waverley, we believe that sustainability, wellbeing and inclusion should be built into the design process from day one. By working closely with project teams to understand goals and align with certification criteria, we help ensure that shading does more than look the part; it plays a measurable role in achieving high-performance, people-first environments.