A system incorporating a camera sensor situated in a room having walls with windows and sun blinds. The sun blinds may control outdoor light to the room. Indoor light sources may provide artificial light in the room. A controller may receive signals from the camera sensor. The controller may estimate a presence of occupants and provide control signals to the sun blinds and light sources. A room temperature sensor and an HVAC system may be connected to the controller. A preset temperature, which may depend on occupancy, in the room or zone may be achieved with various kinds of heating or cooling. At the same time, outdoor light and indoor artificial light may be controlled to obtain a preset intensity of lighting in the room, which may depend on occupancy, in a manner to achieve a minimum cost of energy used by the HVAC and the light sources.

Onboard EC window controllers are described. The controllers are configured in close proximity to the EC window, for example, within the IGU. The controller may be part of a window assembly, which includes an IGU having one or more EC panes, and thus does not have to be matched with the EC window, and installed, in the field. The window controllers described herein have a number of advantages because they are matched to the IGU containing one or more EC devices and their proximity to the EC panes of the window overcomes a number of problems associated with conventional controller configurations.

A method and system for changing light intensity that passes through a window is disclosed. The method includes securing a sheet with a plurality of portions to a window, wherein each portion has a respective transparency, and arranging the sheet in a first position such that a first portion of the sheet with a first transparency is placed in front of the window. In addition, the system is configured to allow the sheet to move from the first position to a second position, such that a second portion of the sheet with a second transparency is placed in front of the window.

A roofing board, such as a polyiso insulation board, includes first and second surfaces, where the first surface is lighter in color than the second surface. This allows the roofing installer to choose which of the surfaces to expose to the atmosphere, the lighter surface being cooler than the darker surface. The lighter surface may have a solar reflectance greater than the darker surface. A roofing membrane is then adhered or otherwise attached to the exposed surface.

A motorized window treatment provides a low-cost solution for controlling the amount of daylight entering a space through a window. The window treatment includes a covering material, a drive shaft, at least one lift cord rotatably received around the drive shaft and connected to the covering material, and a motor coupled to the drive shaft for raising and lowering the covering material. The window treatment also includes a spring assist unit for assisting the motor by providing a torque that equals the torque provided by the weight on the cords that lift the covering material at a position midway between fully-open and fully-closed positions, which helps to minimize motor usage and conserve battery life if a battery is used to power the motorized window treatment. The window treatment may comprise a photosensor for measuring the amount of daylight outside the window and temperature sensors for measuring the temperatures inside and outside of the window. The position of the covering material may be automatically controlled in response to the photosensor and the temperature sensors to save energy, or may also be controlled in response to an infrared or radio-frequency remote control.

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for controlling transitions in an optically switchable device. In one aspect, a controller for a tintable window may include a processor, an input for receiving output signals from sensors, and instructions for causing the processor to determine a level of tint of the tintable window, and an output for controlling the level of tint in the tintable window. The instructions may include a relationship between the received output signals and the level of tint, with the relationship employing output signals from an exterior photosensor, an interior photosensor, an occupancy sensor, an exterior temperature sensor, and a transmissivity sensor. In some instances, the controller may receive output signals over a network and/or be interfaced with a network, and in some instances, the controller may be a standalone controller that is not interfaced with a network.

The present invention relates in general to a self-contained, solar-powered, self-regulating intelligent automated window treatment with increased energy efficiency. In particular, in accordance with one embodiment, the invention relates to a self-contained, solar-powered, self-regulating intelligent automated window treatment with increased energy efficiency consisting of: (1) a headrail with at least one solar panel, a rechargeable battery that is charged by the solar panel, and a motor that is powered by the rechargeable battery; (2) window shade fabric with one terminus of the fabric affixed to a tube and with the fabric wrapped around the tube and located within the headrail; (3) a smart bottom rail attached to the terminus of the shade fabric furthest from the tube with the bottom rail containing, at least one environmental sensor, at least one control button, at least one solar panel, and a rechargeable battery that is charged by the solar panel and that provides power to the environmental sensors and control buttons. The environmental sensors will provide information that will be used to determine when the shade motor should automatically raise and lower the shade with minimal effort from the user. In addition to relying on solar power, the automatic adjustment of the window treatment will allow for a reduction of energy consumption by the user by decreasing the need for artificial lighting, heating, and air conditioning. In another embodiment of the invention, solar power stored in the rechargeable battery of the bottom rail may be transferred to the rechargeable battery-powered motor of the headrail.

The embodiments relate to an electrochromic device having flexibility while achieving an excellent light transmission variable function based on the electrochromic principle. The electrochromic device comprises a light transmission variable structure interposed between a first base layer and a second base layer, wherein the light transmission variable structure comprises a first chromic layer and a second chromic layer, and the value of ΔTTd.sub.24 as defined in Equation (1) is 3% or less.

Techniques are described for generating a graphical user interface for providing information and controlling optically switchable windows connected by a network. Windows are graphically represented using interactive smart objects that are placed within views of the graphical user interface in a manner corresponding to their physical location. In another aspect, a method, system, and/or computer program product is described for associating network IDs of optically switchable windows with the locations at which the windows are installed. Window locations are determined by analyzing received wireless transmissions that are sent from transmitters associated with each of the optically switchable windows. The determined locations are then compared with a representation of the building that provides the window locations. Upon comparison, the network ID of each window, which is communicated through the window transmissions, is associated with the appropriate window location on the representation of the building.

An uncolored roofing granule including a low solar absorption base and a low solar absorption and solar opaque coating presented on the base, the coating including a binder, a pigment, wherein the binder includes a curable component and a non-clay, thermally reactive curing agent.