Shade automation (also known as motorization or smart shades) provides a range of benefits. In addition to a clean, cord-free design that’s safer for children, they also enhance energy efficiency and can help prevent UV damage to furnishings and carpeting.One of the main aspects that make shade automation so appealing is the convenience it offers homeowners. With an app or voice commands, users can operate their shades at any time of day, without having to lift a finger. This is especially helpful for large or hard-to-reach windows.
I tested two models that connect over Matter instead of Wi-Fi, meaning you can use them with compatible voice assistants and smart home platforms such as Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings.
Motorized window shades also provide a number of energy-efficiency benefits, allowing homeowners to easily schedule them to automatically adjust throughout the day. This can help lower utility bills, regulate indoor temperatures and prevent sunlight from fading furniture or artwork.
Lastly, many motorized window shade systems can be integrated into other smart home technologies, like smart lighting, smart plugs and smart security cameras. This allows homeowners to control their shades with the same device they use to operate their other home technology, creating a cohesive and unified user experience. Many also support features that adjust shades based on sunrise and sunset estimates, increasing energy efficiency. They can also be scheduled to close while you’re away, giving your house the appearance of being occupied to deter potential intruders.
Energy Efficiency
Shade automation combines convenience and energy efficiency into a seamless solution for today’s modern homes. Whether you use your smartphone app, voice commands with Alexa, Apple HomeKit, or Google Assistant, or set schedules using your smart home controller, your shades will move to suit your daily routine.
The cellular design of motorized shades creates insulating air pockets that maximize daylighting and natural heat, which helps reduce reliance on artificial lighting and cooling systems. When combined with temperature sensors, automated shades can work in tandem with smart thermostats to strategically manage solar gain throughout the day.
An Illinois Institute of Technology study conducted in partnership with Parata Solutions LLC demonstrates the energy performance of interior motorized insulating shades. The study measured heating and cooling energy end-uses in a commercial office space with single-pane windows. Results show a 25% reduction in energy consumption compared to the baseline control strategy. Considering the current electricity rates and weather normalization, a simple payback period is calculated at 12.3 years.
Privacy
Easily optimize light levels to create the ideal ambiance throughout your day with a smartphone app, voice command or automated settings. Schedule shades to open and close at specific times, adjusting with the daily light cycle for enhanced comfort and energy efficiency.
Boost privacy in spaces like bedrooms, bathrooms and nurseries with shades that reduce direct sunlight and unwanted views. Adjust opacity for a relaxing ambiance, or choose blackout shades to promote restful sleep and aid patients with migraines and visual issues.
Shade motorization and automation also contributes to improved insulating properties that reduce heating costs in winter and cooling costs in summer. In addition, smart shade options are compatible with other home automation systems to add a more secure and connected feeling to your space.
Aesthetics
When it comes to smart home technology, shade solutions are often overlooked. Yet they are the perfect coalescence of functionality and aesthetics, elevating a space’s look, feel, and ambiance.
Shade automation puts control at your fingertips, allowing you to manage natural light throughout the day. Whether you’re saying “good morning” and watching the shades rise or lowering them at sunset, automated shades adjust seamlessly to optimize daylight conditions.
Integrated with a home automation system, smart shades can work together to maximize energy efficiency, comfort, and security. By connecting to lighting, heating, and cooling systems, smart shades are able to respond intuitively to internal and external environmental changes, eliminating the need for manual adjustments.
Rooftop radiometers proactively read dynamic sky conditions to automatically predict and adjust the shades within seconds. A MechoNet+ Motor Hub combines Ethernet data/communication and power for a single, seamless, and scalable automated shading solution. A variety of Mecho motorized shades and controls connect to the hub via wireless EnOcean-based sensors.