About the Solarmotion Blog
Commercial buildings consume 39% of the energy and 74% of the electricity generated from oil, gas, nuclear and coal fired plants, which adversely impacts the environment. Fossil based power generation releases CO2 which contributes to global climate change, and coal fired stations create acid rain!
That’s why the USGBC’s LEED® program drives architects to design sustainable buildings
that save energy, let natural light in, keep heat out, and allow occupants to look out their windows.
For more than twenty-five years Construction Specialties has helped architects realize the aesthetic and functional benefits of using controllable sun shades on their buildings. A variety of studies show that buildings that employ daylight management systems increase worker productivity, lower absenteeism and improve educational performance.
With a mission to set the pace for the use of intelligent, dynamic, exterior solar shading devices, the Solarmotion Blog will be our attempt to document, comment on, and share how we’re doing that – with the opportunity to receive your feedback and comments along the way. This is a journey towards better buildings – what we’ve worked for as a company for over 60 years – and we are happy you’re here to join us.
We look forward to your input, comments, encouragement, and even criticism as we share what we’re working on, the latest solar shading news, our experts’ views on industry trends, and what we’re doing to remain at the forefront of sustainable buildings through solar shading.
To learn more about Solarmotion, the most innovative and effective controllable external shading device on the market today, please visit Construction Specialties.
About the Authors
Wayne Browning, Senior Solar Shading Consultant
Wayne Browning is a senior consultant who assists building owners, designers and constructors to utilize effective solar control solutions in their new or retrofit building programs. Prior to joining the CS Solarmotion group, Wayne spent 40 years in various positions involving construction product design, marketing, sales and management. Throughout his career, Wayne has been involved with and committed to collaborative and creative approaches to new product development, application and productive client relations. Wayne’s extensive pratical experience supports the architectural design and construction community, as well as the CS Solarmotion team to further its goal to be the preeminent designer & fabricator of solar control solutions for the building industry. Wayne holds Undergraduate and Honours Degrees from York University, as well as an Advanced Diploma in Mediation. He regularly volunteers time to community mediation and tutoring adult learners.
Ailsa Chamorro, Engineering & Design
As Manufacturing Engineer for Construction Specialties, and working out of the Canadian office, Ailsa Chamorro leads much of the design and engineering work completed for clients, beginning in the early stages of controllable solar shading projects. Ailsa’s technical abilities, including her exception skills in 3D rendering and modeling, often bring the architects’ and owners’ visions to life for the very first time, with the ability to model daylight, shadows, controls, and architectural materials. Ailsa recently completed her Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Toronto.
Curt Fessler, LEED AP
Product Innovation, Sustainable Design & Communications
Curt is a Marketing Manager based out of our location in Muncy, Pennsylvania. He is co-charged with managing the company’s new product development program. This includes generation and commercialization of ideas for products that support the company’s motto, Creating products that make buildings better. Curt has a passion for sustainable design and wholeheartedly believes in collaboration with the architectural community, facility owners, universities, employees and the government to stimulate innovative advances in the built environment. Curt came to C/S after finishing his MBA at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. When not at work, he likes to spend time with his wife, friends and two yellow labradors as well as ski, travel, read, play golf and ride his mountain bike.
Justin Joseph, Marketing Manager
Justin is an award winning young executive with a proven track record of developing and implementing initiatives to grow product lines and improve the overall success of entire organizations. As an emerging thought leader, he has created some of the most effective sustainability programs for business and industry by combining marketing, communications, business profitability and environmental strategy for the common goal of changing the planet for the better. His involvement in sustainability programs, business development, social media, product launches, communications, account relationship building, identifying/leveraging opportunities, and market penetration/expansion make Justin well suited to making lasting contributions to both the Canadian operation and C/S Corporate.
Ken Major, Vice President Sales
Having worked in the specialty architectural products industry for nearly 35 years, Ken Major now serves as Vice President of Sales for Construction Specialties, based out of Lebanon, New Jersey. Ken’s dedication to green building innovation and the growth of the solar shading industry in North America have been critical to the success of the Solarmotion product line. Bringing with him international experience working at Executive and Board levels with shading manufacturers throughout the UK, Ken’s knowledge of the solar shading market and innovative green building products goes unmatched. As a result, he frequently speaks in seminars, panels, and keynotes about green building innovation. Ken earned his MBA in Marketing, Management, and Engineering from the University of Portsmouth (UK).
Kevin Morris, Market Research & Trends
Kevin has traveled extensively researching and investigating the role of solar shading in green building strategies around the world. He has worked alongside leading experts in solar, energy conservation, green building, and architecture in Europe, China, and across North America gathering cutting edge insight, trends, and ideas for the development of the Solarmotion line of products. Kevin is a frequent user and advocate for the use of collaborative technology in research, development, and learning. His work online to connect and advance the global solar shading industry can be seen on this blog, on the Solar Shading Flickr pool, the Solar Shading LinkedIn Group, and other web properties.
Rick Morris, Vice President & General Manager, Design & Engineering
As Vice President and General Manager at Construction Specialties Inc., Rick Morris leads the Canadian operation for a global leader in the building materials industry, including managing several strategic business units for international products and brands. With a passion for product innovation related to sustainable building solutions, Rick has led the design for Construction Specialties’ Solarmotion. He has extensive experience in engineering and manufacturing management in research & development, technology transfer, and facility startups around the world.
Kraig Palmer, Sales Manager
As the acting Solarmotion Sales Manager, Kraig possesses an aptitude for strategic thinking and the versatile management skills necessary to lead customer solution efforts in the rapidly growing and ever evolving marketplace for high performance and green building products.
Mr. Palmer joined Construction Specialties in 1997, as a product manager, shortly after receiving a Bachelors Degree in Economics for the University of California at San Diego. At Construction Specialties Kraig has found a home, and prior to heading up the sales development efforts for Solarmotion, has excelled in a number of key strategic management positions. Most recently Kraig served as a Business Unit Manager where he played an instrumental role in turning around of the companies direct to market fire protection and daylighting products division and received an Executive Certification in Corporate Finance and Accounting from Rice University.
Kraig grew up in Southern California and now resides in Sugar Land, Texas with his wife and two young children.
Anthony Peachey, New Product Development and Market Outreach
Anthony is a member of our Marketing department located in Muncy, Pennsylvania. His work is invaluable to new product development at C/S. He spends his days managing product development projects, conducting market research, testing concepts in focus groups and connecting with customers in any way possible to support our commitment to outside-in, customer-centric innovation.
Ulrich Lang, Head of Warema Project Consulting
Having a vast amount of experience as it relates to daylight guiding systems, energy efficiency, project management, research and design. Ulrich (Uli) has worked with Warema for over 20 years, has a degree in Plastic Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences Wurzburg-Schweinfurt and also has advanced training as an Energy Consultant from the GRUNDIG Academy in Germany. During his many years at Warema, Uli has led as Project Manager in the R&D department, head of R&D for Daylight Guiding Systems and now serves as the Head of Warema Project Consulting department.