The Window Furnishings Association of Australia (WSAA) has joined the European Solar Shading Organisation (ES-SO) as an international supporting member, coinciding with a visit from ES-SO President Anders Hall and the announcement of Global Shading Day on 21 March.
Hall travelled from Sweden to address WSAA members at a Sydney event on Friday, where the association revealed its participation in the inaugural Global Shading Day and its new ES-SO membership status.
Global Shading Day, themed “Shading Makes a Difference”, will focus on promoting climate-resilient homes, workplaces and public buildings through effective window shading solutions.
“This is a significant opportunity for our industry to demonstrate leadership on sustainability and energy efficiency,” said Wesley Fawaz, CEO of WSAA. “Window furnishings keep spaces cool in summer, warm in winter, reduce energy consumption, improve comfort, provide UV protection and support broader environmental goals.”
WSAA is providing members with a social media toolkit to ensure unified industry participation in the global initiative. The toolkit will enable businesses across Australia to contribute to a coordinated message about the value of professional shading solutions.
The association’s new status as an ES-SO international supporting member formalises its connection to the European organisation’s research, advocacy and standardisation work.
“Anders Hall’s visit demonstrates the strengthening relationships between Australian and international window furnishings industries,” Fawaz said. “ESSO’s work with the United Nations and their research into energy efficiency gives us access to global best practice and helps position our members at the forefront of industry innovation.”
Hall’s presentation at the Sydney event outlined ESSO’s collaboration with UN agencies on climate resilience and the organisation’s ongoing research into shading solutions’ contribution to building energy performance.
The event also featured a demonstration of WincovER, a web-based tool developed by WSAA over 18 months. Jason Lewis presented the platform, which will launch publicly at SuperExpo in June. The tool is designed to streamline specification and estimation processes for window covering professionals, with Lewis outlining key features developed in consultation with industry members.
The Sydney gathering included updates on the Certificate III qualification review and retail insights from industry consultant Dean Salakas, reflecting strong member turnout for the professional development programme. The event attracted members from across the Sydney region, with participants engaging in discussions about industry standards, training pathways and market conditions.
