In 2006, Bubendorff approached the CEA with an idea: automating the control of its roller shutters and making them energy-self-sufficient using a system combining photovoltaics and a storage battery. They would be easier to install, as they would no longer require an electricity connection, and would need to operate in both summer and winter, regardless of whether they were facing north or south. The first version of the product went into production in 2011, and was among the pioneers on the market at the time: simple, efficient and offering a very good level of reliability.
And it is a true commercial, collaborative and industrial success. In practice, these shutters have been the subject of extensive research and development, ranging from energy sizing and efficiency optimization, through battery management systems (BMS), the selection of battery technologies and optimization of their lifespan, up to algorithms for automatically controlling the shutters according to weather conditions. All this development work will result in many patents over time. The key feature comes from the CEA's battery expertise, which led to the BMS. It now enables Bubendorff to include the solar shutter in its after-sales service packages, offering full coverage of the product and its battery for up to 10 years. A rare level of service on the market.
The Bubendorff company and researchers at the CEA have been constantly innovating ever since to improve the shutters' performance and functionality.
Our focus has been on automated control of opening and closing, which helps residents better manage room temperature and their heating or air-conditioning consumption. The first versions were able to detect dawn and evening twilight in order to open or close the shutters for the night. A more advanced version, introduced later, was able to cope with periods of extreme high temperatures by limiting solar radiation entering the building and thus preventing overheating in summer, without any action required from the user.
This control method, whilst reliable, could be further improved to offer greater accuracy. The challenge in recent years has therefore been to develop a method to improve the temperature measurement used for system management without additional external sensors—and thus at a controlled cost—in order to open or close the shutters and protect against the cold in winter or overheating in summer.
Recently, the CEA at INES has developed a control strategy based solely on the operating conditions of the photovoltaic module. No additional sensors were necessary, just using what was already available, and making judicious use of this information through an algorithm. Here again, CEA researchers used their in-depth knowledge of photovoltaic components behavior to extract the signals required for control.
BUBENDORFF has recently released this new innovation as part of its 'Climat+' line of shutters. It is protected by several patents.
Tests on CLIMAT+, carried out during the 2025 summer with various types of Bubendorff shutters, demonstrated a substantial reduction in thermal stress. The sun protection systems combined with the CLIMAT+ control mode thus achieved a refreshment gain of 6°C inside the building.
Credit: Bubendorff
About Bubendorff:
A French specialist in electric and solar roller shutters based in Alsace, Bubendorff designs sustainable solutions that can be repaired over the long term, manufactured in its factories in France (5 sites) and Germany (1 site) to improve thermal comfort in residential buildings.
https://www.bubendorff.com/