Manual operation of windows or shades might work in home settings and some very small buildings, but in larger buildings with many occupants and an operating design strategy that might involve predictive algorithms, thermal storage and/or integration of façade and lighting systems -- ad hoc control by occupants must be replaced by more reliable automated controls. These controls will accept directions and inputs from a wide range of building sensors (wired and wireless) as well as anticipatory signals for predicted evening wind and temperature, day ahead utility price signals and next day expected building occupancy.
"Dynamic" or Automated solar shading is an intelligent dynamic system that makes internal and/or external solar shading devices to operate automatically. The solar shading device receives real-time input from sensors, such as sun, wind, temperature and combines this with pre-set data and thresholds based on the requirements from both facility managers and tenants to save energy and provide comfort.
By managing the appropriate quantity of daylight and solar gain inside buildings, automated solar shading help to reduce and optimize air conditioning during the cooling season, while decreasing heating consumption during the heating season. Automated solar shading allows more solar gain to come into the building than fixed or solar glazing and can be considered as the most effective renewable source in the heating periods as well as for lighting.