Solar control devices placed in front of large building openings disturb air flow and the radiation transfer. Although solar radiation transfer through obstructed openings is a relatively well researched area, very little information is available regarding the air flow perturbations and daylighting alterations created by external solar control devices. The present paper reports a series of experiments aiming at investigating natural ventilation and daylight phenomena associated with the use of specific shading devices. Experiments have been carried out in outdoor test cells, and 28 different configurations have been tested for several window characteristics under various climatic and radiation characteristics. Based on the experimental results, specific modeling activities have been undertaken and theoretical methods of calculating air flow and daylight through openings equipped with specific solar control devices have been developed and are now presented. Theoretical predictions are compared with the corresponding experimental data and a very satisfactory agreement has been found for both air flow and daylight processes.