Airzone Control has announced new API integration with Savant. This new API facilitates the seamless integration of Airzone’s exclusive HVAC control and zoning solutions into Savant Smart Home and Smart Power ecosystems.

Savant has staked out a position as the luxury home automation and power management platform for eco-conscious clients. With solutions for smart home automation and control; scalable smart power storage; and intuitive energy management, Savant brings the benefits of integrated building management to elite private homes.

Airzone is a leader in intelligent HVAC control for mini-split, multi-split Inverter/VRF, and ductless units. Far beyond simply telling the HVAC unit when to turn on and off, Airzone leverages an exclusive library of manufacturer protocols to minutely control fan speed and refrigerant flow. Airzone control products can reduce HVAC energy consumption by up to 60 percent, while simultaneously maintaining more consistent temperature set points in occupied spaces.

The Savant driver works with both the Airzone Aidoo Pro for single-unit systems, and the Webserver Hub for zoned systems. Integrators can download the Aidoo driver directly from the Savant Application Manager. Once installed and configured on system thermostats, the API allows Airzone controllers to connect seamlessly to Savant sensors and control devices without the need for custom coding or wiring.

The driver includes mode switching and read/write functionality for set point and ambient temperature. Integrators can create set point schedules based on a client’s routine or associate specific temperature set points with Savant Smart Home scenes. They can also customize Savant Power System energy modes to automatically adjust HVAC system usage when the user is on vacation, or in response to events like a grid outage.

Scenes and energy modes can be triggered automatically; users can also select their preferred scene or energy mode in the Savant App, with a single tap on a Savant control interface, or via Alexa or Google Home voice command. The Savant App also offers circuit-level insight into home technology energy consumption, allowing users to see the concrete impact of their investment in sustainable technology.

For More Information: www. airzonecontrol.com 

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British music and audio pioneer, Cambridge Audio, has recently unveiled the Evo 150 DeLorean Edition. This is the first product to celebrate Cambridge as the official audio partner of the legendary DeLorean Motor Company, Inc.

Built upon the award-winning Evo 150 all-in-one integrated amplifier and network player, Evo 150 DeLorean Edition goes the extra mile, stripping down to bare metal with meticulously crafted, brushed bodywork and sumptuous silver detailing that pay homage to the iconic DeLorean DMC-12.

This high-performance chassis comes with two body kits – interchangeable magnetic side panels give listeners a change of styling within seconds, with two DeLorean-themed panel options supplied. Either take a nostalgia trip to the ’80s with an aesthetic that echoes the front grille and classic logos of the DMC-12, or head back to the future with brushed metal panels featuring the cutting-edge logo from the forthcoming DeLorean ultra-luxury sports car.

Completing this elegant new design is the Evo’s acclaimed dual-concentric rotary dial and large 6.8in LCD panel that shows off digital album artwork in full colour.

From internet radio to music streaming services, to your own digital or analogue music collection, Evo 150 DeLorean Edition serves them up in style, with simple remote control via the StreamMagic app. A roaring 150W of amplification is enough to power almost any pair of speakers – such as the acoustically matched Evo S bookshelf speaker – to create a sublime stereo system. And a built-in MM phono stage makes it a cinch to connect a turntable.

“Cambridge is unlike any other audio company – we’re not just acoustic engineers, but bona fide music lovers. Everything that Cambridge does is Made By Music, emotionally connecting listeners to the tracks they love. This love of music drives the crafting of the Cambridge sound, revealing details you’ve never heard, across a wider and more immersive soundstage, with bass that’s controlled and impactful, not flabby and overblown.” says James Johnson-Flint, owner of Cambridge Audio.

“From Day One, the relationship between our two brands has been fuelled by a bold attitude and an emotional connection to the music we all love,” says James Johnson-Flint. He further adds, “DeLorean evokes genuine passion, and mirrors Cambridge’s approach to music in everything it does. This special edition of one of our most loved products reveals the bare bones of the Evo 150 in all its glory and reflects the design attributes that have made DeLorean iconic.”

“We are super excited to continue our partnership with Cambridge. Both our brands have put their stamp on the past and are still committed to defining the future,” explains Cameron Wynne, Chief Brand Officer for DeLorean. “Motoring and music have always gone hand in hand. This DeLorean Edition is the perfect way to show your love of both, even when you’re not enjoying the open road.”

KEY FEATURES

• Interchangeable magnetic side panels that celebrate the past and future of DeLorean Motor Company, Inc.

• Powerful 150 watts per channel capable of driving 2 sets of speakers

• High-quality ESS SABRE ES9018k2m Reference DAC for highly accurate & detailed musical performance

• Integrated MM Phono Stage for connecting a wide choice of turntables

• XLR balanced inputs for pairing with high-quality analogue equipment

• StreamMagic Gen 4 platform for an unparalleled streaming experience

• Bluetooth aptX HD for hi-res playback from & to compatible devices

• Multiroom Capability compatible with Google Home, Apple Airplay and Roon multiroom systems letter to music.

For More Information: www.cambridgeaudio.com

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At Light + Building 2024, ABB unveils enhancements to its smart home system, ABB-free@home®, including compatibility with the Matter connectivity standard and additional partner Add-ons. This integration expands interoperability, enabling users to seamlessly manage a wider array of smart home devices and customize their setups with ease.

The adoption of Matter firmware, an emerging open-source connectivity standard for smart homes, enables ABB-free@home® to integrate with various smart home ecosystems such as Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Samsung, and more. Additionally, Matter-enabled devices will soon be compatible with the ABB-free@home® system, allowing control through the app, smart switches, or wall panels.

Christian Kruppa, Global Product Manager at ABB Electrification Smart Buildings, emphasizes the benefits of Matter integration, stating, “With the integration of Matter into ABB-free@home®, we are laying the foundation for a more open and flexible smart home experience. The addition of partner solutions enhances centralized control, providing users with greater convenience.”

To streamline home automation, ABB has integrated its ABB-Welcome door entry system into the ABB-free@home® Next app. This aligns with the concept of Add-ons, showcasing ABB’s commitment to simplifying the user experience. Notable Add-ons include EV charger and utility meter integration, optimizing charging based on available solar energy. Additionally, the Velux Add-on offers control options for motorized windows via a wireless connection to ABB-free@home® through the Velux gateway.

For More Information: www.abb.com.

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Aqara has recently introduced its latest addition to the relay portfolio: the Dual Relay Module T2. This two-channel relay boasts a compact design that seamlessly fits into various wall boxes. It serves as a versatile and retrofit solution, enabling users to control and automate an extensive array of electrical devices, including lights, motorised window coverings, boilers, garage doors, electric heaters, and more. You can now find the dual relay module for purchase on Aqara’s official Amazon brand stores in North America (US, Canada) and Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, UK), as well as through selected Aqara retailers worldwide.

Operable with both AC and DC power sources, this two-channel relay offers compatibility with both wet and dry contact modes. Its versatility empowers users to integrate their existing non-smart electrical appliances into their smart home setups. Notably, it accommodates wet contact scenarios such as wall outlets and switches, which include applications like controlling lights, fans, and roller shades. Additionally, the Interlock Mode ensures secure management of bidirectional motors, such as tubular roller shade motors.

In addition, the Relay T2 features a Dry Contact Mode that supports both pulse and on/off switching. This mode proves invaluable in controlling electric devices and appliances like garage doors, boilers, and more, enhancing the overall flexibility and utility of the product.

Built upon Zigbee 3.0, the Relay Module T2 not only supports Matter-over-bridge, but is also compatible with major platforms such as Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home. It lets users control their electrical appliances remotely or through schedules, voice assistants, customized scenes, and automation. Moreover, the Zigbee protocol reduces the idle energy consumption of the relay and enhances its responsiveness. The relay also serves as a repeater of the Zigbee network, strengthening the network’s reliability.

The Relay T2 includes power metering functionality, providing users with a valuable tool for monitoring and effectively managing their home’s energy consumption. This feature empowers users to make informed decisions regarding energy usage. Additionally, it enables users to trigger Aqara Home automation based on the power status, such as the on and off statuses of lights. This functionality opens up exciting new possibilities for home automation, allowing for more customized and energy-efficient smart home setups.

Furthermore, the relay prioritizes safety with its built-in protective features. These include overheat protection, which prevents the device from reaching unsafe temperatures, overload protection to safeguard against excessive power demands, and a configurable power limit, which allows users to set their desired power thresholds. These safety measures collectively provide users with peace of mind, ensuring a secure and reliable experience when incorporating the Relay T2 into their smart home systems.

For More Information: www.aqara.com/en/

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Somfy recently announced its successful integration and certification with Apple Home, marking a significant advancement in smart home technology. This certification facilitates a seamless connection between Somfy’s supported Zigbee motors, responsible for powering interior window applications, and the TaHoma switch.

Zigbee 3.0 technology is renowned for its interoperability, global acceptance, and robust security measures. It serves as the backbone for connecting various smart home devices to a unified network, creating a harmonious ecosystem of synchronized products. Through the TaHoma switch, the newly attained certification with Apple Home offers a secure avenue to control Somfy-powered motorized window coverings via Zigbee motors. This control is easily accessible through the Apple Home app and Siri on a range of Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, HomePod, and Mac.

Apple Home’s integration enables users to finely adjust Somfy shades with the added convenience of automation, allowing for entirely hands-free management. This innovation extends Somfy’s reach to direct integration into five major smart home control ecosystems, including Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, and IFTTT.

Somfy’s TaHoma App continues to be a central hub for a wide range of smart home functionalities, compatible with all major devices. The user-friendly and intuitive interface simplifies the control of smart home shading products. Users can effortlessly command shade movement through voice commands. The customizable interface empowers users to personalize controls, add devices, scenes, or rooms tailored to their preferences, and even set up automated controls based on scheduled actions.

For More Information: https://www.somfysystems.com/en-us/

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Linxura, a technology company specializing in smart device control solutions, announced their Linxura Smart Controller at CEDIA Expo. It is a small, portable smart home controller that lets you control your smart home devices without needing additional hubs or multiple apps to use each of them. Linxura communicates directly with devices, and can also work through Amazon Alexa and IFTTT, with the Matter smart home connectivity standard, Apple HomeKit, Google Home and other platforms to be supported in upcoming firmware updates.

“Linxura simplifies smart device control by eliminating the need for additional hubs, electric installations, and multiple single-purpose buttons or dials,” says Haofei Shi, CEO at Linxura. “With the ability to have scenes controlling multiple devices simultaneously, complex and expensive control solutions are now a thing of the past.”

At the center of Linxura is an e-paper screen showing four devices at a time to control, with a click wheel around the screen to select other pages of devices and scenes to control them. Functions can be customized to work the way you like it. For example, you can click once to turn a device On, twice to turn it Off, and click and hold to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise to enable the wheel to be able to adjust different smart device functions such as brightness, temperature, volume, change channels, etc. It can work up to three months on a single charge.

For More Information:  www.linxura.com

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Google is rolling out an extensive update to enhance the automation capabilities of the Google Home app’s Household Routines feature. This upgrade introduces 18 new starters and actions, creating a more streamlined and user-friendly experience. The noteworthy aspect of this update is that it’s accessible to all users and doesn’t require enrollment in the Preview Program.

According to the official Google community blog, the update empowers users with 9 starters and 9 actions, accessible within the Google Home app. Among the exciting possibilities, users can now coordinate actions such as turning off the thermostat when a window is open, activating the fireplace and dimming lights upon pausing a TV show, triggering the humidifier when humidity falls below 40%, and more. However, it’s important to note that the new Google Home Starters and Actions are subject to the limitations set by individual device manufacturers.

Furthermore, the 9 new actions now available through Google Home offer a range of functionalities. These include scheduling the docking of a vacuum cleaner at specific times, automating the opening and closing of windows, doors, or blinds according to a set schedule, temporarily pausing devices when the doorbell rings, and finely controlling lighting effects. Notably, the Timer action provides users with more precise control—enabling them to cancel a timer in case of leaving the house or setting a 30-minute timer for cooking dinner.

It’s essential to recognize that the examples provided here only scratch the surface of the possibilities afforded by the new Google Home Starters and Actions. For a comprehensive list of these features, the interested users can consult the associated blog post. To access the newly introduced starters and actions, one can navigate to the Automation tab within the Google Home app.

Google acknowledges that the extent to which devices can support these capabilities is contingent on the device manufacturer. As a result, it’s advisable to consult the official device compatibility list before experimenting with the new Google Home starters and actions. If a user’s device isn’t listed, it implies that the device’s manufacturer hasn’t integrated these features.

For More Information: www.9to5google.com

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The Matter smart home standard has been slow to add new devices and form factors but, slowly, it’s expanding. Today, the first in-wall light switch with Matter support baked in has launched with TP-Link’s new Tapo switch.

The TP-Link Tapo S505 and S505D are Matter-enabled light switches that you can install into the wall to control traditional lighting fixtures. The standard S505 has support for On/Off, while the S505D, supports a dimmer too.

Both switches work like the rest of TP-Link/Tapo’s light switches. You’ll be able to install it in place of a traditional switch, but a neutral wire is required. That’s pretty common in newer homes, but some older homes may not have that wire available. If you need to check, which you should do before buying, the neutral wire is usually white and typically not used by traditional switches, meaning it sits loosely in the switch box.

These new switches beat past options with local network control (they’re not reliant on an active internet connection to function) and also add support for a new “Away” feature in the Tapo app which can simulate someone being home by adjusting the lights at random.

But the big story here is of course Matter, which allows for these light switches to be set up directly through the Google Home, Apple Home, or Samsung SmartThings apps without the need of a manufacturer app, and also allows for cross-platform support, too. You’ll get basic controls in that case, including on/off and dimming.

Both switches are shipping now at Amazon

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Abode Systems has announced the native integration of Google Nest thermostats, doorbells, and cameras to the Abode platform. Abode is now the first no-contract, DIY home security brand to successfully implement integration with Google Nest products.

Prior to the “Works with Nest” program sunset in 2019, the Abode smart home security platform had deep integration with Nest products, allowing Abode home security users to control and automate Nest devices directly within Abode’s App. Now, Google has developed a new API called the Google Nest Device Access program that allows Abode to integrate both access and climate control Google Nest products into the Abode platform and exchange information between the two ecosystems.

The value of the Abode/Google Nest collaboration is most evident in the CUE automation engine, which extends the usefulness and customisable features of the Abode system. For example, Abode users can leverage the connection with their Nest thermostat by switching to `Away’ mode on Nest when the Abode system is set to `arm.’

The Google Nest devices that will now work natively inside the Abode App are as follows:

• Google Nest Cameras
• Legacy Nest Cam
• Google Nest Hub Max (has camera)
• Legacy Nest Doorbell
• Google Nest Cam – indoor/wired
• Google Nest Cam – indoor/outdoor wireless (battery)
• Google Nest Cam – with floodlights
• Google Nest Doorbell, wired
• Google Nest Doorbell, wireless (battery)
• Google Nest Thermostats
• Nest Learning Thermostat
• Nest Thermostat

This integration provides a rich set of features and options including Google Nest camera and doorbells to access each device’s live stream and, for some, record a video clip when an event is triggered. Customers will be able to set triggers or conditions within the Abode CUE automation engine and customize responses based on triggers such as temperature or humidity for the thermostat as well as person, motion, and sound detection from Google Nest cameras — both inside and outdoors.

Google has a wide range of smart home products including its voice assistant, smart hubs, cameras, and climate control. Abode already works with Google Assistant for hands-free voice control of devices and automation setup. With the release today, Google Nest customers and Abode customers will enjoy a robust integration with Google Nest thermostats, security cameras and video doorbells.

For more information http://goabode.com/google-nest

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Architects and Interior designers often find themselves in a situation, where their clients ask them, why they should opt for Smart Automated Shades and Blinds. We have the answers to all of your questions right here.

Smart automated Shades and Blinds are no longer a fancy option. Gone are the days when their use was restricted to high-end homes and commercial projects because they were expensive! Today, many national and international brands in the market offer various options that are competitively priced. Plus, they can be integrated with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings ecosystems, etc. The most popular brands in this segment are Somfy, Lutron, Hogar Controls, Hunter Douglas, Crestron, Buildwell Motors, A-OK Motors and Funk Motors to name a few.  

Market Drivers

The major reason for the increasing popularity of smart shades and blinds is the latest advancements and the convenience it offers to users. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global blinds and shades market is projected to grow from $6.12 billion in 2022 to $8.76 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 5.27% in the forecast period, 2022-2029.

There are many reasons for the rising demand, and according to Future Market Insights, innovative energy-saving features in blinds and shades are drawing in more customers. Moreover, this is expected to significantly support the concept of smart buildings coupled with distributed energy systems. Growing consumer awareness of customizing product solutions offered by various manufacturers in the blind and shades market is also one of the reasons fueling the growth of the global blinds and shades market.

Smart Shade Controls

There are various types of smart shade controls offered by different manufacturers. The most popular way to operate smart shades will be via Apps. There are dedicated Apps from the maker designed specifically for a given smart shade. In other instances, the smart shade may function with one or more of the popular smart home ecosystems, including Apple HomeKit, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, and Amazon Alexa.

Smart Displays like the Google Nest Hub or Nest Hub Max can provide touch control for smart shades, though the controls might only be able to open and close the shades in the most basic of ways. Smart shades frequently use Works with Google integrations to connect to Google smart displays. Integrations with Amazon Echo Show displays might also be feasible. Smart speakers are built into smart displays, allowing voice commands to be used with them as well.

The feature of Voice Control with Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, or Google Assistant may indeed be an option for a given smart shade, but enabling that functionality may require an add-on smart speaker or smart home hub.

Many smart shade makers offer a companion Wireless Remote Control option. These can be convenient when you want to operate an individual shade without having to locate your smartphone or try to recall a specific voice command. They can be snapped to the wall or sit on a coffee table for easy access. These may communicate with the smart shade via radio frequency (RF), Z-Wave, Bluetooth, or other wireless communication protocols.

Another option for some brands of smart shades is In-Wall Lighting and Control Systems. These smart lighting controls can be equipped with optional colour LCD touch-screen displays to control smart shades and other devices in addition to replacing standard lighting wall switches. 

Whole-Home Automation Systems are another option that are expensive systems, which system integrators can install, and can integrate motorized and smart shades. They have dedicated on-wall touch panels, remote controls, and mobile device controls.

Smart Home Scenes can also be used to control groups of smart shades. In this case, scenes have been set up to operate all the shades in the house with a single tap, or even just one room at a time. A lockdown scene has been set up to lock all of the doors and secure the smart door locks in addition to simultaneously closing all of the shades.

Smart Home Scenes By tapping a button in an app, scenes allow multiple smart shades to be controlled simultaneously. These scenes can be combined to control other smart home accessories connected to the same network, like smart door locks or smart lighting, and they are simple to set up. Typically, voice control can also be used to run scenes.

Smart Home Ecosystem Integration

The new Matter Standard may change everything over time, but today the compatibility of smart shades between the Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings ecosystems is very mixed.

Smart shades that include onboard Z-Wave or Zigbee radios can offer the best integration across the ecosystems, particularly when used with the Samsung SmartThings platform. They are also a good bet for the long term since they will ultimately work with Matter and are also among the favorites of professional integrators.

The Samsung SmartThings ecosystem offers a broad range of integration options for smart shades. The latest SmartThings hub offers both Z-Wave and Zigbee radios, and can manage an entire home fitted with smart shades and other smart accessories.

Somfy one of the prominent brands in this segment offers curtains and tubular shades that operate flawlessly, are the fastest and quietest shades available, and are compatible with all popular smart-home platforms. They help save energy and improve home security.  Sonesse 50 Ultra are the ultra-quiet motors from Somfy for interior blinds. The newly patented and improved spring brake eliminates stopping and tilting noise. Glydea Ultra is packed with innovations that provide an acoustic performance of less than 38dBA, one of the quietest motorization solutions in the market. Adding Taral Trivedi, Managing Director, Somfy India says, “Somfy offers both motorization and control solutions for various window covering and access applications such as Interior blinds and curtains, Shutters and sun protection, connected home, access management, security. Somfy offers control solutions on open protocol platform of digital and wireless technologies available in the market, reference Dry Contact, RS485, Zigbee, KNX, IFTTT which allows third-party systems to be able to integrate seamlessly with Somfy motors. These controls allow for interoperable options of read and write commands which in turn allows the end user to establish two-way communications where you get reports on status checks and error feedback. Further extending the flexibility of control strategies, Somfy offers API-based services for customized integration with third-party automation systems in the market. Somfy has partnered with leading technology providers and system integrators in the market to offer end-to-end customized solutions.”

Adding insight on the Smart Shades and controls, Jubin Thomas, Territory Sales Manager, Lutron says, “Lutron designs and manufactures smart shades and lighting controls. We don’t just care about the performance of our smart shades such as silent operation and perfect alignment, but also the aesthetics including the shades themselves and the controllers to control the shades. We have various styles of controllers like Palladiom Keypads, Alisse Wall Controls, and a wireless controller named Pico, offering our customers different designs, finishes, and applications to meet their needs. Lutron offers seamless integration between our smart shades and lighting controls and various control option like wired, wireless, timeclock, voice, and mobile app control. On top of this, users can add in sensors like occupancy sensors or daylight sensors. With occupancy sensors, it will allow the shades to open or lights to turn on automatically when a room is occupied, or vice versa. With daylight sensors, the shades will move according to the sun positioning and incoming daylight. This is what Lutron calls total light control with utmost intelligence.”

One of the major components of Smart Shades and Blinds is smart motorization.  It is one of the most important components, while many smart home accessories may operate invisibly in the background, it’s the built-in shade motors whirring in sync with onboard wireless radio chips and software that make smart shades the most convenient choice for users.

One of the most trusted and popular brand that offers a wholesome solution is Hogar Controls. The Brand offers Smart Curtains & Blinds with varying degrees of intelligence based on usage. They have the widest and unique range of products which includes Curtain Motors that support 40-130 KG of load and blind motors which can take 15-150 KG of load. Being a leader in Home Automation they provide multi-protocol compatibility for their motors be it Z-wave, Zigbee, Wi-Fi or KNX. Hogar Controls’ VL40 & VL60 motors are one of the smartest available in this segment. Not only can you connect them with any 3rd party automation, one can use them seamlessly via App and Voice Control without even using any Automation system all together. The motors have an automation chip in built which allows them to operate via Hogar App and Alexa by just connecting to available Wi-Fi Network. And the smart curtain module allows any brand motor be it curtain or blind operate seamlessly on Hogar App.

“Apart from a wide range of Smart Motors we offers smart accessories which includes flexible tracks, Multi-Channel Remotes, Smart receiver, Smart Touch Panels etc. Their USP includes integration with any Smart Home Automation, Super silent motors, compatibility with voice assistants, compatibility with roller, roman, venetian, skyline and zebra blinds, says Jaspreet Singh Bhatia, Vice President Hogar Controls

While Buildwell Motors manufactures tubular and curtain motors that can be used to automate venetian blinds, wooden blinds, roller blinds, and curtains. Their motors can be controlled using their beautiful glass facia RF remotes, Smartphones using Wi- fi or any wired/wireless home automation. Their motors are compatible with all home automation systems. They are the only curtain motor company in India, manufacturing all plastic components, aluminium tracks and metal hardware in-house, which gives them the advantage to control quality in comparison to other companies who import from other countries.

Smart motorization undergoes regular technical updates. The most recent is the AM75 Curtain Motor by A-OK, a new generation Helical Gearbox design Curtain Motor with Superior Performance, good load bearing capacity, being one of the highest in its segment, and can work on multiple platforms such as Home Automation via dry contact, Home Automation via high voltage AC power supply, with a remote control device, as well as voice commands over leading platforms such as Amazon Alexa, Google Home, etc. and loaded with all the leading features.  

Advantages of Shades and Blinds

Light Control, and Comfort.

Whether your goal is to maximize or minimize daylighting, reduce glare, or simply stay comfortable, smart shades can make it easy to automatically control the amount of light coming into your windows to meet the needs of the moment. This modulation can happen many times throughout the day and can be tailored on an individual window or group of windows basis. You may want all of your shades to open at sunrise and close at sunset, or have them open or close at different times during the day based on their orientation to the sun, time of day, and depth of overhangs. Most shades are made from llight-filtering fabrics and can be adjusted by voice control to bring in softened daylight. They are each powered by 8 AA batteries, housed in wands hidden behind the shade housings.

Solar Heat Gain and Loss + Energy Savings.

Automations on a schedule can help minimize solar heat gain through your windows on hot days by closing the shades (to reduce cooling loads), or maximizing solar heat gain on cold days by opening them (to reduce heating loads). These hands-off automations can help save on energy costs throughout the year.

Now that we have understood the technical part we give you the option to select the right type of shades

Types of Smart Shade Designs.

Smart shade types and designs can be as varied as the windows they are intended to cover.

Roller Shades. Roller shades are the most universal of all smart shades, and nearly every manufacturer will offer them in their product line-ups. Mechanically, these are the simplest of all motorized shades and generally require the least amount of lift force from the motor—meaning the batteries tend to last longer. Their cost tends to be at the lower end of the smart shade range.

Layered Shades. Among the newest designs are smart layered shades (often called banded shades or zebra shades), where the shade consists of two layers or fabric with alternating bands of sheer and opaque material. They tend to be at the higher end of the cost range, and can be the most dramatic to watch as they raise, lower, or adjust.

Sheer Shades. Also among the newer designs are smart sheer shades (often called soft blinds), all-fabric shades that have two layers of fabric connected by fabric vanes. They function more like Venetian blinds, and also tend to be at the higher end of the cost range.

Cellular Shades. Cellular shades (also known as honeycomb shades) are also offered by many smart shade manufacturers, and these are generally in the middle of the cost range. They typically offer more energy savings than other designs due to the air trapped inside the cellular vanes.

Venetian Blinds. There are many smart Venetian blinds on the market to choose from. Due to the nature of their design, they tend to be heavier and require more lift force than other designs—so typically the lift operation is not motorized. Instead, the motorization and automation are restricted to tilting the vanes for light control. These shades can be made of aluminum, vinyl, wood, or other materials. Cost tends to be at the lower to middle segments of the range.

Types of Smart Shade Power Options.

Smart shade motorization requires continual access to electrical power. While many smart shades will be powered via batteries, shades operate via wireless connections. Plug-in Power Adapters is also a viable option, particularly where you plan on installing a large number of shades throughout the home. Hard Wiring can be installed on dedicated in-wall control boxes and power supplies in strategic locations. This will enable you to invisibly hide all wires in the walls. Solar Panels are offered by Some manufacturers. In this case, a small solar panel positioned near the shade is used to keep the batteries recharged. This may be a good option where the window location receives sufficient sunlight to fully recharge the batteries each day.

Now that we have cleared all your doubts and provided our readers with the latest updates we are sure you are confident to make the right choice.

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