Global Shading Day 2026: March 21

More than just an awareness day - a movement to help reduce energy consumption in a warming climate for our health and comfort.

Brussels, February 2026 - Mark your calendars for March 21, 2026 as the fourth annual Global Shading Day promises to be bigger and better than ever! The European Solar Shading Organisation (ES-SO) is proud to announce its theme for Global Shading Day 2026: Shading Makes a Difference.

As the world responds to a rapidly warming planet, overheating in homes, workplaces and public buildings is becoming an increasingly urgent issue.

Longer, hotter summers and more frequent heatwaves is leading to rising indoor temperatures which impacts health, comfort, sleep, learning and productivity.

At the same time, increasing reliance on air conditioning is driving up energy demand releasing more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere which is leading to further heating of the planet and escalating the need for cooling.

ES-SO is committed to building a global movement, supported by the shading sector, to encourage people to recognise the benefits of shading all year round – a practical, effective way to prevent overheating, combat rising temperatures and reduce energy consumption.

Shading has a real role to play in creating climate‑resilient buildings

Dynamic shading prevents excessive heat from the sun entering a building - it is a passive solution to help maintain comfortable indoor temperatures and reduce dependence on energy‑intensive cooling systems, supporting energy efficiency and climate resilience.

Shading benefits:

"Global Shading Day is more than just an awareness day – it’s a movement to help reduce energy consumption in a warming climate for our health and comfort," said Ann Van Eycken, Secretary General of ES-SO.

"The campaign aims to inform and bring about change. In the summer, we want to change the mindset from air conditioning to dynamic shading solutions – from active cooling to prevention, from reacting to overheating to stopping it before it starts through passive cooling.

“In the winter we want to encourage people to maximise free heat from the sun during the day and use shading to retain heat in the evening. Research shows that opening blinds and shutters during sunny winter days can save on heating energy – by up to 15% in northern Europe, 17% in central Europe, and 41% in southern Europe.

“We want to help people to recognise that because shading is dynamic and flexible it can support energy efficiency at all times of the year – winter and summer.”

Join the movement

Since its start in 2023, Global Shading Day has rapidly expanded, attracting participants from across Europe and beyond with new countries joining the initiative each year.

Global Shading Day 2026 is more than just an event; it’s a call to action for governments, architects, engineers and individuals to integrate solar shading into their daily lives and long‑term planning – helping to deliver healthier, more comfortable buildings fit for a warming climate.

Smart solar shading could reduce the energy consumption for space cooling in European buildings by up to 60% by 2050, according to the Guidehouse study (5 November 2021). It could prevent 100 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions and save €285 billion.

Find expert advice and learn how to support the cause at www.globalshadingday.com. Stakeholders are encouraged to participate by organising events, sharing knowledge, and promoting the benefits of solar shading through social and local media channels.

ABOUT ES-SO

ES-SO, as the leading advocate for solar shading in Europe, remains committed to championing the cause of sustainable indoor climate management. With over 450,000 people employed in the solar shading industry across Europe and annual sales exceeding €22 billion, ES-SO continues to advance the EU's energy-efficiency goals and foster innovation in the sector.

For more information about ES-SO and Global Shading Day, please visit www.es-so.com.

Press Contact: ES-SO I Ann Van Eycken (Secretary General) I ann.vaneycken@es-so.com I +32 2 313 99 44