I've been looking at getting shutters on my windows; They're not common in the UK but are common in more southern European countries. Unfortunately UK windows are designed without the expectation that shutters might be installed. Also it seems to require planning permission to install them on street facing windows too, as they are not currently one of the exceptions. But installing air conditioning (and heat pumps) does have an exception. This needs to be fixed.
I don't know if that is a joke, but shutter != gutter. A shutter covers the window during hot weather to keep the sun out and keep the building cool, and can be opened during cooler weather.
The relevancy is that unlike air-conditioning they don't consume power or heat the surrounding city.
