“Having worked with Sierra Nevada on their Chico brewery gave us a working knowledge of project needs as well as the company’s goals,” said Matt Gallaway, A.I.A., LEED, principal architect for R.G.A. “Starting the Mills River project from scratch allowed us to really work on juxtaposing form with function. We wanted to create a very linear building as brewing is a linear process.”

The project began with the warehouse and bottling facility, which were completed in 2013. The taproom and restaurant were added two years later. Ensuring a consistent look throughout each space was key. To help keep a consistent look on the interior, the shade fabric was installed in the main dining area, exterior patio, bakery, gift shop and main offices. Additionally, R.G.A., the design team at Sierra Nevada, and Glen Walters Landscape Architecture, worked to create an entrance that would showcase the customer experience separately from the productdevelopment portion of the property. Comfort, daylighting, and solar heat gain control were integral to the design, and shades would play a role in meeting all of these needs.

“We realized the brewery was getting too much sun, so the incorporation of the shades was necessary,” said Gallaway. “Several solar studies had been conducted, and there were some unanticipated lighting challenges that the shades helped mitigate.”

Built with sustainability and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) in mind, Sierra Nevada worked to ensure the specified glass achieved energy efficiency needs while the shades provided additional performance—or the “icing on the cake” according to Gallaway. The brewery was able to reduce the building’s Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) from .227 to .221 by adding M Screen Deco shade fabric. That is a 20.2% SHGC improvement – a noticeable impact that glazing alone could not have achieved. Sierra Nevada Mills River Brewery was awarded LEED® Platinum in 2016, making it the first production brewery in the country to earn the certification.

Manufactured with high-quality yarn comprised of fiberglass and vinyl, M Screen Deco is a designer fabric featuring a unique rib weave and bi-colored yarn that adds rustic elegance to the space through its texturized appearance. The shades, which were specified at 5% openness, block approximately 95% of UV rays and transmit only 7% of total solar energy.

With a visual transmission of only 7%, M Screen Deco 5% in Hazelnut substantially reduces glare in multiple spaces throughout the brewery while retaining crisp, clear view through. Reduced glare on screens not only affects office workers, but also provides better viewing experiences for patrons watching any of the TVs on the property. Comfort is an essential part of the brewery experience, and the usage of M Screen Deco prevents guests from having unwanted sunlight while they enjoy a cold beverage or delicious meal.

“The use of Mermet’s M Screen Deco fabric in Hazelnut was an excellent selection,” said Dominic Sarno, owner at D.F. Sarno Enterprises Inc., the project’s fabricator/installer. “Aesthetically, the fabric blends with all the wood stain finishes on the inside and complements the exterior finishes. M Screen Deco also allows view through when shades are down, and controls direct sunlight.”

“For Gallaway, the project extends beyond the completion date. “The brewery is often referred to as the ‘destination for beers,’ and we truly enjoy having been a part of creating something that brings people joy. We have said before that the best projects are the ones where you make lasting friendships. This is one of those— great teams that built strong friendships.”

“Watching this project grow over the years as the brewery expanded and more people were drawn to it was a wonderful experience,” continued Sarno, “Working with Sierra Nevada, the architects, and Mermet to create a beautiful, quality-driven facility really underscored it all.”

“They had a beautiful façade design with unique angles and breaks in the glass,” explained Clint Childress, LEED® AP, solar control solutions product manager at Draper, Inc. “With this design, they had a problem with finding any solar shading that would work.”

Bryan B. Biggers III, president of Beverly Venetian Blind Company, agreed it was a complex project.

“We weren’t the only people asked to bid on this project but we seemed to be the only ones that were willing to take on the complexity of this project with its unique angled windows,” Biggers said. “It’s something we had never done before, but I felt that it would be a great opportunity to do something very special even though we really didn’t know how we were going to accomplish it.”

Biggers and his team talked to the designers in charge of the project to share some ideas on how to develop a solution.

“This is where my thoughts went straight to Draper,” he said. “I knew that if anyone could help pull this off, it would be Draper.”

Biggers’ request came to Draper’s Solar Control Solutions (SCS) division, which designs and manufactures custom solutions for customers around the globe.

“SCS is about bringing solutions to solar shading problems,” Childress said. “There may be too much heat gain, a unique glazing design, an operation that is not standard, or anything that makes standard products not an ideal option.”

Draper’s designers discussed the project with Biggers and, after several conversations, proposed a solution. After some back-and-forth exchange of ideas and on-site meetings, a final design was agreed upon: a custom motorized shade system on tracks, with re-directional rollers to help the shades follow the changes in slope. The shades would be operated via wall switch, and feature Mermet E Screen Charcoal/Gray with a 3% openness factor. “The fabric choice was made for performance, as well as aesthetics. The school’s firsts selected a lighter color fabric. After consultation with our client, we changed the color to achieve both concerns,” Bryan Biggers said.

“The design process with Draper was very interesting,” Biggers said. “As you can imagine they had quite a challenge on their hands. Draper hadn’t done this type of project before, and neither had we.”

The custom solution was actually based on Draper’s Motorized FlexShade® and Skylight 2. One of the biggest challenges for the Draper design and production teams was the different brackets required.

“With the changing break-line in the curtain wall glass per shade, each shade was slightly different. Different length tracks (both left and right side for each shade), different length brackets, and different numbers of brackets,” Draper’s director of engineering Harold Seib said. “Another issue was bending the side channels/tracks. We used 3D engineering rapid prototyping machines, and developed a process using printed plastic inserts that allowed us to use a gym equipment tubing bender to bend u-channel.”

The project continued to be challenging as installation got underway. Biggers’ crew had to make some on-site adjustments and fabrication changes because as they moved across the glazing it soon became apparent that there were changes with the angles.

“At some points, it was a hot mess but we knew that it was going to come together in the end and be pretty spectacular,” Biggers said. “Draper did a great job as I knew they would and I know that it was a learning experience for them as well as for us.”

Biggers has returned since the initial installation to make a few adjustments and said the Lab School is extremely happy with the unique shading solution.

They wanted great visibility and a reduction in heat transfer through the window. “KOOLBLACK ticked both those boxes,” Fitis says. While E-Screen with KOOLBLACK Technology was not yet available in Australia, the home owner was willing to wait for its arrival as the building was still under construction.

To produce the window coverings, Fitis worked with the homeowner at each planning stage for the architect-designed home, which was being built from scratch. “I worked with him every step of the way,” he says. “For example, we decided the blind should sit in a cavity rather than be mounted on the wall or ceiling.” As a result, the size of the cavity needed to be addressed to ensure there was enough room for the blind to rotate and sufficient space to accommodate the fabric when it was completely rolled up. Fitis recommended motorization and plans were made to incorporate the electrical work required during construction. “If you’re building a lovely home, the last thing you want are chains hanging around,” he says. “And with big blinds, chains can be difficult to operate.” When the glass was installed in July 2013, the first measure for this job was taken. Production, from factory to completion, took three weeks after the final measure with installation completed in December last year. “In this instance, the blinds were made before the owners were ready for them to be installed,” he says. It’s a strategy he likes to put into effect to ensure customers are not waiting for their blinds to be made when they’ve already moved into a home. “No one wants to wait for their blinds and live in a house that’s like a fishbowl,” he says.

Blinds In Style produced 12 roller blinds in four metre drops to accommodate the high ceilings. The windows to be covered spanned 26 metres in an L shape, one section looking onto the lap pool and the other, onto the garden setting.

“Both sides of the fabric had to be a dark color, with a high visibility and high co efficiency factors. Mermet’s E Screen with KOOLBLACK ticked all those boxes.” Damcevski says the project used Helioscreen internal roller blinds, entailing a combination of chain operated and motorized blinds, for which the fabric used was E Screen with KOOLBLACK Technology 5% openness, color 3535 Charcoal/Charcoal.“

Helioscreen originally came across the KOOLBLACK technology at the BMAA Superexpo in 2013 where it caused quite a stir,” Damcevski says. “When the project at 567 Collins Street came up, we got in touch with Mermet, who provided us with samples. It quickly became apparent that the fabric met the architects’ key requirements. They wanted a dark color fabric, for aesthetic and glare reduction reasons, which also allowed occupants to see out of the building. An added benefit is that, because the fabric is so efficient , it keeps the building cool and therefore reduces energy costs.” “Mermet provided technical stats for the project and compared the fabric characteristics against competitors’ fabrics, in which KOOLBLACK had higher efficiency factors,” Damcevski confirms. “Mermet’s specification data and sample cuttings enabled me to specify the project, with Helioscreen producing the prototype blinds. Specification was completed in June of 2013.”

A key challenge in the project was the high number of performance requirements required, Damcevski adds. These included a dark fabric requirement, a max of 5% openness factor, less than 6% Visible Light Transmittance (Tv), 30% Solar Reflectance (Rs). “We had to be able to meet as many of these as possible,” she says, adding that key to the project’s success was the resolution of the opposing needs of a sustainable building that also required dark fabrics.” “Regular dark shade materials consume energy and raise the solar heat gain in space, thus resulting in a waste of energy and creating an unpleasant environment. As such, this restricts the use of dark screen fabrics in sustainable building design where heat reflection specifications are presented in a shading solution.”

“The new KOOLBLACK technology resolves this issue by making use of new heat reflecting characteristics. KOOLBLACK technology adds to the energy efficiency of solar-shade materials to equivalent levels with light colours, which lowers about 23% of solar heat gain coefficients (SHGC), which means improved heat control and increased energy savings.” Mermet comments: “While E-Screen with KOOLBLACK Technology was not even available in Australia at the time of the specification in 2013, its benefits were so apparent when it launched at the Superexpo that Helioscreen was quickly committed to utilizing it.”

In consultation with the CEO of CBAC, Mark Carr, Steve Palmer and his team at Creative Blinds specified Hunter Douglas’ motorized RB 500 roller shades and Mermet’s specially heat-reflective fabric, T Screen with KOOLBLACK Technology™, to help block the intense sun pouring in from all sides of the CBAC headquarters.

The design called for motorized shades on the top floor, ensuring ease of use and creating a sharp appearance from both the interior and exterior of the building. “The shades look good, and the employees really like them,” said Carr. “I would estimate it’s probably about 10 or 15 degrees cooler with the T Screen with KOOLBLACK Technology™ fabric, which allows our team to feel more comfortable and be productive.”

CBAC has also noticed significant monetary savings, which they attribute partially to the shades: “We budgeted a substantial amount monthly for electricity costs,” said Carr. “With the help of the shading fabrics, our average monthly bills are less than half of what we initially expected for heating and air conditioning costs. We are anticipating break even costs for the shading system in about two and a half years.”

According to Robert Beals, Product Manager at Mermet Sun Control Textiles, other customers have experienced similar effects after installing T Screen with KOOLBLACK™ Technology shade fabrics. In fact, the fabrics have been proven to reflect 65% of all solar energy, reducing heat gain, as well as blocking 91% of visible light to control glare, enhance visual comfort and increase workspace productivity.