Here's why it works

Did you know that according to the EPA, the lack of air movement throughout the home can lead to a buildup of toxic pollutants that are 10x greater inside a home than outside? Not only that, new construction techniques that utilize energy efficient windows and doors worsen the problem and decrease the movement of outside air throughout the home.

Fig 1: Indoor Air Quality Problems

Studies have shown that respiratory problems such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and allergies can all be lessened by improving indoor air quality. Those in a good state of health will also benefit from cleaner, fresher air as studies from the University of California, Berkeley have shown.

Fig 2: Relationship between allergic symptoms and room ventilation

Our team has developed fenestra, the first and only smart window technology (Patent Pending) which solves indoor air quality (IAQ) problems. By automatically opening and closing the windows in your home at precisely the right time, fresh air from the outdoors can circulate seamlessly through your home, flushing out stale and dirty air in the process. 

During summer, temperatures rise, A/C use increases considerably, as does electricity consumption. fenestra helps cool your home easily and conveniently with fresh morning air. As the day goes by and temperatures begins to rise, fenestra conveniently responds by closing windows.

Fig 3: Summer Temperature Throughout Day and Optimal Window Open Times

Then winter arrives and stale air accumulates as people seal and heat their homes. Indoor air is degraded to an unhealthy mixture of high levels of carbon dioxide, contaminants, odors, and even viruses. fenestra monitors real-time weather data and chooses the time when the outdoor temperature is warmest, to automatically open windows and allow fresh air into your home.

Fig 4: Winter Temperature Throughout Day and Optimal Window Open Time

During the night or when you are not home, fenestra gives you peace of mind when opening your windows. Armed with a motion sensor, a siren alarm and mobile notifications, fenestra can react and close your windows in an instant to keep you and your family safe.

Teach fenestra to save

fenestra will do what you tell it to, so our suggestion is to create quick and easy energy-saving routines. Start by automating your windows to open and close according to your preferences. Replace the use of the A/C when air temperature outside is comfortable, or early in the morning when the air outside is fresh and opening a window can be a hassle.

If you think all this is too good to be true consider this, a study conducted by the University of California found out that opening and closing the windows of your home at the right moments, could in some climate areas and conditions, eliminate the need for AC.

Fig 5: Potential Savings*

Environmental awareness and its ties with efficient energy use has increased and become every consumer’s shared responsibility. fenestra is an easy method for reducing energy use and costs. fenestra continually provides high quality air indoors, maintaining a healthy, comfortable, and self-renewable indoor climate. 

fenestra IS the solution

With what type of windows does fenestra work with?

Our first model works with most horizontal sliding windows. To check if fenestra works with your windows, measure the size of your window sill; you will need an available free footprint of 2” from the edge of the window. Also, if your windows have a self-locking mechanism, you will need to disable it, but do not worry, fenestra acts as a lock itself given how the mechanism is designed, so prying open a windows is just as difficult as if your lock was engaged. Additionally, based entirely on your feedback we will decide what the next type of window will be.

Is WiFi required?

No. In order for fenestra to truly be an eco-friendly solution, it had to be a net-zero energy device. That meant not using power hungry Wi-Fi but instead using SmartThings and Zigbee technologies.(Hub required) The SmartThings hub does not require a WiFi network, but does need to be plugged in to your router.

How do I install fenestra? Is it easy?

Yes, it’s really easy. After many iterations, we created a design that is very simple to install. Every kit comes with a template that allows you to precisely mark where each fenestra should go. Once this is done, install the base plate with the included 3M© adhesive strips or screws (included). Once the base plate is installed, fenestra just snaps into place.

I suffer from allergies, is fenestra aware of the quality of air outside?

Yes, fenestra not only knows your weather forecast but also knows your local Air Quality Index (AQI) and outdoor pollen count and can react to this information instantly only letting high quality air inside your home.

Is fenestra compatible with my smart thermostat? Is one required?

Yes, fenestra is compatible with the Nest, Ecobee and Lyric smart thermostats. Using the desired indoor temperature set on your thermostat as well as its status and your preferences, fenestra knows what to do and when. Having a smart thermostat is not required.

Can fenestra be linked to a home Air Quality monitor?

Yes, fenestra is able to talk to and react based on information provided by smart Indoor Air quality monitors such as those sold by Withings, Foobot and AWAIR. With the help of IFTTT, creating a recipe to open a window when the air quality of a certain room decreases is really easy. Check out some of our recipes or create your own.

How fast does it open?

fenestra can open your windows as fast as 1 inch per second. When on set-and-forget mode, speed will slow down to conserve battery power, as well as to be inconspicuous and quiet.

Is fenestra child and pet-friendly? Can someone or something get caught by a closing window?

fenestra constantly monitors the system load and position while closing or opening any window. If at any given moment, an obstruction prevents the window from closing, the system will automatically detect it, stop the window, and will notify you via a phone notification.

How is this better than an Air Purifier or a Dehumidifier?

Unlike Air Purifiers and Dehumidifiers, fenestra is solar powered and does not need to consume energy in order for it to work. Additionally, fenestra takes advantage of the natural forces of wind to create air drafts which flush stuffy air out of your entire home, unlike Air Purifiers and Dehumidifiers which clean air in just one room. (Don't even get us started on the hassle of having to empty Dehumidifier's every day or the cost of replacing air filters)

Does the solar panel have any positioning requirements?

For not so sunny areas, or perhaps shady and north facing windows, we suggest you place the solar panel outside your window, on the indoor side of your screen. The special wire harness we have designed, will allow the cable to snake indoors without any problems. If you live in a very sunny area, with south facing windows, the solar panel could also be placed on the indoor side of the window.

What if the battery runs out after a long stretch of bad weather?

Situations like this should be extremely rare – the product itself was developed and tested in rainy Seattle. In the rare case that your window unit runs out of power, a cell phone charger can be used. The solar panel connects to fenestra using a micro USB connector; the same connector used on most cell phone chargers.

How do I open a closed window in case of an emergency?

Building code states that windows should be able to open in case of an emergency; our product design includes a quick release latch, which allows users to easily open or close a window in case you need to.