Welcome! What's On Your Mind?

1. ENERGY EFFICIENT

Although most home automation systems focus mainly on the convenience of smart technology, you can do more to reduce your overall carbon footprint and monthly energy bills with Lutron motorized shades. With a touch of a button, they can control the amount of sunlight coming into a room for a more energy-efficient surrounding.

Do you know that your AC works twice as hard to create a comfortable indoor climate during the summer's heat? You can create a weather-specific schedule such that your windows remain unobstructed when it's too hot, as your Lutron motorized shades or drapes draw to conserve the energy used for heating and cooling. By so doing, you reduce the amount of heat and temperature in your home while reducing the amount of energy your air conditioning will need to use to create a comfortable atmosphere.

Additionally, you can also create an eco-friendly and perfect ambiance by integrating your home's lighting and Lutron motorized shade system. The lights adjust accordingly to provide electricity, as will the shades when it's time to close at sunset.

2. CONVENIENT AND EASILY MANAGED

Unlike non-motorized blinds that you have to manually operate, anyone can use a remote to open and shut Lutron motorized shades. Additionally, manual blinds and shades might be versatile and fit any window; however, the panels or slats are expensive to repair and replace once they are heavily damaged. 

Because Lutron motorized shades are not manually operated, plus they are made to fit your window perfectly, they do not get tangled up, thus creating a clean-looking space.

WHAT IS OUR CIRCADIAN RHYTHM?

Our circadian rhythm is our body's natural 24-hour sleep-wake cycle. It basically acts as an internal clock, influencing nearly every system in our body including the production of hormones that make us feel sleepy,hungry, energetic, and more. If we don't listen to our body's natural signals, it's easy for this rhythm to get thrown out of whack, resulting in a poor mood, low energy, slower metabolism, lost productivity, and other negative health effects. To maintain optimal performance in all of our body's systems, it's important to pay attention to our circadian rhythm and do our best to maintain a regular sleep cycle.

HOW DOES LIGHT AFFECT CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS?

While the circadian rhythm is mostly an internal process, some external factors influence it as well. It can be affected by our behavior, like if we stay up later than we should. It can be affected by certain medications we are prescribed or other substances like caffeine. And it can be influenced by our environment as well. Light, both indoors and outdoors, is one of the biggest environmental factors that affect our circadian rhythm because it tells our body to stop producing melatonin, which is the hormone that makes us feel tired.

When there's plenty of light in our environment, it's an environmental cue for our body to wake up. When the sun starts to set and there's less light in the environment, it tells our body to start producing melatonin, so we can prepare to sleep. Daylight Savings can cause a serious interruption in our body's internal clock. Some studies show that in the weeks following the start of Daylight Savings, people lose out on up to40 minutes of precious sleep as their bodies adjust.

While 40 minutes doesn't seem like a lot, this lost sleep seems to result in mood changes, an increase in traffic accidents, and more workplace injuries. But luckily, keeping lighting consistent throughout our home can help our bodies adjust to Daylight Savings more easily. With the use of smart technologies in our homes, we can create the right environment with light that is beneficial to our bodies. We can't control the light outside, but we can use technology to overcome environmental factors that affect our sleep. 

See Also: 3 WAYS TO INCORPORATE MOTORIZED BLINDS INTO YOUR NEXT PROJECT

ADD VALUE

Did you know that 65 percent of homebuyers are willing to spend more on smart home packages? That means the potential value of your new home build will increase with the more integrated systems you add. While they’re not complex systems, smart shades are a perfect starting point for many new homeowners, who enjoy their convenience and practicality.

By working with an integrator from the beginning, it's easy to plan, design, and deploy a smart shading system that will benefit the entire property. Wiring and installation are simple when they're done before the drywall goes up, so you won't have to deal with added project time or re-work.

THEY’RE SIMPLE

All the demand for smart technology isn't as simple as it appears. Many homeowners want to benefit from it and are willing to pay more for it. But they also don't want systems that will jeopardize their privacy or go out of date within a year. They're looking for evergreen technology – not smart hubs and TVs that they'll have to replace quickly.

Motorized shades are relatively simple. While manufacturers occasionally upgrade the systems with quieter motors or more custom roller options, it’s a technology that doesn’t develop at the same pace as some other more visible components. In other words, adding Lutron shades (or other top-of-the-line components) will increase value without the risk of going out of style.

See Also: IS HOME LIGHTING CONTROL RIGHT FOR YOU?

WHAT ARE SCENES?

Scenes are a way to perform multiple functions within your lighting system with one button. You can brighten or dim different fixtures, and manage your connected shades, with a single command wherever a Lutron keypad is present. If you have a keypad installed in your home theater, living room, bedrooms, and kitchen, those are the rooms you can include in your scene.

For instance, if you want to prepare for family time in the living room, you can tap a button that shuts down the lights in your bedrooms, kitchen, and home theater. A scene can also adjust the lights in the living room based on zones. So, the lights in front of the TV may dim while the ones behind the couch remain bright, and accent lights under stairs and behind artwork shine. You can work with your integrator to adjust the settings for style and function.

HOW TO SET A FAVORITE SCENE

Your integrator can set a scene anywhere there’s a Lutron keypad present in your home. Once set, you can select which scenes will appear on the home menu of the Lutron app under “Favorite Scenes.”

To set a scene as a favorite, first open the Lutron app. Tap the settings button at the top of the screen. Find and press the “Favorites” button. You’ll then see a menu with all available rooms.

SEE ALSO: 5 Ways A Smart Home Makes Your Life Easier and Better Than Before

CONVENIENCE

Our lighting control partner is Lutron, the leading company in the industry for over half a century.  Their solutions can control lighting for one room or a whole house – and they can grow with you.

Lutron controls allow you to wirelessly adjust lights, even if you’re in another room.  From your bedside, you can turn them all off, or set a predetermined nighttime brightness.  About to leave for work, but can’t remember if you turned everything off? You can control lights from your car with a small remote – or your smartphone, depending on the system you choose.  The Lutron Caseta system offers various dimmers and switches for controlling one room or several.

LUXURY

Maybe you want more than just convenience – you want true luxury in your home.  Lutron systems like RadioRA2 and Homeworks QS are designed to control a large number of devices – from 200 to 10,000, making them appropriate for the largest homes.  They include features like customizable keypads, wireless communication, and multiple styles and color options to fit any décor. 

What’s luxury? You can set scenes based on times of day or activities.  Maintain full manual and automatic control of all your lights, individually, in groups or zones, and by room.  Augment the system further with technology like motorized shades and climate control.  You can even set mood lighting coordinated with your music.