| This article is part of a series which intends to | | | | window treatment dealers and home automation |
| offer a complete answer to the question "What is | | | | companies, this affords Somfy an opportunity to |
| the difference between Somfy and Lutron in | | | | be presented at the pre-wire and early planning |
| Motorized Shades?" | | | | stages of these projects. By facilitating |
| Today's sophisticated home automation systems | | | | partnerships and educating the players involved in |
| are designed and incorporated into architectural | | | | pre-wire, Somfy's solution is no longer boxed out |
| plans at the very early stages of a project. | | | | of these critical early planning stages. |
| Lutron, through its vast network of dealers, has | | | | It is important to understand that not all homes |
| always been involved at this stage planning the | | | | have dedicated lighting control and home |
| wiring for its lighting and lighting control products. | | | | automation systems. For now, these systems are |
| In this way, Lutron's dealers are uniquely | | | | found only at the very high end of the market. |
| positioned to initiate the window shade discussion | | | | Motorized shade systems are sold and wired in |
| at the outset. This has played a significant role in | | | | homes without sophisticated automation and |
| growing the overall market for motorized shades | | | | lighting control systems and in these cases, Lutron |
| and has moved the decision point for which shade | | | | has no entrenched wiring advantage since its |
| system is used much earlier on in the construction | | | | dealers are not involved in these projects. But |
| sequence. | | | | that is cold comfort to companies like Somfy, |
| This new reality is due to the fact that while | | | | who found themselves boxed out of some |
| Somfy (and all other shade motor manufacturers) | | | | preeminent projects by din of the wire chosen |
| use an open wiring architecture - Lutron's is | | | | and now behind drywall. In a reactive measure, a |
| closed. How a house is wired for shades largely | | | | couple years ago, Somfy even introduced a |
| dictates which shades will be used. Lutron shades | | | | motor and adapter that can plug into Lutron's |
| and controls use a specific wire. Why? Lutron's | | | | special wire in an attempt to loosen Lutron's hold |
| engineers designed their shade solution to take full | | | | on this niche market. Somfy's recent efforts at |
| advantage of the fact that Lutron's dealers are | | | | educating the market are more enduring and |
| involved in wiring homes at the very early stages. | | | | comprehensive. |
| Very clever! Using a proprietary specialized | | | | One must applaud Lutron for using technology to |
| 7-conductor shading wire, Lutron and its lighting | | | | leverage its dealer's position in the project planning |
| dealers are effectively able to 'lock out' non | | | | phases and begin the discussion of motorized |
| Lutron solutions at the time of pre-wire. | | | | shades early, on its terms. For its part Somfy has |
| Somfy has launched a "Somfy Expert Program" - | | | | also used technology as an advantage to exploit |
| which is a wide scale effort to educate window | | | | certain weaknesses in the Lutron strategy. The |
| treatment dealers and most importantly, | | | | next article in this series will explain how Somfy's |
| integrators on how its motorized shade | | | | introduction of radio frequency (RF) motor control |
| technologies fit into overall smart home systems. | | | | changed the game for motorization of window |
| Besides facilitating relationships between Somfy's | | | | shades. |