Awnings, including mesh awnings enhance the value and livability of your home in several of ways:

• Add livable space. Shade fabrics add livable space by lowering the temperature of a patio or sunroom space. The temperature decrease will vary by the orientation of your space and your location, but studies in the southwest show awnings and shade can lower the temperature of a patio by over 20°F on a bright sunny day.
  
• Increase privacy. Fabrics like Sunbrella Shade or Textilene allows privacy from the outside yet doesn't block off the view from the inside. Adding window shades for the room that looks out into your neighbor's yard or onto a busy street enhances your privacy and security.
  
• Decrease energy use. Not only can you add livable space with patio shading, you can reduce the air conditioning load on your house with shades and awnings. Window awnings can reduce solar heat gain in the summer by up to 65% on south-facing windows and 77% on west-facing windows. You can use an awning to shade one window or have an awning custom-made to shade the entire side of your house. (from U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, A Consumer's Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy)


• ... and remember that your awnings don't have to be square or rectangular. This house uses 2 "sail" shaped awnings to provide shade and interest to their patio.