Old dog learns new tricks

Built in 1917, San Francisco's Hallidie Building stands as the oldest structure in North America to feature an all-glass curtain wall. Although beautiful and historic, it wasn't exactly green. So when the current owners, the San Francisco chapter of the American Institute of Architects, decided to give the old gal a facelift, they knew that one of their major goals would be to raise the building's capacity for energy-efficient daylighting. The solution: the EcoSystem light control system and Quiet Electronic Drive shades from Lutron. By reading the sunlight and taking into account factors like time of day and the weather, EcoSystem automatically adjusts the blinds to provide daylight that fits the situation. It's shading made smart and it's part of the reason the building was able to meet its goal of using 15% less energy than California's already restrictive code allows.

Lutron Input No. 223 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse