With the use of more and bigger windows in all types of construction, Draper motorized shades are playing a more important role in mitigating the issues that result. Shades can help provide thermal comfort, reduce glare, or even provide varying levels of privacy while allowing building occupants to enjoy the benefits of natural light.
If the shades aren’t in the right place at the right time, however, they are nothing more than—well, window dressing. Unlike the window shades you may remember from your school days—the pull-down spring roller shades—today’s shading products can be controlled in a variety of ways. There are so many possibilities that you can, in fact, spend quite a bit of time deciding the best approach.
In this post, we’ll talk about just three ways to control Draper motorized shades, based on where they’re installed and how they are being used. We won’t be discussing the good old wall switch. That’s the one everyone knows about, so we’ll skip it.
Automate It
The Draper Digital Network is a system of intelligent shade motors linked to building controller. This system is great for automating a facility to do things like close all the shades at night to reduce light pollution, close certain shades at certain times of day while others remain open or partially open, or schedule shade positions based on where the sun is.
Users can control individual shades from their personal computer even while the system automates the overall shade deployment, allowing for personal preferences and facility needs to both be considered. Other inputs, such as bed controls in health care facilities, and much more, can be tied into this system to provide control options.
There are many ways this system can be deployed. For more information, click here.
Current Conditions
Perhaps the most powerful way to get the biggest benefit from a shading system is to give it the ability to react to current weather conditions.
With Draper’s SolarFlex you get window shade automation for total light control. SolarFlex’s sun tracking software reacts to exterior mounted sensors to adjust shades according to sky conditions. Shade positioning is determined based on the time of day, time of year, and the building’s geographical location. On cloudy days the shades remain in the up position, allowing natural light to enter the space, preserving outside views.
As with the Draper Digital Network, localized control of individual shades or banks of shades allows for variances in personal comfort.
In addition, Draper has basic sun and wind sensors, which can be used to raise shades when it gets too windy, or lower shades when the sun is out and creating glare. Building Management Controls can connect and operate the shades as well.
For details on SolarFlex, click here.
Any Way You Want It
If you want a system with real brains—one which can provide pretty much any configuration yu can imagine—then IntelliFlex is for you. IntelliFlex is the most sophisticated high voltage system on the market. The system can be controlled through the internet, IR transmitters, PCs, sun and wind sensors, timers, and wall keypads. IntelliFlex is a great way to simplify wiring requirements on big and complex jobs. You can set up to four intermediate stops for shades, control banks of shades in tandem, and use any number of inputs to control the system via RS232, IP, dry contacts, AV systems, even voice control through third party products. The sky’s the limit as far as possibilities. If you have an upcoming project that is complex, check out IntelliFlex by clicking here.
To help you figure out what controls will work best for your project, Draper has developed an online Control Selection Tool. Click here to use it!
What are some interesting ways you’ve controlled your Draper shades using these or other methods? Let us know in the comments.
