Improving Daily Life with Ketra Natural Light

Improving Life with Ketra Lighting Products: 

Southern Californians are known for living a healthy lifestyle. We’re okay with our granola, kale, and yoga stereotypes. We take pride in our ability to keep a healthy work-life balance, and are famous for our holistic approach to living. We take advantage of our incredible surroundings: staying active at the beach, hiking in the canyons, and snowboarding in the mountains. Unfortunately, most of us can’t be outside all day long. We can get stuck indoors at work and at home, leaving our bodies without the proper daylight it craves.

When most of us think about the health benefits of sunlight, we immediately think of Vitamin D. Although Vitamin D is important, our bodies crave the sun for more than one reason. Did you know that your body’s internal clock that tells your brain when to be alert and when to go to sleep is regulated by the sun? That internal clock is called your circadian rhythm. (Read more about circadian rhythm below).

Keeping our circadian rhythm running smoothly is important to our overall health. We take time to de-stress, eat healthy foods, and exercise for better personal care. As significant as all of these things are, if your circadian rhythm is off, you can’t optimally experience their benefits. With Ketra, you can incorporate circadian lighting into your home.

Ketra encourages you to take a holistic approach to circadian rhythm by incorporating lighting in your home that replicates natural light all day long. Ketra’s full spectrum, tunable light dynamically shifts throughout the day to precisely mimic the color temperature and intensity of natural light.

Can My Family Benefit from Ketra’s Natural Light?

People who work from home, stay-at-home parents, children, and the elderly are all susceptible to daytime fatigue, jetlag when traveling, and irregular sleep patterns. Introducing Ketra natural light into the home helps to combat these effects, allowing you to live a more balanced lifestyle by receiving the stimulus your body needs to maintain proper health and rest.

With Ketra natural light, wake to energizing cool toned morning light to give you the best start to your day. Naturally stay alert and focused throughout the afternoon without the extra cup of coffee, and slowly unwind in the evening to prepare your body for rest.

Whether recharging during the weekends, or coming home in the evenings to calming warm-toned lighting, Ketra Natural Light is for everyone, and benefits everybody.

Circadian Rhythm 101

Your circadian rhythm is a 24-hour internal clock that runs subconsciously in your brain and cycles between sleepiness and alertness at regular intervals. Circadian rhythm can be influenced by many factors, but the most prominent is daylight. During the day when the sun is its brightest, your circadian rhythm triggers you to be alert and awake. In the evening when the sun is setting, your body knows to wind down into sleep mode.

Scientists have found that circadian rhythm does not only regulate sleep-wake cycles, but it also influences the molecular biology of individual cells and organ systems. So, what does that mean for our body if our circadian rhythm is disrupted?

When your body’s circadian rhythm isn’t optimally synced, you can experience sleepiness during the day, difficulty initiating sleep at night, poor concentration, impaired performance, reduced coordination, headaches, and gastrointestinal issues.

The symptoms of a disrupted circadian rhythm can seem overwhelming, especially if you don’t have the ability to be outside in the sun or near a window all day to get your body set to its optimal schedule.

Office workers are the largest group of people who are negatively affected by a decreased exposure to daylight. Without the proper daylight, office workers tend to experience an afternoon lull in energy and focus. This is mainly caused by a lack of exposure to daylight. Commercial spaces have taken notice, and have started to install circadian lighting that mimics the light levels and tones of the sun.

For more information on Ketra Lighting, what it can achieve, and how to plan for your own natural lighting oasis, call us at 310-836-9333. In the meantime, feel free to download Ketra’s Natural Light brochure for more information, and specifics about Ketra’s products:

Powerfull wins Lutron Excellence Award for work on Villa Sarbonne residence

Powerfull Systems is honored to win the Lutron Excellence Award in the “Best Use of All Lutron Products” catagory, presented at CEDIA in San Diego in September, for our work on the Villa Sarbonne residence.

Villa Sarbonne & Arya Group

Villa Sarbonne began as a vision of a high-tech luxury masterpiece. The concept was to create the most technologically advanced residence in the Los Angeles area. It was to be fully automated—incorporating light, wind, water, and fire as a manifestation of Zen in every aspect of the design. The home was to be sold fully furnished, including luxury cars, a maintenance staff, and butler concierge services, thereby naturally ushering the homeowner to experience the majestic feel of the here and now.

We had the honor of working with a leading master of design and construction Ardeshir “Ardie” Tavangarian, founder and CEO of Arya Group. Ardie founded Arya in 1981, and for over 37 years he has specialized as a general contractor, and is a veteran in the realm of custom home architecture. When we began talking with Ardie regarding his vision for the Villa Sarbonne project, we were intrigued by the challenge at hand. Ardie laid out a design/build plan that would break through any limitation we had. We knew this special project would elevate Powerfull Systems and Powerfull Electric to a higher level of excellence.

Through the span of one year, we worked tirelessly to bring Ardie’s vision to life. The most skilled craftsmen were brought onboard to produce the most exquisite quality and aesthetics imaginable. One of the most important principles that we wanted to adhere to was to keep the spaces open, uncluttered, and flowing. We designed the lighting layout to naturally flow throughout the space. We were given carte blanche to layout and design the complete lighting and controls package for the project in a manner that would unite the technological aspects of the home automation system with the modern aesthetic Ardie envisioned. In doing so, we used warm, luxurious feeling LED lighting to create a sense of comfort and quality. During our installation of all the lighting throughout the home, we incorporated a back lit designer wall at the stair landing by creating a natural fusion of gypsum LED fixtures to the drywall. The various-sized round fixtures appear as if light naturally shines through the façade, seemingly creating a naturally illuminated wall.

HomeWorks QS

Villa Sarbonne is controlled by a Lutron Homeworks QS system, consisting of 17 Lutron panels and 4 processors. There are 150 keypads in all, consisting of 107 custom Signature style oil-rubbed bronze keypads and 43 Seetouch style keypads. The home required 25 interior roller shades and 56 exterior louvered motorized Venetian-style aluminum blinds. We used 185 contact closures that control drapes, fireplaces, fountains, motorized interior and exterior doors, and fire pits. Our level of attention to detail piqued when we created a custom mounting of only ¾” separation between keypads. We incorporated wired and wireless features, connecting the bridge control integration of HVAC, landscape lighting, security systems, roller shades, skylight shades, custom drapery tracks, motorized doors, car lifts, fire features, and music control.

We utilized our favorite Lutron sheer and blackout roller and skylight shades throughout the home to bring warmth to the space, but also to add another layer of comfort and ease for the homeowner. The home also boasts an overlay of drapery tracks, which brought additional softness, movement, and tranquility to the space. The 50’ drapery track system in the master bedroom resides in a 20’ custom-built pocketing wall. In the guest bedroom, we installed a custom S-type drapery track system– both fully integrated and operational through the HomeWorks QS system. In addition to this, we controlled custom motorized louver shutters which were placed on all the exterior windows of the home. These motorized louvers feature a custom miter 45-degree angle in corner applications.

Continuing the open concept vision, we integrated sun and window sensors with the louvers so that when the sun hit the windows, the shutters would automatically tilt by 7° to minimize the glare, while still keeping the viability of the area maximized. We also installed a wind sensor on the roof, so that during windy days the home will automatically retract the shutters. The home has minimal wall space, therefore the roller shades and drapery served as room separators, which seemingly transition out of sight in a matter of seconds. The overall design and layout of the window treatments allowed us to keep the open feel that Ardie envisioned.

Ardie’s ground-breaking design sought to establish the homeowner within the ‘here and now’. For this purpose, the exterior features of the project were just as important as the interior.

The design intent was to soothe the homeowner to a Zen-like state as soon as they started up the driveway. The experience begins as soon as the homeowner enters pre-set geofencing radius to trigger the “Welcome Home” scene controlled by the HomeWorks QS system. When entering the driveway of the Villa, you are welcomed by a tranquil yet awe-inspiring waterfall, along with a fire feature the spans the entire length of the water. The front entry welcomes you with an oversized swiveling door that seems to float midair. As you walk into the home, you are greeted by the welcoming sight of natural wood and stone throughout the home. The warm lighting invites you to kick off your shoes and relax. You hardly notice how the shades and drapery have softly moved out of sight leaving a stillness that allows you to quiet your mind. At night, when you walk outside and take in the view, you turn back to see the home has come to life. You finally see how alive everything is. How alive you are. This is living in the here and now. This was our vision for Villa Sarbonne.

Powerfull Systems endeavored to create the ultimate luxurious homeowner experience. In doing so, we all feel that Villa Sarbonne has become one of our finest works to date.

Powerfull Systems is your smart home system solution. Located in Los Angeles, California, and established in 1998, Powerfull emerged at the dawn of “smart technology.” Servicing distinguished homeowners in the Los Angeles area, Powerfull Systems has built a reputation on integrity, innovation and expertise that is second to none. Plus, they offer their “Peace of Mind. Every Time.” Guarantee to assure the job is done to your satisfaction.

For more information on what a Smart Home can look like, what it can achieve, and how to plan for one of your own, call us at 310-836-9333.

Powerfull Systems. Peace of Mind. Every Time.
Phone 310-836-9333   |   Fax 310-733-1707   |   www.powerfull.com

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Powerfull Systems Wants to Help

Powerfull Systems is your smart home system solution. Located in Los Angeles, California, and established in 1998, Powerfull emerged at the dawn of “smart technology.” Servicing distinguished homeowners in the Los Angeles area, Powerfull Systems has built a reputation on integrity, innovation and expertise that is second to none. Plus, they offer their “Peace of Mind. Every Time.” Guarantee to assure the job is done to your satisfaction.

For more information on what a smart home can look like, what it can achieve, and how to plan for one of your own — in particular the Josh AI voice activation controls — call us at 310-836-9333.

Josh A.I. : Complete Voice-Activated Smart Home Control

Meet Josh A.I., Your Complete
Voice-Activated Smart-Home Solution.

Many large tech companies including Apple, Google and Amazon have forayed into the voice-activated smart-home market. The problem with some of these services, is that although they have their merits, the technology can oftentimes be a bit cumbersome.

Today’s home automation systems are all about convenience and comfort. Voice commands act as an integral part of the home system’s convenience factor. Issues can arise when the voice assistant doesn’t work as well as the user had hoped. The task of interacting with a voice activated mechanism can be awkward at first. Many devices rely on specific commands to speak “key phrases” to a device, to get the device to not only hear your command but understand your command can be problematic.

A Better Voice Controlled System

Josh.ai began as a small startup, seeing a need for an advanced voice control system. The company quickly raised $11 million in pursuit of a more user-friendly interface.

Today, Josh.ai is making waves in the home automation industry as being the premier voice control experience for luxury homes. Their revolutionary product called Josh Micro is the new standard for the high-end home market.

Meet the Josh Micro

The aim of Josh Micro is to simplify voice control. The Josh Micro component can be mounted just about anywhere. The device comes with an easy-to-install wall mount option, to give users a choice to have the device on a table or mounted on the wall. Equipped with a robust far-field microphone array, Josh Micro can easily hear requests from across the room.

More than Voice control

Josh Micro is built to handle more than just voice commands. With seemingly unlimited touch possibilities, Josh Micro has a touch sensitive surface that makes way for custom event triggers. Single or double tap to trigger a scene such as turning off all the lights in your home. Josh Micro is completely customizable. The device is equipped with an assortment of contextual awareness and smart automations. The “Fine Tune” control feature adapts to your needs based on your latest command.  By telling Josh Micro to turn on the lights in your kitchen, the dial becomes a dimmer to further control the lighting.

Josh.ai and Lutron Electronics

So you’re hooked. Josh.ai sounds like all of your voice control dreams come true. But what does it work with to make the magic happen? Josh.ai works in congruence with all Lutron smart home systems, plus a host of other devices.

Some of the many devices Josh A.I. will work with:

Powerfull Systems Wants to Help

Powerfull Systems is your smart home system solution. Located in Los Angeles, California, and established in 1998, Powerfull emerged at the dawn of “smart technology.” Servicing distinguished homeowners in the Los Angeles area, Powerfull Systems has built a reputation on integrity, innovation and expertise that is second to none. Plus, they offer their “Peace of Mind. Every Time.” Guarantee to assure the job is done to your satisfaction.

For more information on what a smart home can look like, what it can achieve, and how to plan for one of your own — in particular the Josh AI voice activation controls — call us at 310-836-9333.

Ketra + Lutron – Re-imagining Natural Light

The Science Behind Living with Circadian Lighting Technology

In the race to re-imagine light for built spaces, Lutron and Ketra have made some massive steps. Based in Texas, Ketra has revolutionized the lighting industry through the creation of a new category called “Natural Light”.

As we spend more and more time indoors, in front of screens and away from natural sunlight, our bodies aren’t receiving the stimulus they need to maintain proper health and rest. Ketra brings Natural Light into the built environment, and influences our overall wellness where we live and work.

Founded in 2009, Ketra has made dynamic light accessible in any environment with a flexible, fully integrated lighting and controls solution. Ketra’s tunable light creates high quality white, pastels and saturated color from a single-point source, enhancing the look of any space, and allowing you to tailor your light to meet your specifications.

The Science Behind Living with Circadian Lighting Technology

Circadian rhythm is the physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow the daily cycle of the sun.  It corresponds primarily to light and darkness in an organism’s environment.  When spending time indoors, how do we keep our bodies on an optimum rhythm?

Bring natural light home

Ketra has developed the highest quality, most accurate natural light in the world. This revolutionary circadian lighting technology changes from cool toned, early morning light, to soft and warm lighting at night.  The subtle change in the white light throughout the day keeps your circadian rhythm balanced for optimal health and well-being.

Lighting that automatically works to improve your body’s circadian rhythm

Ketra Lighting is the residential circadian lighting solution.  Ketra’s tunable light creates high quality white, pastels, and saturated color, enhancing the experience of any space, helping homeowners experience natural light for better, healthier living.

Not only can Ketra’s advanced technology imitate natural light, supporting circadian rhythm, but mixing the proper colors will enhance the atmosphere of a space, and make your artwork look more vibrant. Ketra’s tunable light provides the best lighting for any space in your home, on demand.

Recently acquired by Lutron Electronics (the company that has created the best, and most user-friendly smart-home systems), Ketra provides a complete system of lighting, controls and keypads that can be easily programmed and customized.

 

What’s all the hype about?

Artificial circadian lighting was first used in hospital rooms to give patients who have to stay indoors a sense of night and day.  Doctors found that not only did it speed their recovery, but boosted their state of mind.  Circadian lighting areas were then used at nurse’s stations to allow nurses who worked long shifts to keep their bodies balanced.

Scientists have found irrefutable evidence that incorporating tunable, circadian lighting can benefit the body and mind in the following ways:

  • Aging

MIT study finds that a gene associated with longevity also regulates the body’s circadian clock. “Our findings indicate that [the] SIRT1 [gene] activates the central pacemaker to maintain robust circadian control in young animals, and a decay in this activity may play an important role in aging.”(1)

  • Jet-lag

“Jet lag is caused by a misalignment between circadian rhythms and local destination time… We showed that a 3-day preflight treatment with bright morning light, which could be easily self-administered at home… Thus, this would be a feasible method to reduce jet lag for eastward travel.” -US National Library of Medicine (2)

  • Healing

The impact of daylight illumination on reducing patient length of stay in hospital after coronary artery bypass graft surgery: “The patient LoS[length of stay]  reduces by 7.3 hours per 100 lx increase of daylight illuminance near a point above patient’s head… These findings are based on evidence from real-world field analysis data rather than theories, reviews, references, and tools” -Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK (3)

  • Sleep

NASA uses circadian lighting to help astronauts get more restful sleep. “The new lights will have three “on” settings — one to boost alertness in the morning, one to help astronauts relax before bed, and a regular mode for midday. All of them appear white, more or less, but the morning setting is brighter and is “enriched” with cool, bluish tones, while the evening setting is heavier on warmer, reddish hues.” (4)

  • Decreased health risks

Studies in animals have found that when that rhythm gets thrown off, health problems including obesity and metabolic disorders such as diabetes can arise. Studies of people who work night shifts have also revealed an increased susceptibility to diabetes. (1)

 

 Powerfull Systems wants to help

Powerfull Systems is your smart home system solution. Located in Los Angeles, California, and established in 1998, Powerfull emerged at the dawn of “smart technology.” Servicing distinguished homeowners in the Los Angeles area, Powerfull Systems has built a reputation on integrity, innovation and expertise that is second to none. Plus, they offer their “Peace of Mind. Every Time” Guarantee to assure the job is done to your satisfaction.

For more information on what a smart home can look like, what it can achieve, and how to plan for one of your own, call us at 310-836-9333

SOURCES:

 

  1. MIT Study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867413005941
  2. USNLM: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1262683/?tool=pmcentrez&report=abstract
  3. Loughborough University: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1477153512455940?journalCode=lrtd
  4. NASA: https://www.pressherald.com/2012/07/29/researcher-sheds-light-on-problem_2012-07-29/

The Building Blocks to a Smart Home

The Building Blocks to a Fully Custom Smart Home

Whether you’re constantly traveling, hosting movie nights, or work from home, smart home technology can add a level of convenience to your life that you didn’t think possible.

There are multiple ways to get the most out of your smart home system. The more you build into your system, the more you’ll be able to get out of the smart home experience. Your investment into your smart home is more than just resale value and fun gadgets. Fully integrated smart home systems are an investment in your convenience, safety, and peace of mind.

Foundation: Lighting Control

Likely the most common way to take your smart home technology to the next level is to create custom lighting scenes. Scenes are preselected light levels for multiple lights for a certain task or event. Scenes make it possible to never walk into a dark home again. Not only do they save time, and add convenience, but they can also slay fear, and save stubbed toes.

Welcome Home!

A “Welcome Home” scene can be preset to turn on your garage, hallway, and kitchen lights, or any path into your home that you choose. It could also raise your automated shades, lower your thermostat, and turn on your favorite album. What an entrance!

A Nighttime Pathway

If you often wake up in the night to use the bathroom, or get a drink of water, you can set a dimmed lighting scene to give you a clear, yet not overly bright pathway to save your toes and shins from the usual dangers of walking in the dark.

Good Morning

Do you have a hard time getting up and active in the morning? Set a scene with a time clock to activate as your alarm clock. Set the scene to raise your bedroom shades, turn the lights on to 30%, and play your favorite song. If only your smart home could start the coffee (there might even be a smart device for that!)

Food Prep

Kitchen scenes make the home-cook more efficient and productive with a “food prep” scene for over-head lighting on the kitchen island and over the sink. There’s no need to have every light on in your house. Not only is it a waste of resources, but a harshly lit home doesn’t envelop it’s inhabitants in a cozy atmosphere. Next time you’re having friends over for a Netflix binge, dim your living room lights with the push of a button. Scenes make every day tasks impossibly simple.

Foundation Level 2: Automated Shades

Automated shades are another form of lighting control- day lighting control. Automated shades are not only convenient, but can save considerable energy. The glare and heat from windows can be hard on our eyes and on our energy bill, but it can also wreak havoc on furniture, textiles and artwork in the home. Homeowners are turning to automated roller shades to work seamlessly with their smart home systems such as Lutron RadioRa2 or HomeworksQS.

Daylight Harvesting

To kick your smart home into high gear, daylight sensors are a perfect way to marry your lighting control with your automated shades. Daylight sensors are about the size of a quarter, and detect when the sun is making it’s largest impact on your home. Daylight sensors can wirelessly dim or turn off your lights to save energy, and raise and lower your shades depending on your specific settings.

The Mortar to Hold All the Bricks in Place

Apps on your smartphone or tablet are the “wizard behind the curtain.” They are the hub where you choose all your settings and preferences. Your home automation apps are where you’ll set up scenes, time clocks, and more. Set up your apps for optimum convenience. Everyone knows that you can use your apps to do things like wirelessly turn your lighting on, or change your thermostat, but there is so much more that smart home apps are capable of. All of the below actions are set up through your home automation app.

Time Clocks

Most people use time clocks to control landscape lighting, or to make it look like the house is occupied when a family is on vacation, but there are many more uses for time clocks. For example, in Orthodox Jewish homes, time clocks are often used for many devices during Shabbat when work is prohibited. In your smart home system’s lighting controls, you will find a multitude of ways to use time clocks. Not only are they able to repeat on any schedule you choose, but they can change (if you choose) according to daylight savings, and sunrise and sunset.

Never Enter a Dark Home Again

Geofencing is an easy way to up your smart home game. When geofencing services are set up, your custom “Welcome Home” scene can be triggered to activate when you arrive within a pre-selected radius of your home. A “Goodbye” scene can also be added to geofencing to turn off lights in your home when you leave. Within your phone’s settings, you’ll want to make sure that your “location services” are activated. Once you’ve done that, inside your smart home app, you’ll find the options for geofencing. You’ll be able to preset your desired radius for your scenes to turn on and off. Don’t worry about turning the lights off on your spouse when you leave the house, you’ll get an alert asking you if you’d like to turn the lights off. You can decline if the house is still occupied.

Alexa, Turn On Good Morning

Voice recognition is the most popular way to get the most out of your smart home. Setting up voice commands to handle tasks such as, “turn on my food prep scene,” or “lower my bedroom shades,” can really make you feel like your smart home is doing a lot of the work for you. Voice commands can be used for a myriad of tasks including light control, automated shade control, thermostats, music, television and more.

Accessories to Enhance your Smart Home

3rd party products that you can add on to your smart home are what will really give you a greater sense of the smart home experience. Virtual assistants such as Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, and Google Assistant seamlessly integrate with most smart home systems to operate your voice commands.

Automate the Temperature

Smart thermostats from Honeywell or Nest have grown in popularity because of their ease of integration with popular smart home systems. Audio visual products from Sonos, and Control4 give you the ability to integrate with your smart home’s scenes to be able to have an “entertain” scene that could lower your recessed lighting and shades, turn on your chandelier or pendants, and play your favorite album- all with one command.

A Safer Home

Smart alarms, locks and doorbells can all be used to add an extra level of security to your smart home. They can be controlled from voice commands, or controlled straight through your smart home app. Alarms, locks and doorbells aren’t your only level of defense in your smart home. Smart home systems such as Lutron RadioRa2 can set a “panic” scene that can raise your window shades, and flash lights in your home to alert neighbors or people driving by that the home is in distress.

Your Home, Your Way

The possibilities for upgrading your smart home are almost endless. The more you add to your system, the more technologically advanced, convenient, and secure your home will be. The best part about your smart home system, is that you can customize it specifically for you and your family. Your wants and needs for a smart home aren’t going to be the same as your neighbors, so why have the same system. Customization is the best way to ensure that your home is working for you as an individual, not as a general consumer.

Reach out to Powerfull

Powerfull Systems is your smart home system integrator! Located in Los Angeles, California, and established in 1998, Powerfull emerged at the dawn of “smart technology.” Servicing distinguished homeowners in the Los Angeles area, Powerfull Systems has built a reputation on integrity, innovation and expertise that is second to none. Plus, they offer their “Peace of Mind. Every Time.” Guarantee to assure the job is done to your satisfaction.

For more information on what a Smart Home can look like, what it can achieve, and how to plan for one of your own, call us at 310-836-9333

Shade Systems: What Are Your Window Covering Goals?

General Needs

Homeowners and interior designers alike who embark on purchasing window coverings need to determine their priorities when choosing window dressings. Below we have outlined many of the top reasons for smart window coverings:

Light control
The most common reason for window coverings is for daylight control. Whether you’re wanting to block light from a darkened room, or let light in during the day, window coverings will be a necessity.

Privacy/Blackout
Large windows can make a homeowner feel like they are living in a fishbowl. Privacy shades are a necessity for many reasons both in residential and commercial applications. Commercially, blackout shades are a must for healthcare and hospitality projects, while residential applications can provide privacy to homeowners with family members who sleep during the day or have young children.

Reducing Carbon Footprint
As we become more conscious of our footprint on this planet, we realize that making the most of daylight in our homes or commercial spaces simply makes sense. Window coverings also help to trap heat, thereby reducing your energy consumption.

Reducing HVAC costs
Another benefit to window coverings is the shade from the sun – and its heat. The sun can beat down on your windows, and heat up your house in the summer, causing air conditioning bills to rise.

Wake up naturally
The studies of circadian rhythms indicate that our bodies are synchronized with daylight.  Automated shades can be set as an “alarm” to have bedroom shades go up when you need to wake up.

Solar Exposure protection
Shades can provide protection to furniture, artwork and other valuables from fading or other damage from constant solar exposure.

Automation

We discuss the advantages and options available for automated shading systems, which can be controlled from your home system or hand-held device from practically anywhere.

The convenience of automated shades should not be overlooked. Not only can an occupant electronically raise and lower automated shades from a button on a wall or remote, but with the right system, they can also wirelessly control them from a mobile device, or even voice activation. There are many options for automated shading systems. Not only are there options for the shades themselves, but also for the keypads or remotes. A new favorite on the market for both residential and commercial projects is Lutron Electronic’s Palladiom Wallstations.

These unique illuminated keypads combine elegant design with intuitive operation. The wall stations allow the control of lights, shades/drapes and HVAC from one location, providing optimal user experience.

The more specific you can get about the actual needs for the space, the easier the specification process will be. It is crucial to reflect on how you live and work. Doing so will determine the proper solutions for your needs, be it commercial or residential.

POWERFULL PRO TIP: You can even connect a daylight sensor to your shading system to have your shades automatically raise and lower depending on the current daylight.

For more information and assistance in choosing the right window covering option for your project, call us at Powerfull Systems 310-836-9333

To download our Whitepaper “5 Crucial Tips: What You Need to Know Before Buying & Installing Window Coverings“, please click here.

Shade Systems: What Type of Window Covering?

There are a wide variety of kinds of window coverings, starting with either interior or exterior. We outline the various kinds and options available, from rollers to shutters to draperies and more (for interior), and rollers, awnings or solar screens (for exterior). (Letter callouts correspond to the image below).

Interior Solutions

A. Roller Shades Lutron roller shades create the perfect light for any space or activity with an offering of sheer, dim-out, and blackout fabrics. Choose a sheer to maintain view while diffusing UV rays that may damage furnishings. Dim-out fabrics provide privacy while blackout fabrics are 100% opaque to eliminate all daylight. B. Horizontal Sheer Blinds Beautiful fabric meets industry-leading technology in these window treatments, where the soft elegance of a sheer is paired with the precise control of a blind.

C. Drapery Systems Lutron drapery track systems electronically operate a variety of styles, including pinch pleat and ripplefold, in addition to the innovative Kirbé® Vertical Drapery System. Select a fabric from The Avant Collection™ for complete systems.

D. Pleated Shades The angular design of pleated shades adds a crisp, modern look to any space, and the wide array of colors and fabric options ensure a signature look.

E. Fashion Honeycomb Shades Fashion honeycomb shades add dimension to a space thanks to their cellular design, and their air pockets trap heat to provide superior insulation.

F. Roman Shades with CERUS® Safety Technology Roman shades lend an air of sophistication to any space while managing daylight. With over 100 fabrics and woven woods available in a variety of pleat styles, you are sure to find the perfect aesthetic match. CERUS (Cord-Eliminating Roman Uptake System) provides a safer, more reliable and better performing Roman shade.

G. Venetian Blinds with Independent Control of Lift and Tilt Venetian blinds are an attractive and effective way to ensure privacy while still allowing daylight to filter into a space. Independent Control of Lift and Tilt maintains uniform tilt and lift positions across blinds and combines smooth, quiet motion with independent control of lift and tilt. Lutron Venetian blinds feature presets to recall a predetermined position and tilt for the ultimate in performance and style.

H. Tensioned Shades Tensioned shades provide solutions for skylights, bottom-up, and angled windows. The innovative design keeps fabric panels taut and parallel to windows with minimal sag at a variety of slopes. Lutron tensioned shades reduce light gaps around fabric, and maximize the view when opened by eliminating cable guides that are typical in skylight shades. The frame may be surface mounted, inside mounted, or recessed while still allowing easy access to update the fabric.

I. Cable Guided Shades Cable guided shade systems can be used to achieve precise shading control in angled applications by keeping roller shades at the exact angle of the window. The system is also useful in areas of high velocity airflow to prevent unwanted shade motion.

Exterior Solutions

J. Rolling Shutters Rolling shutters provide piece of mind and and will enhance your lifestyle.

K. Retractable Awnings Enhance your outdoor living space with retractable awnings.

L. Solar Screens An exterior solar screen will provide shade from direct sunlight while allowing you to save on energy costs.

Once it has been decided what type of shade is needed, a decision will also have to be made for the mounting. A new trend both residentially and commercially is to build a pocket for the shades to disappear into. More traditional styles are available as well, such as a rod and finials. These are largely aesthetic choices, but these decisions need to be made early in the design process.

POWERFULL PRO TIP: Are you having a hard time deciding between blackout and sheer shades? Try a “double stack” of both. Sheer during the day so that you take advantage of daylight control without losing your outside view, and blackout shades for privacy, and sun control.
If you need assistance deciding what shading system is right for you and your project, please call us here at Powerfull Systems. To download our Whitepaper “5 Crucial Tips: What You Need to Know Before Buying & Installing Window Coverings“, please click here.

Shade Systems: Choosing the Right Fabric

Living in Southern California, we love our views. We are proud to live in one of the most beautiful areas of the world, where we can experience ocean views, mountain views, and city scapes, possibly all from the same room. This means large, floor to ceiling windows. The only problem with this comes from glare and heat. Not only can the glare be hard on our eyes, but it can wreak havoc on furniture, textiles and artwork in your home. So what’s the solution?

Homeowners are turning to automated roller shades to solve the problem. Automated roller shades come with many advantages for homeowners, but the task of choosing the right fabric can seem daunting. In this article we will cover the main things to consider when purchasing automated roller shades for your home.

Openness factor

This simply means how tight the weaves of the fabric are woven. The tighter the weave, the less daylight can filter through. A “3% openness factor” means that 97% of the light rays have been blocked by the fabric. A “10% openness factor” blocks 90% of the daylight, and lets 10% into the space. Blackout fabrics consist of a 0% openness factor (all light is blocked out). The question is, how do you choose the right openness factor for the space?

Latitude and Orientation

Take note of the position of the windows in the space you’re wanting to add shades. As everyone knows, the sun rises in the east, and sets in the west.

Windows facing east will need considerable sun control. A tighter weave with an openness factor of 5% or less is recommended. Without the proper shading, there might not be much heat gain in the space, but the morning sun can be much too bright and can create glare.

In a Western facade, the sun has a chance to heat the room, making more daylight control required, so again, a 5% openness factor or less is recommended.

Northern facades are subject to indirect sun, so a homeowner can choose a fabric with a much greater openness factor, and still experience visual comfort while retaining their privacy.

Southern facing facades however, endure the heaviest sun exposure throughout the day, so a tight weave with a small openness factor will be essential to living in a glare-free home.

HOMEOWNER QUESTION: What if I have a room with windows that face more than one direction? Can I have multiple openness factors in the same room, or will that look funny?

POWERFULL ANSWER: As long as you choose a fabric in the same family, with the same color, the only difference you’ll notice is that one has a clearer view than the other. Other than that, they’ll look exactly the same.

Color

Besides openness factor playing a large roll in maintaining your view to the outside, the color of the sheer fabric can also play a major roll in maintaining your million dollar view.

Light colored fabrics reflect daylight, and do a great job at reducing heat in a space, the problem however, is that the homeowner will not be able to see their view through the shades as clearly as if they would have chosen a darker colored fabric. If maintaining your view is a priority, a darker colored fabric with a minimum of 5% openness factor will be required.

Sheer fabrics – or any fabric, can accomplish many things, but multi-tasking really isn’t one of them… No fabric can do it all. There isn’t a magic fabric out there that can maintain your view, but also give you privacy, such as in bathrooms. In cases where you want optimum view, but maintain privacy, the only real solution, is to use landscape lighting, and aim the light directly at your window. The light would reflect off of the fabric, washing out the view that you don’t want your neighbors to see.

If having a light directed at your window doesn’t seem like a feasible option for you, the only other option would be to do a “double stack.” This requires a deeper housing to hold two fabric rollers within the same housing, so that you can have sheers during the day, and blackout at night.

Battery Operated vs. Wired Shades

If in the process of building a home, wiring your shades into your home automation system is preferable. You’ll never have to change out the batteries, and your system will never encounter any interruptions. Battery powered shades are a perfect option for a homeowner who is looking to add shades to their existing home without interfering with the home’s current wiring. Typical battery life with normal use runs for an average of 1.8 years without needing to replace the batteries.

Control

There are many ways to control your automated shades. Wireless Pico remotes on pedestals can be placed on bedside tables, kitchen islands, etc, while seeTouch keypads, and Palladiom keypads are two of the most common in-wall controls.

Daylight Sensors

Daylight sensors are the perfect addition to your home for maximum convenience and optimum lighting control. The sensor (about the size of a quarter) wirelessly sends a signal to your shades to automatically raise and lower depending on the amount of daylight. These sensors give you the freedom to never have to worry about the level of shading in your space. It’s all done for you, without ever having to press a button.

In Conclusion

We know that the many options in automated roller shades can be overwhelming.  We’ve provided this information in the hope that this has helped you understand all of your options. When designed and installed correctly, roller shades can not only enhance a space aesthetically, but make it more functional, and efficient.

About Powerfull Systems

Powerfull Systems is a window coverings installer and smart home system integrator located in Los Angeles, California. Established in 1998, at the dawn of “smart technology,” Powerful Systems is one of only 10 systems integrators in the U.S. to achieve the status of Black Diamond Dealer for the smart home technology systems.

Servicing distinguished homeowners in the Los Angeles area, Powerfull Systems has built a reputation on integrity, innovation and expertise that is second to none. Plus they offer their “Peace of Mind. Every Time.” Guarantee to assure the job is done to your satisfaction. The Powerful Systems professional team can show you how to utilize your interior window shading system to save additional energy beyond routine use of shades- all at the touch of a button.

If you are a general contractor, architect, interior designer, lighting designer or homeowner that needs assistance with the design and installation of window coverings, please call our office at 310-836-9333

Better yet, make an appointment to see our showroom located at 5222 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA.

SeeLess Solutions: Aesthetic Architectural Fixture Housings

Powerfull Systems is proud to offer and install SeeLess Solutions products. For a modern sleek design, SeeLess Solutions offers gypsum-based in-wall mounts designed to house a variety of wall and ceiling components flush and unobtrusive, an aesthetically pleasing finish for any smart-home installation.
Manufactured locally, these products are available in a wide variety of in-wall mounts designed to accommodate many different lines of receptacles, including light switches, outlets, keypads, dimmers, thermostats, and smoke detectors. SeeLess in-wall mounts are compatible with products offered by Nest, Honeywell, Lutron, Control4, and many others.
 

Screen Shot 2018-03-29 at 3.44.16 PMSeeLess model SLD-1G-062 for double power outlet.

Made from gypsum with aluminum components, the fixtures are easily incorporated into new construction or part of a remodeling project. They can be painted and molded to become one with the surrounding surface. A variety of options are available, including rounded or sharp corners, recess depth, bevel style, and more.

 

Screen Shot 2018-03-29 at 3.43.34 PMSeeLess model SLN-TS-750 designed for thermostat controls.

 
For more information, contact Powerfull Systems. For added product and model information, visit SeeLess online.

Choosing the Right Shading System for Your Home

Introducing our latest Whitepaper — “5 Crucial Tips: What You Need to Know Before Buying and Installing Window Coverings,” available now for download. When considering Shading Systems/Window Coverings for your Smart Home or Commercial Space, there are a number of categories to choose from, and from there, a whole host of options. When faced with the wide variety of choices and options, it’s easy to become overwhelmed — this is why we have settled the decision-making process down into 5 specific tips in our Whitepaper. 1. What are your Window Covering Goals? Initial considerations include HVAC costs, privacy, light control and more. 2. What Type of Window Covering? Whether your Shades are external or interior, choices are plentiful. We break down the various kinds and options available. 3. What Fabric? For interior shades, you have every possible fabric and color option available to match decor or serve specific needs, such as blackout shades. 4. Automated Shades Systems. We discuss automated shading systems, which can be controlled from your smart device from practically anywhere. 5. Selecting the Right Installer. Once your choices have been made, it’s time to consider a qualified installer who knows shading systems. Download our Whitepaper on Shades from this link, and review your options. Powerfull Systems, a Los Angeles based installer and integrator, will be pleased to assist you in your Shading project, residential or commercial.

Visit Actor/Environmentalist Ed Begley Jr.’s LEED-Certified Smart Home

There are the people that talk the talk, and then there are those who walk the walk. When it comes to Green Living, Ed Begley Jr. isn’t messing around. Ed is that one guy that you know from pretty much everything. He’s appeared in hundreds of films,TV shows and stage performances. He is probably best known for the TV series St. Elsewhere, for which he was nominated for six Emmys and a Golden Globe. What you may not know, is that Ed Begley Jr. is also an avid environmentalist. Recently, Ed built the greenest home in America, with a LEED-certified Platinum rating. Ed and his wife built the home to meet both of their needs – a gorgeous French country house for her, environmentally progressive for him. The home boasts 12-inch walls for optimal foam-filled insulation, a recycled-steel frame, a grey-water recycling system for irrigation, water-saving appliances and faucets, a passive solar design, a 10,000-gallon rainwater tank… the list goes on. One of the facets of his green home that Ed is most proud of is his Lutron automated lighting and shades system. “They (Lutron) have played a key role in making my home more energy efficient.” Not only do his shades raise and lower on a time clock, but all of his lighting works on Lutron dimmers to save energy. Top: Ed Begley Jr. with his wife Rachelle Carson-Begley on-site during construction of their LEED-certified home (Getty Images).   ENERGY SAVING TIP: Everyone knows that LED bulbs save money—but did you know that you can save even more by dimming them? Dimming to 50% not only reduces electricity use by half, it helps to prolong the life of the bulb.   Left: Ed shows off the extensive Lutron dimmer control panel in his basement. See below for the link to the video. In multiple interviews, Ed – who has an ongoing competition with Bill Nye for who has the lowest carbon footprint – explains the rewards of dimming, and how accessible Lutron dimmers are for the everyday homeowner looking to save money and go green. Not only are you saving money on your electricity bill, but – when paired with LED lighting – you greatly reduce your carbon footprint, create less demand for foreign oil, and promote cleaner air in our cities. Dimmers are a fantastic start, but Ed took it a step further and added automated shades on a astrological time-clock to harness daylight and block heat.  Automated shades are a great way to accent your home and add some serious eco-friendly points. Manual shades are great in theory, but we never actually adjust them throughout the day as we should for the optimal sun shade and heat protection, which is why automated shades make so much sense. With all of this energy saving, how much is Ed’s electricity bill? Running the house and pool, and charging the car cost Ed a mere $36 per month. Most of that is due to the pool, which he forgot to take into account when building his system.   Ed says “Start small and build up. Get one dimmer… Do something today.”  

Can my Smart Home System do that?

automated lighting system los angelesHome Automation isn’t what it used to be. Up until 2014, most home automation was mainly about being able to wirelessly control your lights and shades.  Today, we’re in an altogether different era of home automation. The commercials make it all look so easy.  The smartly dressed man sits down on his couch and says “Hey Alexa, dim my living room lights.” All of a sudden his lighting has dimmed, and he’s turning on his TV with his feet up—without ever having to get up to play with a keypad, dimmer or remote.  It seems so simple.  You have home automation, but can your system do that?  Or, after watching said commercial, you wonder how it all works, and what you need to make it happen.  Here’s what you need to know about the new generation of smart home technology. Apple HomeKit — Runs on iOS 10 or later, can easily and securely control all your HomeKit Accessories (such as Lutron Caseta Wireless). You can ask Siri to turn off the lights, or see who’s at the front door. There are over 50 integrators that work with HomeKit. Amazon Echo — A hands free speaker you can control with your voice. Alexa can handle a variety of commands for anything from ordering more cereal on Amazon, to lowering your bedroom shades. Google Assistant — A virtual personal assistant that can engage in two-way conversations to trigger apps and devices for anything from lighting scenes to playing music. Samsung Smartthings — A hub that wirelessly connects hundreds of compatible devices including lighting, speakers, locks, thermostats, sensors and more, allowing them to all work together. Nest Learning Thermostats — A smart thermostat that learns your home’s habits for day and night time, and can even connect to your alarm to switch to an away mode when the alarm has been activated. Josh.AI — New luxury home automation system with wireless voice control for table mount or wall mount hub. Controls lighting, shades, A/V, etc. Now that you have a better understanding of some of the technology out there, how do you use it? Lutron Caseta Wireless: This is the entry level home automation system that works seamlessly with almost any 3rd party accessory you want—for a home 2,500 square feet or less. This limitation is mainly because the system has a 30ft. radius, and is capped at 50 devices. Caseta can include smart home ready dimmers, shades, fans, home audio, and thermostats.  There are a variety of accessories that play nicely with Caseta: Apple HomeKit (Siri), Amazon Echo (Alexa), Google Assistant, Samsung Smart Things, Nest, and Sonos are the most common.  Caseta is the perfect starter home system because it is buildable.  You don’t have to wire a whole home at once.  It’s a wireless system that can be added to at any time, without the pressure of buying several hundred dollars all at one time. Lutron RadioRA 2: RadioRA 2 has all of the features of Caseta- on a grander scale.  There is no longer a limitation of square footage or number of devices.  Unlike Caseta, RadioRA 2 is a home system that although it can also be completely wireless, tends to be installed as a whole home system all at once instead of small items at a time as with Caseta.  With RadioRA 2, all of the same 3rd party systems are available: Apple HomeKit (Siri), Amazon Echo (Alexa), Google Assistant, Samsung Smart Things, Nest, and Sonos. Lutron HomeWorks QS: HomeWorks QS is the luxury home automation system with even more options than Caseta and RadioRa 2.  Some of the most popular differences are the designer keypads, and thermostat options such as Palladiom.  HomeWorks QS also has more automated shade options than Caseta and RadioRa 2.  HomeWorks QS will work with all of the same 3rd party systems such as: Apple HomeKit (Siri), Amazon Echo (Alexa), Google Assistant, Samsung Smart Things, Nest, and Sonos—with the added addition of Josh.AI.  Josh.AI is the sleek new luxury home system that can completely run your life from when you first wake up, until you ask Josh to turn your lights off and close your shades to go to sleep. If your system was installed before 2015, it’s possible that you may be experiencing some compatibility issues with appliances, intermittent power outages, or it might not even be connected to the internet. If you’re still using HomeWorks Interactive, HomeWorks Illumination, or RadioRa Classic, you’ll need to upgrade to be able to enjoy the latest in internet-based home automation.  The most recent version of Homeworks and RadioRA strives to make your convenience the number one priority.  With the new HomeworksQS and RadioRA 2, you can control your entire system with voice activation, or right from your fingertips- anywhere in the world with the HomeworksQS app, and HomeControl+ app.  This allows you to control anything from anywhere.  Leave a light on at home?  Want your house cool when you get home? Need to let a repair man in while you’re at work? HomeworksQS and RadioRA 2 can handle it. Some other products and services that work with Lutron home systems are: Sonos — State of the art wireless speakers IFTTT (If This Then That) — Create “recipes” such as lowering your shades if it’s sunny, or turning off lights if the Nest Learning Thermostat is set to Away Mode. XFinity Home — Control your lights from anywhere using the free XFINITY Home app. Logitech Harmony Hub — Dim lights, lower shades, and start a movie with one button press on Logitech Harmony hub-based remote controls or the Harmony app. Alarm.com or ELK Products — Automatically turn off lights and close shades when arming the security system before leaving for the day, or if the alarm is tripped, the lights come on, and shades go up to draw attention to the situation. ELAN Home systems — ELAN enhances Caséta controlled shades, enabling you to add up to 50 ‘Phantom Buttons’ that can be set to control shades or even recall specific presets. iRule — An app that runs on iOS and Android devices and controls audio/video, lights, shades, and more. Simple Control (formerly Roomie) — a home control app that supports everything from Roku and Apple TV to Philips Hue and Nest Thermostats… and of course, Lutron. LAUNCHPORT — Simplified home control with hard buttons on an iPad RTI — A series of products for home automation such as remote controls and touch pads. GE telligent — Instant wireless dimming with a GE LED bulb that is embedded with Lutron’s ClearConnect Wireless technology and controlled by a Lutron Pico wireless remote. Savant — Luxury fully customizable home automation system for everything from A/V, lighting, thermostats, door locks, etc. The innovative efforts of Lutron Electronics along with Powerfull Systems, want to upgrade your home with the latest luxury smart home technology.  Powerfull Systems can walk you through the process of integrating the new cutting edge system into your home—making day to day tasks, that much more intuitive and painless—not to mention, more enjoyable to interact with. Contact Powerfull Systems today to discuss how to bring your home into the next era of automation.
Call Us Now: 310-836-9333