Shading and Screening Systems
Grupo IEP’s shading and screening systems provide advanced climate control solutions for greenhouses, regulating solar radiation and temperature to protect crops and enhance yields. Our product range includes shade nets that manage light exposure and reduce transpiration, as well as thermal screens that minimize nighttime heat loss and improve energy efficiency. These customizable solutions adapt to the specific needs of horticultural, ornamental, and fruit crops.
General Characteristics
Grupo IEP’s shading and screening systems are engineered to regulate solar radiation and temperature in greenhouses, optimizing growing conditions. Our shade nets – available in various shading percentages and colors – transmit photosynthetically active radiation while diffusing light and reducing transpiration, making them ideal for warm climates. The thermal screens, constructed with aluminized polyethylene or polyester materials, reflect far-infrared radiation to minimize nighttime heat loss, conserve energy, and prevent condensation. When combined with proper ventilation, both solutions create an efficient and sustainable microclimate.
Shade Nets
These screens regulate the quantity and quality of radiation entering the greenhouse. Effective shade nets must maximize transmission of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) while reflecting short-wave infrared radiation from the sun. The net radiation beneath the screen depends on both the shading percentage and the material composition.
Shade nets reduce direct solar radiation that could damage plants, proving particularly valuable during warm periods. They lower interior temperatures while increasing relative humidity, which decreases crop transpiration and reduces irrigation needs. The nets also diffuse incoming light, converting it into scattered radiation that distributes more evenly among plants.
Since the nets absorb energy that converts to heat flow, their use requires proper ventilation systems to exhaust warm air through roof vents.
Various shade net types exist, classified by their shading percentages (30%-80%) to suit different crop growth stages. Typically dark-colored, some feature aluminized coatings to enhance reflectivity (these absorb less radiation and heat up less). Installation options include interior mounting or exterior use as part of the cladding.
Special blackout nets (100% shading) are used for photoperiod control in ornamental crops, inducing flowering at commercially optimal times.
Thermal Screens
These screens reduce heat loss by reflecting long-wave infrared radiation (thermal energy) emitted by crops and soil at night. The screen material must reflect rather than absorb far-infrared radiation. They are commonly used alongside heating systems, as different screen types can significantly reduce fuel consumption.
Thermal screens help increase the greenhouse’s minimum nighttime temperature, raising crop and soil temperatures. They also minimize condensation on plants and reduce nighttime transpiration, thereby decreasing heat loss through evapotranspiration.
Typically constructed as dual-layer sheets, they combine woven polyethylene/polyester strips with aluminum filaments, ensuring at least one aluminized surface. Optimal performance is achieved when deployed in late afternoon and retracted in morning.
