This talk will provide current research perspectives on shading systems, on how their performance can be evaluated and on what the implications are on comfort and health. In particular, the latest results from an ongoing research project conducted at the LIPID to create a ranking system that applies to any façade system that is considered to be a complex fenestration system will be presented. This evaluation process currently relies on three metrics, each being associated to one aspect of the potential benefits of a window system that usually get very variable priority levels depending on the system and the space use, namely energy conservation potential, visual comfort potential and potential for view.