What does it mean when I see the note “weather data from ..”?
Are different fabrics better than others for reducing glare?
How can automated shades help my building be more energy efficient?
How does the color of the fabric affect views, heat, and privacy?
My project is in a dense cityscape, how will this affect the performance of my shading system?
Do I need a lighting control system for daylight harvesting with automated shades?
Can I still save energy without turning my lights off completely?
How do the "Automated Shades" operate based on daylight conditions?
What is the difference between various fabric compositions?
What are the differences between the various weaves and knits available for fabrics?
How do I know which fabrics have the correct physical dimensions and stability for projects with large windows?
What does “PVC-Free” mean?
What fabric certifications and standards should I consider?
How do I choose a fabric best suited for my project?
How can automated shades contribute to LEED (v4 and 2009)?
How do I order fabric samples?
How do I place an order for Lutron shades?
Where can I find more information about Lutron shading solutions?
How do I clean my fabrics?
I do not see my specific project city. What city should I select?
What does it mean when I see the note “weather data from ..”?
Are different fabrics better than others for reducing glare?
Each fabric has unique properties that make them suitable for glare control in particular applications. Determining the conditions of the project will help in understanding the relative glare performance from one fabric to another. The Fabric Wizard will help you in determining the correct fabric for an application based on your specific project parameters (i.e. location, orientation, window properties, etc.).
The fabric openness factor (OF) indicates the relative amount of direct light that passes through the shade. This is used to evaluate the likelihood of direct glare from the sun orb. Choosing a low openness factor alone is not sufficient for glare control. A low OF fabric that is too light in color can also cause visual discomfort. The fabric glass visible transmittance (Tv) indicates the relative amount of direct and diffuse light that passes through the shade. This is used to evaluate the likelihood of diffuse glare, or glare from the shade as a bright diffuse light source. Both of these properties are critical in evaluating for glare control. If either Tv or OF are too high for the specific application, then glare is likely to occur.
Although blackout shades may provide the best glare protection, they are not necessary to maintain glare control and will greatly decrease the daylight availability. Select blackout shades when the goal is to create a dark environment.
How can automated shades help my building be more energy efficient?
Automated shades allow you to maximize the amount of daylight entering a space, and can save energy by minimizing reliance on electric light without significantly impacting HVAC loads.
Lutron supports a new sustainability concept, Daylight Autonomy, which is the percentage of daytime hours that a significant amount of useful daylight is present in a space. It is known that automated shades enhance the useful daylight zone (the area inside a space illuminated by daylight). Manual shade applications typically extend the useful daylight zone about 10 feet inside the perimeter of a space while automated shades can extend that zone to 20 feet. Automated shades allow for higher daylight autonomy, since manual shades are rarely adjusted. This significantly enhances the energy saving potential of lighting systems through daylight harvesting.
The Daylight Autonomy value can be even higher by combining Sivoia® QS shades, Hyperion® solar-adaptive shading technology, the Radio Window Sensor, and Lutron’s daylight dimming technology. Utilizing these solutions together significantly increases the electricity savings in a space, while mitigating glare and improving occupant comfort and productivity. Other benefits include improved workplace aesthetics, and increased exposure to daylight and views (which improves overall health and well-being, attention to detail, and stress management).
Learn more about how Lutron can help you save energy
Watch the video to learn more about daylight autonomy.
How does the color of the fabric affect views, heat, and privacy?
Light and dark fabrics have advantages and disadvantages, depending on their application. The ideal fabric color can vary by project based on location, orientation, design aesthetics, or project priorities such as whether a space requires glare control.
If the design goal is view preservation, choose darker colored fabrics with a lower glass visible transmittance (Tv). Conversely, if the design goal is privacy, choose either blackout fabrics or lighter fabrics with a higher glass visible transmittance on the back (exterior side).
If the design goal is heat mitigation or thermal comfort, choose fabrics that have a lighter colored back (exterior side) and solar reflectance (Rs). This can be done with lighter fabrics of solid color, with fabrics with a high reflectance backing such as dual sided, or with specialty fabrics designed to increase the solar reflectance of standard fabric colors.
My project is in a dense cityscape, how will this affect the performance of my shading system?
By default, the fabric selection tool assumes that the building has no obstructions. This will generally ensure that the building is designed for maximum daylight exposure on all façades. This is a conservative approach and it may sometimes result in fabric suggestions with lower openness factors than may be ideal for the space. However, this will only cause conservative suggestions in the lowest floors of a building in the most dense cityscapes. However, if you would like the tool to provide a closer representation of the glare needs of that façade, use the advanced façade input to disable direct sun control on these façades. This is done by selecting the checkbox below each façade in the worksheet. When selected, the Fabric Wizard will assume that nearby obstructions (such as buildings) will block up to 30deg from the horizon (if the neighboring structure is 100 feet away, the height of the structure is at least 58 feet above the façade windows).
An important exception is for orientations that generally receive no direct sun but have a reflective structure causing indirect sun reflections. This is common for a North façade in the Northern hemisphere in an urban environment. A building across the street reflects the direct sun into the Northern façade causing glare. If this is the case, enter the Northern façade as a Southern façade to obtain a safe and conservative result.
As for the automation, Lutron manufactures a shadow sensor that can account for such local conditions and move the shade to a different position based on the light level readings at the sensor. For instance, if there is a cloudy day, and if the shade may normally have been fully closed based on an astronomical timeclock, the sensor would allow the shade to open more to allow more light through.
Do I need a lighting control system for daylight harvesting with automated shades?
Can I still save energy without turning my lights off completely?
How do the "Automated Shades" operate based on daylight conditions?
What is the difference between various fabric compositions?
Fabrics are made using many different materials to suit different purposes. Here are a few of the most commonly used fabric materials.
PVC-coated fiberglass
This lightweight, strong material serves as a good insulator and doesn’t stretch over time. PVC coating adds strength and durability, but cannot typically be recycled.
PVC-coated polyester Comparably durable to PVC-coated fiberglass, the yarn core in polyester can be melted to make a clean-cut edge resulting in better edge-quality.
100% polyester These fabrics are made with virtually no harmful chemical content (PVC-free). Polyester fabrics can be recycled and are considered more environmentally friendly than other fabric types. Polyester does tend to stretch over time – most vendors pre-stretch the fabric to minimize elongation of the shade.
Thermoplastic Olefin (TPO)
Designed to be tough and durable like polyester, TPO fabrics are made with virtually no harmful chemical content, allowing them to often be recyclable. TPOs have additional chemicals to meet fire-retardancy requirements and have relatively poor wear resistance over time.
What are the differences between the various weaves and knits available for fabrics?
A fabric’s weave or knit refers to the structure of the fabric.
Weaves
Basketweave fabrics are woven on a loom by interlacing strands of yarn at right angles to each other. They are available in several varieties such as 1x1, 1x2 (e.g. M Screen) and 2x2 (e.g. Sheerweave 90). In twill weave fabric (e.g. Sheerweave 27), the weave staggers warp and weft in order to produce a different look or pattern, and the diagonal is noticeable. A Jacquard weave is a much more intricate pattern, and is made on machines specifically dedicated to this type of weave. Jacquard-weave machines are very expensive but highly adaptable. This unique weave offers excellent room for creativity, and is ideal when a fabric requires a specific woven design.
Knits
Warp-knitted fabric (e.g. GreenScreen® Revive™), is created by interlacing strands of yarn in a series of connected loops. Think of it as tying little loops into knots.
How do I know which fabrics have the correct physical dimensions and stability for projects with large windows?
Railroading is an option for applications that require shades wider than the maximum usable width. It is critical to choose a fabric with good dimensional stability for railroading. Symmetrical weaves (1x1, 2x2, etc.) seem to perform best for railroading, and basketweave fabrics in particular have good dimensional stability.
Some examples of symmetrical weaves are:
- Basketweave 90
- E Screen
- SheerLite
- Basketweave Eco 2
What does “PVC-Free” mean?
PVC-free fabrics are manufactured with virtually no harmful chemical content (these chemicals are called volatile organic compounds or VOCs). PVC fabrics can be recycled and are considered more environmentally friendly than other materials. PVC-free fabrics can contribute to improving the indoor air quality in a space, a priority or even a requirement for some projects. Some of these fabrics are also composed of post-consumer waste material, such as recycled water bottles. While a PVC-free fabric offers many wonderful benefits, there are some advantages in selecting a PVC-coated fabric. PVC coating does increase strength, durability, and resistance-to-wear. It also enables fabrics to meet fire-resistance codes, achieve desired color properties, and improves resistance to damage from water, mildew, oils, and other chemicals.
What fabric certifications and standards should I consider?
In today’s buildings, products and materials must meet certain standards and codes in addition to having certifications including:
THEIA™ Compliant validates that specified fabric and delivered fabric have nearly identical solar performance properties to provide confidence that the design intent is met.
PVC free manufactured with virtually no harmful chemical content (these chemicals are called volatile organic compounds or VOCs). PVC free fabrics can be recycled and are considered more environmentally friendly than other materials.
Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Silver certifies achievement in five categories (Material Health, Material Reutilization, Renewable Energy and Carbon Management, Water Stewardship, and Social Fairness) – awards healthy, sustainable products (Silver is the 3rd of 5 levels).
GREENGUARD/GREENGUARD Gold This certification says that a product or material meets strict harmful chemical emissions limits. The GREENGUARD® Environmental Institute was founded to improve indoor air quality and reduce occupants' exposure to VOCs and other potentially harmful chemicals. The GREENGUARD® Gold Certification enforces even more stringent emissions limits.
Anti-microbial and fungal The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) publishes hundreds of technical standards including fabric rating tests for the growth of mold, mildew, bacteria, other types of fungi, etc. These ratings are especially important in healthcare projects.
Fire retardancy In the United States, the common fire resistance rating certifications for commercial applications are NFPA 701 and California U.S. Title #19, which is the state’s public safety code requiring all commercial solar screen fabrics to be tested for minimum fire resistance standards. Internationally, the most common and acceptable standards for solar protection fabrics in Europe are M1 and B1 ratings. These fire ratings are far more stringent than NFPA 701.
Reduction of Hazardous Substances Another certification is RoHS, or Reduction of Hazardous Substances, which states that a product has been tested for heavy metals and is compliant.
Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certifies that textiles have been successfully tested for harmful substances according to their product class (solar shade fabrics are Class IV – Furnishing Materials)
How do I choose a fabric best suited for my project?
A project’s priorities, along with the functional needs for a given space, can help facilitate a fabric selection.
Commercially, fabric performance properties and certifications are equally as important as aesthetics. Priorities need to be established for each project. Priorities may include the aesthetic look of the fabric, energy savings potential, indoor environmental quality, preserving a view, blocking a view, and increasing privacy. These priorities help to eliminate or narrow down fabric options.
Use the Fabric Wizard to help select the best solar screen fabric according to your project's parameters and priorities.
Residentially, fabric selection is most typically based on aesthetics and views. Choose a fabric that complements the décor of your space and gives you the degree of privacy according to the function of the interior space. A sheer fabric may be ideal for a kitchen or living-room application to allow for a view, while a translucent or blackout shade might be most appealing in a bedroom application.
Use the Lutron Fabric Collections App to browse through our 1500 fabrics by shade style or collection.
How can automated shades contribute to LEED (v4 and 2009)?
LEED New Constructions v4 Green Building Rating System Lutron automated shades can contribute to earning up to 29 out of the possible 110 LEED NC v4 points, within the following categories:
- Energy and Atmosphere. Lutron shades can save energy by optimizing the effectiveness from the daylight responsive lighting controls. An automated shading system works in coordination with daylight responsive lighting control by opening shades to let effective useful daylight in to reduce electric lighting levels and then closing shades to block harsh sun glare at certain times.
- Materials and Resources. Using Lutron fabric containing recycled content and/or with Cradle to Cradle Certification helps with this category.
- Indoor Environmental Quality. Lutron shade fabrics that are GREENGUARD certified help with credit. Additionally, Lutron shades can minimize glare while still maximizing daylight autonomy and access to views.
- Innovation. Using Hyperion® solar-adaptive shading technology may achieve an innovation point.
LEED New Constructions 2009 Green Building Rating System Lutron automated shades can contribute to earning up to 25 out of the possible 110 LEED NC 2009 points, within the following categories:
- Sustainable Sites (SSc8). Lutron automated shades help reduce light pollution by automatically lowering the shades at night to preventing interior electric light from leaving the building.
- Energy and Atmosphere (EAp2, EAc1). Lutron shades can help save energy by optimizing the effectiveness from the daylight responsive lighting controls. An automated shading system works in coordination with daylight responsive lighting control by opening shades to let effective useful daylight in to reduce electric lighting levels and then closing shades to block harsh sun glare at certain times.
- Materials and Resources (MRc4). Using Lutron fabric containing recycled content helps with this category.
- Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQc8.1, 8.2). Lutron shades help control glare while still providing daylight and access to views.
- Innovation in Design (IDc1). Using Hyperion® solar-adaptive shading technology may achieve an innovation point.
How do I order fabric samples?
It is very easy to order fabric samples using The Lutron Performance Fabric Wizard. Simply add the fabric sample you wish to order to your Sample Cart. You may order more than one fabric sample at a time (limit 10 per order). Once you fill out your contact information and submit your order, samples will typically arrive within 2-3 business days domestically and 7-10 business days internationally.
How do I place an order for Lutron shades?
We have Lutron representatives all over the world that can help with your next project. Locate a representative using our Where to Buy tool, or call Shades Customer Service at 1.800.446.1503.
Where can I find more information about Lutron shading solutions?
Lutron has several brochures to help you learn more about all the different shading solutions Lutron has to offer
How do I clean my fabrics?
Depending on the type of fabric, there are suggested methods for cleaning, including hand dusting, vacuuming with a soft brush attachment, or having the shades professionally cleaned. Please review the Window Treatment Cleaning and Maintenance Guide for specific instructions.