Shading in buildings refers to the deliberate reduction of incident solar radiation on façades, roofs, and glazed areas to control heat gain and glare.
By blocking or redirecting sunlight, shading devices reduce cooling loads, improve visual comfort, and prevent overheating.

Shading strategies can be:

- External devices (overhangs, louvers, fins, pergolas) that intercept solar
radiation before it reaches the building envelope.

- Internal devices (blinds, curtains) that primarily control glare but are less
effective thermally since solar energy has already entered.

- Vegetation and urban shading (trees, green facades) that combine
shading with evaporative cooling.

In passive design, shading is optimized to block high summer sun while still allowing low winter sun for natural heating.