What late September awards show would be complete without the evocation of lounging about and perhaps enjoying a beer or two? Before that adjournment, however, we should credit the makers of the trend-setting MAX roller shade, recent gold winner for innovative products at IIDEX's Innovation Awards .

MAX. Designed by Sun Glow.

This impressive apparatus houses the fabric and the operative capacity for super wide and long sun-screening applications. The trick to facilitate such heretofore unknowable dimensions? "A brilliant floating suspension system [that] supports the entire width of the shade and reduces tube deflection and roll-up diameter requirements. This allows for massive 40' wide uninterrupted fabric bands."

40 unbroken feet of glare-stopping textile certainly comes in handy when, say, screening the salesman from the harsh afternoon glare at a Toronto Lexus dealership, or insulating the inhabitants from unwanted solar gain at Ontario's Tip Top Tailor Lofts (http://www.mysunglow.com/applicationrs2.php). But these are just some regional examples. As you might imagine, the applications for MAX extend far and wide: airport atriums, warehouse spaces, pools and rec centers, large sunny patios, even private residences.

Fabrics for MAX run the gamut regarding look as well as function. Options include fire retardant and environmentally friendly fabrics; varying degrees of openness to balance the given need for sun control vs. pure room darkening (from 1% to 25%); and decorative features ranging from purely transparent to subtly translucent to temptingly textured or printed. Other options include manual operation with decorative chains in stainless steel or polycarbonate; or automated units with control via multi channel remotes, wireless wall switches, and timers/sun sensors. For my money-if I had any-there'd be no compromise in this regard. For what picture of precision-timed environmental control would be complete without the effortless flip of a switch or push of a button? And best of all, the latter would scarce require abandoning your beverage-while the oppressive orb of the mid-day sun retracts behind the tempered opacity of MAX.