Project: A house full of windows gets green

I'm a windows fanatic -- that's windows with a small "w", so I marveled at this project from Electronic Design Group, an integration firm in Piscataway, N.J.:

The clients' main objective was to have the ability to control all lighting and shading in their home, but to also have clean walls that were free of dimmers and switches. With roughly 17,000 square feet of space in the entire home, this was a large task which ended with an exceptionally breathtaking result. The clients requested motorized shades on the architectural style windows in the great room, as well as UV protection for their many rare and antique wood furnishings and fabrics they collect.

One of the challenges we faced was the size of the space. The living room is over 1,600 square feet of open floor plan, which posed a challenge when it came time to control all the shades with only a few options for keypad locations. There were limited options for control, so we created "user-friendly" intuitive shading "scenes" for all keypad locations.

The shading scenes were also programmed to manipulate the shades that cover the doorways so that owners can conveniently access the outdoor areas. We also included an infrared remote to easily control all shades in this large space from the different floors and the high-traffic locations in the home, such as the kitchen, dining area and office.

In addition to the home's living room with its striking windows and spectacular view of the New York City skyline, the home is also fully equipped with audio/video equipment installed in various media rooms throughout the home and a multi-room audio system. The large living room creates an unusual footprint within the home; from this main room stem many other smaller rooms, including the home's bedrooms, office, and kitchen.

SOLUTIONS

Overall, the home has more than 50 windows. The windows in the great room of this home extend from the basement to the second floor, creating a "window wall". The wall consists of angled glass in varying shapes and sizes, each of which required its own unique shading solution. With the use of integrated shading and lighting systems and the resulting energy savings, this project became a "Green" project.

Coordination with a shade contractor and a lighting designer produced the use of mullions, with pockets to hide the shades when they are not in use. A successful collaboration of efforts in regard to the dramatic windows of this home created the perfect solution in which the symmetry and aesthetics of the home were maintained while retaining a clear view of the New York City skyline.

Contact EDG at (732) 650-9800 or solutions@edgusa.com.