Shades have taken the CI industry by storm and, as more integrators enter the fray, manufacturers are adding new products and building up their production facilities. Here are some of the latest new products and news from the category.
Lutron Roman Shades
Lutron’s battery-operated Lutron Triathlon Roman Fabrication Kit and fabrication guide is a modular system that supports a range of fabric weights while maintaining its battery life. The Triathlon Roman Shades support automated control of daylight and the ability to be integrated within Lutron’s whole-home systems, or leading third-party integration systems. The fabrication kit will include a custom-configured tube and bracket assembly, refreshed electronic drive unit, workroom configurable add-on spring modules, and an attachment system to accommodate lift and uptake mechanisms provided by a workroom. Like all Lutron shade offerings, the Triathlon Roman Shades will offer smooth, whisper-quiet privacy and UV protection at the touch of a button.
To help make automation easier, Lutron will also launch a suite of resources to support its expanded Roman Shade platform, which will include a Fabrication Guide to support all use-cases of the new shade and to empower designers to partner with their workroom of choice, regardless of familiarity with the product; a Sivoia QS Roman Kit Enhancement with cord attachment accessories; and dedicated trainings and support for custom home integrators and workroom partners, in particular, to support fabrication inquiries.
Somfy Sonesse 30 PoE motor
Somfy’s Sonesse 30 PoE motor enhances control for users to create custom commands and manage large spaces using a single application to help lower operational costs and improve efficiency. The Sonesse 30 PoE motor allows for a seamless installation process due to the low voltage and easy wiring, increasing safety and eliminating the need for an electrician. Plus, motors are immediately discoverable and ready for commissioning by using a web GUI; a physical setting tool is not needed. For building owners who are seeking a solution to reduce operational costs, the networking feature of PoE allows network cables to carry electrical DC power and IP data connectivity over an existing data connection with a single Cat5e/Cat6 ethernet cable.
The Somfy Synergy Application Programming Interface (API) is available to simplify integrations with third-party control systems. Somfy designs solutions that are intentionally open, offering certified drivers for third-party automation systems.
PowerShades PoE 2.0
PowerShades is now shipping Version 2.0 of its TruePoE automated window shades. This version of PowerShades’ PoE shades arrives with an abundance of new features and benefits, including indoor shade size up to 19 feet, quieter motors, and 13x more processing power. These new automated window shades, powered by a reliable, quiet PoE motor, bring increased flexibility, ease of installation, and potential cost savings to Powershades’ already feature-rich automated window coverings.
Benefits of the PoE 2.0 shades include up to 6Nm torque capability; PowerShades’ TruePoE version 2.0 shades require only 5 watts to power a shade; upgraded CPU and electronics, including 13x processing power, with ARM Cortex M7 Technology, and 10x more code space for enhanced features and performance now and in the future; more dry-contact functions, including “Stop” and “Favorite”; and enhanced networking stack will enable new features such as VLAN Tagging capable and IPV6 support.
Version 2.0 of PowerShades’ TruePoE shades will continue to offer all the unique benefits of the company’s initial product. As with the original PoE version of Powershades’ automated shades, a single run of Cat5 cable provides both power and communication. The use of a single network cable means there is no proprietary hard wiring necessary. Also, since the new PoE motor is low voltage (under 50V DC), it does not require the services of a licensed electrician or special certifications, reducing installation expense and time.
Coulisse MotionBlinds
Coulisse offers what it calls future-proof and connected motors for blinds and shades supporting the latest smart home technologies. Coulisse is collaborating with smart home specialist Eve Systems to further expand its MotionBlinds technology. The two companies created smart window covering motors that support Thread and Matter, delivering plug-and-play interoperability and platform independence. Eve MotionBlinds motors work with Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings without the need for a proprietary bridge. The motors work with other smart devices such as thermostats, lighting, window sensors, and security cameras to create the ultimate smart home living environment.
MotionBlinds motors are designed to be seamlessly integrated into window covering systems. The motors feature physical buttons for easy setup and programming, eliminating the need for remote controls. Smart automations can be manually overridden in a very intuitive way with a manual tug on the child-safe pull wand that is connected to the motor, making the window coverings open or close automatically.
Legrand Shading Systems Decorative Brackets Demo Case
Legrand’s Building Control Systems (BCS) division has a demo case that allows dealers to showcase the Shading Systems Designer Series Decorative Brackets and matching hembar endcaps to their customers. The outside of the attractive yet durable powder-coated aluminum case is compact for easy portability, while the inside features two removable trays that envelop the wide range of finishes in an easy and effective presentation. This introduction follows the release of the dealer demo case for Vantage’s keypad collections, which showcases Vantage’s EasyTouch II, EasyTouch Glass, RPTouch, and adorne keypad and faceplate options, along with an EQ40 LCD keypad.
The Legrand Shading Decorative Endcaps slide on easily to the open roll brackets without interfering with the mounting surface. They tastefully and cleverly hide mounting hardware from view, resulting in a cohesive shading design. Likewise, the matching hembar endcaps offer a redesigned, modern shape to complete the look and provide a consistent finish.
Savant Acquires Assets of J Geiger Shading
Savant Systems has completed a transaction to acquire assets from J Geiger Shading, a recognized window treatment market leader that designs and delivers architecturally conscious shading. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Over the last six years the teams at Savant and J Geiger have formed a close partnership, bringing a new category of exposed roller-shades to market through the custom integration channel as well as launching new category-defining products, such as quick-install Inception shades. J Geiger’s design approach and craftsmanship aligns perfectly with Savant’s ability to deliver the best possible smart home experience, including the Savant app’s Daylight Mode, designed to seamlessly blend natural and artificial lighting.
Draper Adds to Its Manufacturing Campus
Draper has added a tenth building at its manufacturing campus in Spiceland, Ind. The 100,000-square-foot building brings the amount of total space to 500,000 square feet.
“This building adds seven much-needed loading docks, and also storage and production space. It enables us to add a new automated powder coating line,” says Chris Broome, who is the fifth generation of the family to serve as Draper president during its 121-year history. “But more important than our buildings are our people. We are proud that, in our 121-year history, Draper has laid off zero employees. Draper currently has 723 employees, with a total of 7680 years of service. 167 of our employees have passed the 20-year milestone. 12 have been here for more than 40 years.”
The new building was added after several years of steady growth, and with the expectation of even more growth with the company’s entry as a major player in the residential shading market.
Hunter Douglas Aura Illuminated Shades
Hunter Douglas’s Aura Illuminated Shades define a new category of shading products with a transformative, three-in-one design: A traditional-looking front shade, a reflective room-darkening liner, and ambient illumination via programmable LED work in tandem to deliver a customized experience that elevates mood and ambiance in the connected home.
Aura Illuminated Shades enhance the benefits of smart shades by blending smart functionality with a first-of-its-kind design to deliver daylight on demand. The built-in LED feature serves as a secondary light source that mimics natural incoming light at the window. This feature allows homeowners to control natural and artificial light, providing precise, comfortable illumination at any time and extending light into early morning and evening hours.
Sun Shades by Nice
Sun Shades by Nice, Nice’s first-ever line of custom smart sun shades, offers a variety of roller-shading solutions for the home technology professional to further expand on the company’s portfolio of whole-home automation solutions.
Sun Shades by Nice provides expansive design options with the same flexible integration that installers have come to love. Advanced electronics offer enhanced versatility, enabling the sun shades to be integrated into a project at any stage of the building process. Highly customizable with options for indoor and outdoor use, the custom roller-shade line offers stunning finishes to complete any space.
The range of sun shades for interior needs include open roll, cassette, fascia, and pocket-mounting options, as well as options for dual roller and total blackout shade. Offerings are available for more complex needs, such as skylights, bottom-up applications commonly used in bedrooms, and peaked or angled windows. Powerful shade motors by Nice also enable more options for windows up to 18 feet.
Additionally, the line includes exterior options that extend the possibilities to outdoor spaces. With track-guided and cable-guided solutions for both vertical and horizontal shading needs, Sun Shades by Nice covers most needs for standard exterior window coverings while preventing heat transfer from solar radiation, and drastically improving temperature control and energy use.
