Increasing the ultraviolet protection provided by shade structures

Abstract

The side openings of a shade structure have a direct influence on where the shade is located and the level of scattered UV in the shaded area. UV exposures were assessed for the decrease in scattered UV beneath specific shade structures by the use of two types of side-on protection, namely, polycarbonate sheeting and evergreen vegetation. Dosimetric measurements conducted in the shade of a scale model shade structure during summer and winter showed significant decreases in exposure of up to 65% for summer and 57% for winter when comparing the use and non-use of polycarbonate sheeting. Measurements conducted in the shade of four shade structures with various amounts of vegetation covering different sides, showed that adequate amounts of and positioning of vegetation decreased the scattered UV in the shade by up to 87% for the larger solar zenith angles (SZA) of approximately 67° and up to 30% for the smaller SZA of approximately 11° when compared to the shade structure that had no surrounding vegetation.