Defining Fabrics in Solar Shading
With many different terminologies in solar fabric options available on the market, you may be wondering how to differentiate the options, and which is best for your project's needs. Here we will simplify and break down the 3 primary options in shade fabrics. Light Filtering fabrics will filter natural light and effectively provide solar protection, glare control and reduced solar heat gain while also preserving your view to the outside. When we refer to light filtering, this generally...
February 16, 2022Why Energy Efficient Fabrics Matter
Energy-efficient shades start with the selection of the fabric. When selecting a fabric, consider what will block out light and prevent heat from entering through a window in warmer climates. There are several variables that make a fabric energy efficient like openness factors, UV protection, and fabric color.1%,3%,5%,10%, and Privacy, Light Filtering and Blackout fabrics allow designers and architects to pair stylish designs with energy-efficient functionality. These fabrics have been tested an...
February 15, 2022Importance of Openness and Color
When it comes to window treatments, the most well known and easily identifiable when asked, is a slatted blind style treatment. But a question we often get is, "how does selecting a shade work"? When choosing a solar shade, two important factors will impact the performance of your solar shade and the comfort of the population occupying it's interior space: Openness and Color. It might come as a surprise to many, but both of these factors are equally as important when deciding the righ...
January 19, 2022What is Dynamic Shading?
Manual operation of windows or shades might work in home settings and some very small buildings, but in larger buildings with many occupants and an operating design strategy that might involve predictive algorithms, thermal storage and/or integration of façade and lighting systems -- ad hoc control by occupants must be replaced by more reliable automated controls. These controls will accept directions and inputs from a wide range of building sensors (wired and wireless) as well as anticipatory ...
January 15, 2022Why Motorized Shades?
Modern architecture relies on windows now more than ever before. According to Energy.gov, about 30% of a building's heating energy is lost through the windows, and in cooling seasons, about 76% of sunlight that falls on standard double-pane windows enters to become heat. With the drastic rise in glass facades being incorporated into architectural trends in today's built environment, the demand for a simplified, autonomous and digitized solution to daylighting becomes critical. What wa...
January 8, 2022What is 'Solar Control'?
The term 'solar control' is more than just a buzzword in the building, construction and architectural communities. Simply put -- Solar Control is the act of diminishing, minimizing, increasing, deflecting or obscuring direct UV rays, glare, and natural heat and sunlight which is all around us. Or in other words "controlling" the sunshine so to speak. When we use this term in relation to building, design or interiors, the focus goal is to create a natural and soothing lighting environment f...
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