We wanted to let natural light in but still have shelter from rain so this was our perfect solution! We purposefully installed some of the pergola planks on their side to offer shade as our backyard is full sun all day. We were concerned it would hold heat so we added fans but we don’t think it holds heat at all! The clear roofing also comes in other tinted shades like gray, brown, etc & can be bought at most hardware stores! We installed this 6 years ago & it’s held up perfectly even in high winds! Let me know if you have any questions I missed! LTKHome LTKSeasonal LTKStyleTip