Architecture ProductsProducts by TypeSun Control

Product Focus: Sun Control

By Rita Catinella Orrell

Cortina and Siena Roller-Shade Fabrics
Hunter Douglas Contract
hunterdouglascontract.com
Cortina and Siena are the latest roller-shade fabrics from Hunter Douglas to be Cradle to Cradle—certified at the Silver level for their PVC-free construction and 100% recyclability. Cortina and Siena come in eight colors in a 118” fabric width and are offered in a 5% and 7% openness factor, respectively.
Photo © Jeremy Bittermann

Woven-Metal Fabric Fins
Cambridge Architectural
cambridgearchitectural.com
Solar-shading fins from Cambridge reduce glare on the western elevation of the University of Oregon's Ford Alumni Center, limiting solar heat gain while providing natural daylighting and views. The new alumni center, designed by Portland, Oregon-based TVA Architects, earned LEED Gold certification. The shading system is made of cable-supported fins in a Mid-Balance pattern.
Photo © Jeremy Bittermann

EL-30-T1-UV Sunscreen Fabric
Sefar Architecture
sefar.us/exterior
Sefar has introduced the EL-30-T1-UV, a light-transmitting fluoropolymer PTFE fabric ideal for use in exterior shading applications, including retractable canopies, umbrellas, sun awnings, and screens (shown above in a courtyard at the HVB Forum in Munich). A UV-absorbing additive in the coating reduces the amount of UVA and UVB rays transmitted through the fabric.
Photo © Jeremy Bittermann

Interior Sun-Control Fabrics
Phifer
phifer.com
Phifer's Style 2500, the latest in its Performance+ collection, is a 1% open basketweave fabric that combines the performance of a traditional SheerWeave material plus the highly reflective properties of a metallized coating. The entire Performance+ series is available in 63” and 96” widths in 10 neutral colors for commercial interiors. The fabrics are also infused with Microban antimicrobial product protection.
Photo © Jeremy Bittermann

Sunshades and SuperWall Curtain Wall
Wausau
wausauwindow.com
SuperWall curtain wall and ClearStory sunshades helped contribute to the LEED Gold certification of Penn State University's 275,600-square-foot Millennium Science Complex (shown), designed by Rafael Viñoly Architects. Each section of curtain wall on the second and third floors is accented by exterior sunshades that help control solar heat gain and glare.
Photo © Jeremy Bittermann

LIFT
Lutron Electronics
lutron.com
The latest automated shading innovation from Lutron offers an installed cost savings of 30% per shade panel when compared with existing market solutions. Ideal for large commercial applications, the new Roller 300 drive with Lutron Intelligent Facade Technology (LIFT) is capable of controlling 300 square feet of fabric from one low-voltage shade drive via in-room keypads or Lutron's Hyperion solar-adaptive technology.
Photo © Jeremy Bittermann

Glazing Helps Keep a Glass Box Cool for Students
Colorado state University built the Morgan Library Pavilion, an addition to an existing 270,000-square-foot library on its Fort Collins campus, to create a transparent, inviting space for students. Completed in late 2012, the all-glass building was designed by Denver-based Studiotrope, which collaborated with sustainability consultants YR&G to incorporate various efficiency strategies. Also known as the Study Cube, the project achieved LEED Silver certification in March.

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The newest shades, screens, and glass technologies help control solar heat gain and glare throughout the year without sacrificing access to light or views.