As the globe warms and energy costs soar, eco-friendly design has become a hot topic, which has also reached the window covering industry. Being ecologically smart is a responsibility, as well as a way to save money. High energy consumption is not only expensive; it is draining our natural resources. While some companies are just now seeking design solutions for saving energy at home, Hunter Douglas, the nation's leading manufacturer of custom window blinds and shades, has been pioneering energy-saving solutions at the window for decades.

It's a simple scientific fact: heat moves towards cold. In winter months heat is drawn to the cold glass of windows to escape a home. In warmer months, heat moves toward the windows so that air conditioners have to work two to three times harder. While blinds and shades are very fashionable and give light control, some products are designed to protect against heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer, while reducing heating and cooling costs by as much as 25 percent.

The energy-efficient blinds and shades

The concept for Duette shades ? the first highly efficient, yet fashionable window covering introduced in 1985 ? was developed during the energy crisis of the late 1970s when Wendell Colson, now Senior Vice President of Product Development for Hunter Douglas, was a young architect and inventor in Massachusetts. ?One night as I was shivering in bed, a double curtain came together in an irregular folding pattern with a honeycomb-like configuration, capturing air between the folds,? said Colson. ?I saw this vertically, but I thought if we put it together horizontally you would have a highly energy-efficient window treatment because air would literally be trapped in the honeycomb cells.? Now the most comprehensive offering on the market, Duette honeycomb shades are available in a broad assortment of fabrics and colors with a variety of opacities, pleat sizes, state-of-the-art lifting systems and design options.

Today as the nation is experiencing another crisis in energy costs, Hunter Douglas once again revolutionizes the category with its new Duette? Architella Collection ? providing the ultimate in energy efficiency at the window. Duette Architella honeycomb shades feature a unique, patented construction consisting of a honeycomb nestled within a honeycomb. This provides two more air pockets than traditional honeycomb shades and dramatically increases R-values, which measure a product's ability to keep heat in and cold out. The higher the R-value, the better the product is at retaining indoor warmth. For example, with an R-value of 4.00, a product stops about 75 percent of heat loss through the window.

Just as energy efficient is the Duette Triple Honeycomb cell shade, called Phenomena Three, which has an outstanding value when trapping heat or cold inside the triple honeycomb constructed cells. These figures are for double-pane windows with Low-E glass.

Blinds made to last and preserve

All Hunter Douglas window fashions are manufactured to the highest standards of quality and design for unsurpassed durability and backed by a Lifetime Limited Warranty. Moreover, the UV protection offered by most of their products also helps preserve other furnishings.

Ultraviolet light is often called ?the invisible enemy? as it is the invisible component of the sun's radiation and can be extremely damaging. Ultraviolet literally means ?beyond the violet? in the visible spectrum of light. It enters the house as sunlight but will eventually fade floors, furniture, upholstery and drapery fabrics, carpeting and valuable artwork. With prolonged sun exposure, natural, undyed fabrics typically become yellowed. Later, fibers will weaken, making furnishings look old and worn before their time.

Certain Hunter Douglas blinds can block up to 99 percent of UV rays. Look for a ?% UV blockage? rating. The higher a product's rating, the better the home's interior is protected from UV rays.

The concern of Hunter Douglas for our planet and your home does not stop at the window. The company is committed to the highest safety and environmental standards in its manufacturing processes as well as to generous charitable outreach. Hunter Douglas blinds and window shades products can be find at the online window covering dealer Ace of Shades Window Coverings