Here in Puerto Rico, louvered windows (also known as slatted windows or jalousie windows) are very common.
They have several advantages. Firstly, in hot weather, they can be fully opened to let a breeze flow through the apartment. In the rain, they can be kept partially open because the water droplets will still slide outwards. During strong hurricanes, they are not as easily blown out as the regular framed windows.
Also, notice that many homes have grilles up to the third floor. This isn’t just to prevent break-ins. In cases of hurricanes, debris constantly flies into the windows of lower floors, having broken off from neighboring buildings. Any metal fences in the way help protect the property.
San Juan was significantly affected by the recent Hurricane Maria (in 2017). Several thousand people died then. However, hurricanes are frequent here overall, and people adapt. For example, the sandy walls in the old town are strengthened by what is known as shotcrete. All the homes in the coastal areas are made of concrete because no one wants to rebuild everything after each hurricane. Therefore, they all look quite grim but are very sturdy.
Hi, I'm Rauf Aliev. 