Hunter Douglas RB-500 Architectural Roller Shades User Guide
- June 1, 2024
- Hunter Douglas
Table of Contents
Hunter Douglas RB-500 Architectural Roller Shades
ARCHITECTURAL INNOVATION
For more than 100 years, the architecture and design community has specified
commercial products from Hunter Douglas, the world leader in window coverings.
Our tradition of bringing breakthrough products to market makes us the company
of choice for an array of commercial solar control solutions, including
innovative options for interior and exterior roller shades.
From specification to installation, we work with architects, designers, and
builders to manage light, heat, and acoustics. With our comprehensive line of
shade fabrics – including high-performance, Cradle to Cradle Certified™, and
anti-microbial – our design solutions optimize interior environmental quality
and have helped many projects achieve LEED® Platinum, Gold, or Silver
worldwide.
Benefits of Roller Shades
Hunter Douglas Architectural Roller Shades help create environments that are comfortable, healthy, productive, and sustainable. Our products are constructed to minimize environmental impact while meeting the highest standards for commercial applications.
Daylighting
Increased daylight can increase occupant productivity, decrease occupant
stress, and reduce the amount of energy used for traditional lighting. Roller
shades help to manage and optimize this natural daylight while maintaining
views of the outside.
Glare Control
Roller shades allow occupants to control manually or through automation the
direction and amount of sunlight entering their space, with light-filtering
fabrics that eliminate glare and reflections. Hundreds of fabric choices
enable precise levels of daylight control, including near-blackout, privacy,
and more open weaves.
Management of Solar Heat Gain
Choosing the right interior or exterior window covering solution for managing
solar heat gain is critical for occupant comfort. Roller shades, combined with
the appropriate fabric, help to reduce heat gain at the window.
Energy Efficiency
Reducing the energy demand and increasing the efficiency of a building is
critical to a building’s performance. Automated roller shades help to reduce
the HVAC load by dynamically adjusting based on the sun’s angles throughout
the day.
Indoor Air Quality
Poor air quality is a common source of occupant complaints. Many of our FR
fabrics are certified for low emissions by the GREENGUARD Environmental
Institute and pass the stricter requirements of GREENGUARD Gold. Careful
selection of low-emitting materials minimizes the presence of contaminants,
such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), odours, and dust.
Operating Systems
Available with advanced automated systems and reliable manual chain- and crank-driven lifting hardware, our architectural roller shades meet and exceed a wide variety of commercial requirements.
Automated Roller Shades
RB 500+ Automated Roller Shades
From battery-operated to intelligent wired, our flagship RB 500+ Automated
Roller Shades combine engineering and motorization to control glare and
maximize energy savings.
RB Basics Automated Roller Shades
With multiple system sizes available and featuring our cost-effective radio
frequency OTTO™ motor, our RB Basics automated roller shade system is an ideal
choice for most standard applications.
Key Features of Automated Shades
- UL Certified options are available on select RB 500+ automated roller shade systems
- Integrates with most third-party systems, including light control, HVAC, and all other forms of BMS control
- ADA compliant and meets all Child Safety standards
Manual Roller Shades
- RB 500+ Manual Roller Shades
- With features to solve tricky conditions, our chain or crank-operated RB 500+ Manual Roller Shades can be installed in a wide range of shade sizes and positions.
RB Basics Manual Roller Shades
Our RB Basics manual roller shade system provides a solid entry point for
value-conscious projects. With its smooth and reliable operating clutch
technology, RB Basics meets performance requirements that few others can.
Key Features of Manual Shades
- Clutch options are engineered to lift more weight than the industry standard
- Brackets and clutches are designed to fit seamlessly together, creating a sleek profile
- Universal spring-loaded end plug mounts shades securely and provides for smooth and easy installation
Fascia, Fascia With Top and Back Cover
- Aluminium fascia with top or back cover to conceal shade mechanism from the front, sides, and top/back. Extruded pockets and closures are also available
Blockout With Side Channels
- Aluminium side channels, sill channels, and bottom bar fitted with a light-blocking wool pile to prevent light leakage around edges and bottom of the shade
**Reverse Roll***
- Fabric mounted to descend from the room-facing side, concealing the roll and creating a more finished appearance
Dual Shades
- Add versatility to any space by allowing two different fabrics to be used on the same window
- Available on RB 500+ only
ABCs of Selecting a Roller Shade Fabric
- Architects, designers, and owners should consider four primary factors when selecting a roller shade fabric: application, buildings’ requirements, and the colour and composition of the fabric.
Application
- Consider how the building will be used: Is it a casual space for relaxing, or a more structured space for working? Is it somewhere in between like a school or a hospital where occupants can ideally do both? Consider how these activities drive the shades’ functions: What is required of the shading system to deliver the intended design outcome?
Building / Location
- Consider the orientation and elevations. Is it west-facing with direct sun throughout the day, or is it north-facing with very little direct sunlight? Consider the surroundings; are there neighbouring buildings with mirrored windows, are there views to be highlighted, or conversely, hidden? Consider the size and structure of the glazing: what type of glass and in which colour? What is the climate? Is it better suited to certain materials?
Color
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Color represents perhaps one of the most important choices, not only for aesthetic reasons but also for how it affects shade performance in the window. Both dark and light fabrics have strengths and limitations – specifying a colour appropriate for the application is essential.
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With their natural room-darkening properties, dark-coloured fabrics reduce glare and improve visibility from the inside looking out. They also, from a street view aesthetic, blend well with a building’s facade. On the downside, they absorb more solar energy than light-coloured fabrics, allowing more radiant heat into the space, and leading, at times, to a decrease in energy efficiency. The result is the opposite, however, when considering exterior applications. Because of this higher rate of absorption, dark colours are recommended on the exterior as they absorb solar heat before it hits the glass.
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By contrast, white and light-coloured fabrics inherently reflect light, reducing solar heat gain, preserving natural light, and potentially reducing the need for artificial lighting. Their ability to filter glare is not as strong, though, and the resulting room-brightening effect can lead to obscured views of the outside. Light-coloured fabrics can also appear less appealing from the outside. Unlike dark fabrics, they don’t blend as well with a building’s façade.
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Dual-toned (or two-sided) fabrics offer an alternative to single-coloured dark or light options. These fabrics provide a best-of-both-worlds solution with the lighter of the two colours facing the window glass to reflect heat and the darker of the two facing the interior to reduce glare. The combination results in a high-performing fabric that maintains its room-darkening capabilities and superior view-through. In cases where privacy is required, the exterior facing side ca n be coated with an opaque backing.
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Metalized and IR, or heat-reflecting fabrics, are also becoming more common. With metalbacked fabrics, the back (or exterior facing) side, coated with a thin layer of aluminium, reflects energy through the glass to the outside. Heat-reflecting fabrics, woven from yarn (or yarns) containing reflecting properties, eliminate the need for an additional coating.
Composition
- The structure of fabrics and the materials used to weave them define both their performance and appearance. The “bones” of these fabrics are their core yarns, typically fibreglass or polyester, and determine their overall strength and stability. These core yarns, once ready for the weaving process, are either almost always coated or uncoated. Coatings can provide colour, dimensional stability, and resistance to stretching, durability, UV protection, and other properties. Uncoated fabrics possess only the attributes of that original material and nothing more.
- Within these two families, there are four that bear further discussion: PVC-coated fibreglass core, PVC-coated polyester core, 100% or uncoated polyester weaves, and TPO (thermoplastic olefin).
PVC-Coated Fiberglass: In addition to reduced fraying, easy care and cleaning, and resistance to stretching, fibreglass core fabrics tend to be more dimensionally stable. Because of this, they are often the best choice for larger or taller window openings. Colorfastness and better view-through are also benefits.
PVC-Coated Polyester: Colorfastness, enhanced view-through, and dimensional stability are all benefits of choosing coated polyester. Polyester core does tend to be thicker in diameter than its fiberglass equivalent, though, as it requires a denser coating to counter-act natural stretching. The thicker core can result in a heavier fabric, and the thicker and heavier the material, the larger the hardware and roller tube assembly must be to avoid deflection. PVC-coated materials may contain detectable amounts of VOCs, which can lead to odours due to off-gassing.
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PVC-Free Polyester: Advancements in fabric design and construction over the past decade have led to the introduction of PVC-free fabrics. One of the most common of PVC-free materials, %100 polyester, is widely known as the “sustainable” choice and can often claim designations such as recycled or Cradle to Cradle Certified™.
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Containing low to no VOCs, these fabrics are ideal for spaces that may be more sensitive to odours, such as hospitals and schools. Often these accolades come with a higher price point, however, and the fabric itself can be challenging to clean.
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Thermoplastic Olefin (TPO): Another of the more common PVC-free options is TPO. Free of VOCs, these fabrics are Cradle to Cradle Certified™ and an excellent alternative for interior spaces more sensitive to odours. TPO fabrics may experience colo r fading over time.
Additional Considerations when Choosing a Roller Shade Fabric
Fenestration
When reading a fabric card, you want to consider two properties: Thermal and
Optical.
Thermal relates to heat control and optical to the light that i s visible to
the human eye.
The thermal properties (Rs, As, and Ts), combined determine the total solar energy entering the space, using the RAT equation.
- Rs + As + Ts values = 100%of total solar energy.
- Rs = Solar Reflectance is the amount of light that bounces off the shade.
- As = Solar Absorptance is the amount of light that the shade absorbs (turning it into heat).
- Ts = Solar Transmittance is the amount of light that passes through the shade and into the room, providing daylight and potentially glare.
It is both the thermal and optical properties that determine the amount of solar energy admitted through the glass. SHGC or Solar Heat Gain Coefficient is expressed as a numerical value between 0 and 1. A value closer to 0 means better heat protection. A value closer to 1 signifies a higher heat gain.
Fabric Openness
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The openness factor (or OF) of fabric affects two things, UV light levels and glare-filtering.
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For UV, a general rule of thumb is the amount of UV light blocked by a fabric is the inverse of its openness. This inverse means that a fabric with an OF of 3% blocks approximately 97% of UV light.
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A fabric with an OF of 10%, about 90% of UV light. In terms of glare-filtering, the location of a building should influence fabric choice. Pay attention not only to the direction in which the façade faces but also to the geographic area.
Fabric Opacity
- The three most common opacities are transparent, translucent, and privacy.
- Transparent fabrics filter light, provide a clear view-through but offer minimal privacy.
- These are best suited to orientations with no direct sunlight or in spaces where the desire is direct light.
- Translucent fabrics offer increased glare control, making these fabrics ideal in areas with direct sun exposure or high glare. Privacy levels are improved; however, with that comes a decreased view to the outside. Privacy (or blackout) fabrics have the most significant control of light, but no view-through. Complete privacy makes these fabrics ideal for meeting rooms, guest rooms, and patient rooms.
Acoustical Performance
Two rating types determine acoustical performance: NRC, Noise Reduction
Coefficient, and SAA, which is Sound Absorption Average. Both are similar in
that they measure how much sound a product or material absorbs in a space.
Each gives a numerical value between 0 and 1.
- 0 = no sound absorption, or “perfect reflection.”
- 1 = all sound is absorbed, or “perfect absorption.”
For additional information on selecting a roller shade fabric, or to request a
CEU presentation, please contact the Regional Sales Manager in your area.
Note: Our Architectural Roller Shade binder houses some of our top-
selling high-performance, sustainable, and blackout fabric options. Visit
HDarchitectural.com for our complete offering and most up to date information.
With openness factors ranging from 0% to 25%, our extensive collection of FR
fabrics offer solutions for every application.
Understanding View-Through
- As we know, the color and the openness of a fabric plays a significant role in determining views to the outside.
- Darker colors absorb light, allowing for greater view through, while lighter fabrics reflect light, resulting in decreased views.
- A higher openness factor means a looser weave, resulting in more transparent views. The opposite is true for a lower openness factor whereby the tighter weave means reduced views to the outside. The images below help to illustrate how both color and openness affect views to the outside.
Motorization & Automation Technology
The motorization or automation of shading solutions is one of the fastest- growing and dynamic segments of the industry. Continually evolving to suit the growing need to improve energy efficiency, accessibility, safety, and aesthetics in design, there are many motor technology platforms available with each serving to address a specific project requirement. Before we walk through the main three, let’s consider the difference between motorization and automation. Although often used to describe the same desired outcome, there is a distinct difference between the two.
Motorization vs. Automation
Motorization
Motorization means simply “to equip with a motor.” For example, flip a switch
up, and the shade motor rolls up, flip a switch down, and the shade motor
rolls down. Typically, a more straightforward means of operation which
requires the occupant to actively participate in telling the shade what to do.
Automation
Automation or automatic control is more complex and almost always involves
various control systems for operating a shading system. These systems can
operate independently, requiring minimal or reduced occupant intervention,
within the guidelines we program or input. Often referred to as intelligent
control, the primary goal of automating shading systems is to improve energy
efficiency. Additional benefits include improved accessibility, ease of
operation, and overall convenience.
Motor Technology Platforms
There are three basic types of systems commonly used in the commercial market
today for automating solar control systems.
Standard Motor with Centralized Intelligence
Recommended for projects that require simple commissioning, Standard Motor
with Centralized Intelligence is the oldest of the three platforms. Standard,
or sometimes referred to as “dumb,” these AC motors are used in conjunction
with an external shade controller (wall switch, handheld device, etc.), which
provides intelligence and automation potential to a simple motor.
Intelligent Wireless
Recommended for site conditions where running wire for controls is a
challenge, Intelligent Wireless motors can be AC, DC, rechargeable lithium-ion
battery, or a combination of all three. Once powered, they require no
additional wiring. Control devices operate a smart wireless motor via radio
frequency (RF) communication and can include wall switches, hand-held remotes,
smartphones/tablets, sun sensors, or third-party control devices.
Intelligent Wired
Recommended for mid to large-sized projects as a stand-alone system or
integrated with automation systems, building management systems, solar
tracking, and two-way communication, Intelligent Wired motors are the most
sophisticated of the platforms. This system – powered by AC, DC, or a
combination of both – offers a virtually unlimited number of timers, control
input devices, and the highest level of third-party int egration available.
Considerations When Choosing, and Specifying an Automated System
There are several factors to consider in choosing an automated system. The
most critical include project location, building orientation, and finally, the
desired design outcome.
Project Location & Building Orientation
Where is the project located? Southern climates closer to the equator
experience different heat and light levels compared to more Northern climates
and are likely to have different performance requirements. Consider the
buildings’ orientation and elevation. Is it west facing with direct sun
throughout the day, is it north facing with very little direct sunlight? Which
windows face West and South (two critical areas of late afternoon sun
exposure)?
Design Intent
Finally, what is the ultimate design intention? Is it maximizing energy
efficiency or glare control? Room darkening vs. room brightening to mitigate
light-levels? A combination of all of the above?
- Together, all of these factors can help determine the most appropriate motor technology platform for your project.
- For additional information on our Automation and Motorization programs, or to request a CEU presentation, please contact the Regional Sales Manager in your area.
CONTACT
- 800.727.8953
- HDarchitectural.com
- © 2020, Hunter Douglas. All rights reserved.