# Diffuse Screens > Part of: [Screening](/screening.md) · Provider: [DutchGreenhouses](/) Diffuse screens scatter direct sunlight into even light that reaches deeper through the canopy, so lower leaves work instead of sitting in shadow cast by structure and foliage above them. White strips woven into the fabric do the scattering, and open or closed construction decides whether the same cloth also cools or insulates. ## Facts | Property | Value | |---|---| | Why even light beats the same quantity in beams | Top leaves saturate while lower leaves sit dark categorical | | Second effect beyond light distribution | Lower leaf temperature peaks categorical | | Haze Factor deflection threshold | 2.5 degrees | | F-Scatter measurement angle | from 10 degrees | | Common measurement standard | NEN 2675:2018 standard | | Screen gap above which insulation is lost | 5 % gap | Screening # Diffuse screens. Soft light works harder than hard light. ## Scattering sunlight so no leaf is left in the shade Besides diffuse glass or a roof coating, diffuse light can also be created with screens. Although these screens are used first and foremost to distribute incoming light evenly, they double as sun protection and energy saving, and they come in a range of shading percentages that can be matched to the light needs of each crop. Over the past decade diffuse screens have become steadily more popular with growers of many different crops and climates. The defining feature of every diffuse screen is the white strips woven or knitted into the fabric, which scatter the light passing through. Fabrics are available with an open structure, which combined with ridge ventilation gives optimal cooling and sun protection, or with a closed structure, which reduces cooling in the evening, lowers the risk of condensation forming on the crop and saves energy at night. The choice between them is a climate and crop decision as much as a light one. The agronomic value comes from how diffuse light behaves in the canopy. With direct sun, distribution is far from ideal: the greenhouse structure, equipment and the leaves themselves cast shadows, so some plants receive too much light and suffer stress or burn, while others sit in shade and grow poorly. High-intensity light on a single leaf is also less efficient for photosynthesis than the same light spread evenly. Diffuse light solves both problems at once — horizontally it evens out the bright and dark patches across the crop, and vertically it penetrates deeper into tall crops like tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, where under direct light the top leaves capture more than they can use while the lower leaves are starved. The result is more uniform, healthier growth and better overall photosynthesis. Diffusion is measured in two ways, and the distinction matters when comparing products. The traditional Haze Factor states the percentage of perpendicular incoming light that is deflected by more than 2.5 degrees — a haze factor of 60% means 60% of direct light has been redirected. The problem is that sunlight almost never enters the greenhouse perpendicularly, so Wageningen University developed the F-Scatter (or HortiScatter) method to give an accurate diffusion value at realistic angles of 10 degrees or more. Both methods are integrated into the NEN 2675:2018 standard, allowing growers to compare glass, screen fabrics and horticultural coatings on a common basis. We help select the right diffuse fabric and diffusion value for your crop and radiation profile — get in touch to discuss it. From the knowledge base ## Reads you might find interesting ceacultivationbusiness-case ### Grow Like a Pro: Starting Smart, Growing Strong How Grow Like a Pro combines smart farming, CEA technology and local partnerships for eco-friendly, profitable, pesticide-free greenhouse pr Read article education ### The Case for a College Greenhouse Why a college greenhouse belongs in the curriculum: teaching science, craftsmanship, business logic and sustainability, and preparing studen Read article education ### The Case for a High School Greenhouse Why every high school greenhouse matters: how it makes STEM tangible, builds responsibility and teamwork, and helps students discover their Read article education ### Greenhouses in Education: The Case for Schools Greenhouses in education reconnect students to reality — the full case for why every school, high school, college and trade program should h Read article historyconstruction ### The Origins of Greenhouse Horticulture: My Backyard A tour through greenhouse horticulture history: from 19th-century Westland fruit walls to the “City of Glass” and today’s international high Read article company ### DutchGreenhouses Rebranded: A New Corporate Identity Announcing our new corporate identity — a visual style reflecting our dedication to advanced, high-quality greenhouse projects and The Futur Read article ## FAQ **What do diffusion screens do?** They scatter direct sunlight so it arrives evenly instead of in beams. Horizontally that removes the bright and dark patches cast by structure and equipment; vertically it carries light deeper into tall crops, where top leaves otherwise capture more than they can use. **Do diffuse screens cost the crop light?** They redistribute light rather than simply removing it, and they come in a range of shading percentages matched to the crop. Even light spread across the canopy photosynthesises more efficiently than the same quantity concentrated on the upper leaves. **Why does scattering light increase production if the total is the same?** Because a saturated leaf wastes the surplus. Photosynthesis flattens off above a certain light level, so a leaf sitting in full beam converts only part of what lands on it and sheds the rest as heat, while leaves below it sit too dark to work. Spreading the same photons over more leaf area puts them where they still convert — and lowers the temperature peak on the exposed leaves at the same time. **How is diffusion measured?** Two ways, and the difference matters when comparing products. Haze Factor counts perpendicular light deflected beyond two and a half degrees. F-Scatter measures at realistic angles instead, because sunlight rarely enters a greenhouse perpendicularly. NEN 2675:2018 integrates both. **Should a diffuse screen be open or closed?** An open structure combined with ridge ventilation gives cooling and sun protection. A closed structure reduces evening cooling, lowers the risk of condensation forming on the crop and saves energy at night. The choice follows the climate and the crop. ## Related [Screening](/screening.md) · [Energy Screens](/screening/energy-screens.md) · [Blackout Screens](/screening/blackout-screens.md) · [Light Transmission](/performance/light-transmission.md) · [Yield](/performance/yield.md) · [Arid & Desert](/climate-zones/arid-desert.md) · [Cooling](/climate/cooling.md) · [Haze Factor](/glossary/haze-factor.md) · [Diffuse Glass](/glossary/diffuse-glass.md) · [Light Transmission](/glossary/light-transmission.md) · [PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation)](/glossary/par-photosynthetically-active-radiation.md) · [Tomatoes](/vegetables/tomatoes.md)