The Suntracker One-Ups the Skylight
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 10.25.06
There’s nothing like the real deal when it comes to light. Natural sunlight makes us feel better, work better, and yes, we buy more too. Skylights are nice and simple, and light pipes can do the trick (see here, here, and here). The Suntracker One is an intriguing upgrade on the conventional skylight. Consisting of a 4’X4’ acrylic dome, the Suntracker uses three heliostatic mirrors that track the sun and reflect its light down into the building. A prismatic diffusion lens then spreads out the light through interior spaces. The reflective surfaces within the dome are run by a small solar-powered motor. Every ten minutes, the mirrors move to keep up with the sun as it moves across the sky, maximizing natural light in Winter months when days are shorter and the sun’s path is closer to the horizon.
The Suntracker promises a 15%-35% ROI based on reduced energy costs for lighting and HVAC, lighting maintenance, increased personnel performance, and increased sales in retail applications. Nature’s Lighting, its maker, claims that the Suntracker bring in up to nine times more sunlight than a conventional skylight. Individual units are expected to generate the equivalent of 800 watts of fluorescent lighting each. Check out the Nature’s Lighting site for case studies of the Suntracker in action. :: Suntracker One via Hugg (mayloveheal)
