Thank you @mikkel for the reply. I think this constitutes a solution. If shade groups are in fact not supported at this time then the 1.5.0 release post should probably be amended as it indicates that they are ready to go, unless I am misreading something and that only applies to EnergyPlus recipes. I think I could just as easily apply these as aperture groups and handle the post-processing with my own state schedule outside of grasshopper anyway.
Ladybug Tools for Grasshopper 1.5.0 Release
Dynamic Shades and Windows in Thermal Mapping - The previous release of the LBT plugin included a major refactor of all thermal mapping recipes, which made them “better than Legacy” but still not “complete.” With this release, we have added support for dynamic window and shade constructions, which officially completes these recipes and means that all attributes of Honeybee models are fully accounted for in the thermal map results. The new dynamic capabilities can be used to study the impact of a variety of strategies on thermal comfort, including retractable awnings, deciduous shade trees, electrochromic glass, and manual or automated blinds/shades.