Neil Gordon

In 1965, my parents moved the family from the Bronx to the new suburban frontier known as Rockland County. For me it was my “Dorothy” moment of leaving the black and white world of Kansas and bursting into the “Technicolor” wonders of Oz. I was a 7-year-old boy let loose into nature and its many wonders. A few years later, my parents and grandparents expanded their retail presence from their store on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx and opened a store in a former bowling alley in Nanuet called Gaylins. This housewares store sold the essentials to the throngs of families leaving the big city for the prospects of the suburbs.Through their thirty years of business one of the main product categories that was essential to the stores success was window treatments. From the 60’s through the 90’s the store was a part of many generations of shades and blinds that covered thousands of windows in Rockland County homes. As I continued the family tradition in my career, I participated in further innovations in the decades that followed.

I witnessed the rise of the woven woods in the 60’s and the birth and excitement of the 1” aluminum mini blind in the 70’s. In the 80’s the industry exploded with vertical blinds and cellular shades. The 90’s saw the innovation of sheer shades, wood blinds and shutters. Crossing over into the new millennium brought variations of many of these innovative window-covering solutions.Today, we are witnessing the next generation in window coverings – Exterior Window Shades. I have written extensively about this exciting and revolutionary concept. With the great increase in reducing solar heat gain by installing the shades on the exterior, the trend is starting to pickup steam in this country. In fact, my company InSync Solar is a leader in this exciting new category of window coverings. It is also fitting that this blog is about an installation where my family began in the window covering business over 50 years ago – in Rockland County.

There are many beautiful and creative ways Landscape Architects can provide natural shading solutions for their projects. However, when it comes to engineered solutions such as those that are commonly used in Pergolas, or where unusual shading structures require more creative approaches, the choices become somewhat limited. This article will explore a variety of new and exciting products from the resources of InSync Solar, experts in exterior solar shades. 

The idea of an exterior shading solution is not a new one. A great example from history is a 2000-year-old system shown on the photo below of the Roman Coliseum. If you have been fortunate to take a tour of this architectural wonder, you would have learned about the Velarium. The Velarium was a retractable fabric awning system to shade the spectators for the hot Italian sun.

How do window shades and in particular exterior solar shades play a role in “sustainable design”?  To understand the role that these shades play, we need to understand what is sustainable design. A good definition comes from the AIA website where it states that “sustainable design is a collaborative process that involves thinking ecologically— studying systems, relationships, and interactions—in order to design in ways that remove rather than contribute stress to systems”.

The last part of that statement – in order to design in ways that remove rather than contribute stress to systems – has an important association to exterior solar shades. This next generation in window coverings succeeds as a sustainably designed solution because it removes stress to systems by reducing over 85% the amount of solar energy entering a space and thereby reducing the amount of energy required for cooling. This is a certain qualifier for making the exterior solar shade a sustainable solution.

It is true that putting any type of solar shade fabric on the exterior side of a window can reduce solar heat gain. However, the critical question to ask is: What type of exterior solar shades are the best at reducing solar heat gain as well as, withstand high winds, have a long useful lifespan, is easy to maintain and provides a quick return on investment? Let’s examine these challenges to determine the three best exterior solar shade solutions.

High Winds
Any kinetic device installed on a building’s façade must be able to survive windy conditions. This does not mean that the shades can be fully open and functioning with winds gusts higher then 35 miles per hour, which are as a reference point, tropical depression levels.

Exterior solar shades have an important backup safety device, the wind sensor. The wind sensor is installed along with the shade to send a signal to the motor to retract the shades when gusts of wind hit a specific preset limit. For all of our systems we recommend that 30-35 miles per hour should be a standard setting. While some systems can withstand winds far in excess of 35 MPH, there is no need to have a shade down during such stormy conditions and if the shade is very tall, it may take about a minute or so for the shade to fully retract leaving the system potentially exposed for that period of time.

Wind & Sun Sensor

After years of popularity throughout Europe, The Passive House is finally hitting the shores of the USA. We are seeing new projects being designed and built by architects and contractors trained specifically for this exciting technology. In fact, the tallest Passive House in the world is being built in New York City on Roosevelt Island for the new Cornell Tech housing facility. 

As I present my Lunch & Learn program Exterior Solar Shades – The Next Generation in Window Coverings, to architects, designers and consultants across the USA, I find myself addressing some similar misconceptions about this new trend in window shades. The 4 most common myths about Exterior Shading Solutions are:

• Exterior shades can not survive stormy weather conditions
• They must have a short life expectancy
• Maintenance is problematic
• Interior shades are more economical then Exterior Shading Solutions

Before I address these myths one by one, it is important to understand that Exterior Solar Shades are becoming a significant part of many growing trends in architecture. For example, the Passive House movement has been gaining popularity in the USA. With the requirements of the Passive House to reduce energy costs by 90% over a traditional constructed home, Exterior Shading Solutions are becoming an integral part of Passive House design.

As a functioning element on the building façade, Exterior Shading Solutions are considered a part of Kinetic Architecture. Kinetic architecture is a concept through which buildings are designed to allow parts of the structure to move, without reducing overall structural integrity. Kinetic Architecture is becoming a force in sustainable building across the globe and a significant contributor to a growing trend in Exterior Window Shades. If these shades are to be successful as moving part of a structure, they must be reliable and robust. With that said, let’s examine the 4 most common myths about Exterior Shading Solutions. 

If you would like an analysis of the energy savings from installing exterior solar shades, please answer the following 5 questions. We will send your potential energy savings by email. 

Over the past few years, solar power has been growing exponentially. Some of the factors behind the surge in popularity has been the US Government Investment Tax Credit for Renewable Energy, as well as the Obama Administration’s pro-solar policies, and the increasing technological advances across a wide spectrum, which in turn has brought the costs down significantly enough to compete with mainstream energy sources like coal.

Somfy Systems, Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of radio-controlled motors for interior and exterior window coverings, is proud to introduce the ultra powerful and ultra quiet Sonesse ULTRA 50 AC motor. Packed with innovation, the Sonesse ULTRA 50 provides up to 6 Nm of power and acoustic performance of less than 38 dBA, making it the strongest and quietest motor for interior window coverings on the market today. 

“The Sonesse ULTRA 50 AC motor marries innovation with functionality,” said Tom Murphy, Chief Operating Officer of Somfy North America. “Sleek and convenient, the motor is also strong enough for commercial projects. The Sonesse ULTRA 50 AC offers energy savings, UV protection, and a touch of everyday luxury.”