Windows are a primary contributor to heating and cooling loads in U.S. residences, due to conductive heat loss in the heating season and unwanted conductive and solar heat gain in the cooling season. Insulating window shades, can reduce window heat transfer, and if used effectively, reduce unwanted solar heat gain without reducing useful winter solar heat gain. Using test data provided by Hunter Douglas, RMI evaluated the potential energy savings of three Hunter Douglas products in representative new and existing houses in the U.S., through detailed whole building energy simulation. In addition, using the energy simulation model, we quantified several other benefits, including thermal comfort, potential for HVAC equipment downsizing, and electricity demand reductions.