We get high winds here that would rip any normal awning right off of the house, sometimes from unpredictable dirt devils out of nowhere. I put up a heavy duty wind sock that got ripped to shreds in two years, awning fabric wouldn't last much longer.

Inside window blinds help a lot. I recently discovered the kind of blinds that are built between the double panes of window glass. I got a sliding glass door with them. They're so nice and protected from daily household trauma that I expect them to last far longer than my regular blinds. It'd be great to retrofit the whole house with them. I'd love to have motorized versions that could react to the sun throughout the day.