Skylights vs Daylighting Systems
Why a Tubular Daylighting System is not a Skylight.
Skylights have been around in various styles for many years now and most of us have experienced a skylight at some stage during our life, whether it was a traditional square skylight, a tubular skylight/sun tunnel or a plain old roof window.
While all of these varieties have been created with one purpose, to bring natural light into our homes, very often there are an array of issues that are associated with these products.
Solatube Int. has proudly been a world leader in skylight manufacturing for over 20 years (In fact we won the 1994 Design Awards for developing the worlds first tubular skylight) and a few years ago we set out to create a natural lighting solution that would change the way we think about daylighting.
Now, using advanced optical technologies & a deep scientific understanding of the benefits of natural lighting, Solatube Int. introduces the worlds first Tubular Daylighting System, designed specifically to overcome ALL of the issues previously connected with Skylights of all types.
Traditionally because skylights filter sunlight into our homes there is an additional heat load placed on that room and generally the bigger the skylight or roof window the more heat is transferred. This not only makes your room more uncomfortable but also increases the need for air conditioning & other cooling measures. Especially during the warmer summer months when the sun is at its hottest.
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient or SHGC for short, to judge a window or skylight products energy performance in terms of the amount of heat transferred into a room.
The Solution - A Solatube Daylighting System
Our Daylighting Systems incorporate a wide variety of technological advances, including advanced optical technology in the dome, a patented protective coating on the tubing and a duel lens system in the diffuser, to name a few. We are proud of these completely unique system features and have had both of our 160DS & 290DS daylighting systems tested by the NFRC.
Our results of 0.28 where so impressive, both our 160DS & 290DS Daylighting systems where awarded the prestigious Energy Star label.
Be aware some manufacturers will provide SHGC figures as some of the components they use have been tested individually. But these results would not be true for the system as a whole once it is installed. Be sure to check that any SHGC figures provided are for the 'complete system' installed, as ours is, rather than just a few of
the components used.
For more information on the Energy Star label please visit their international website http://www.energystar.gov.
By their very nature a Skylight needs to be installed through your roof and into the room below. During the cooler months, this offers rising heat an easy form of escape, making the area drafty and increasing energy required to heat the area. Again the NFRC have produced a measurement designed to provide a guideline for heat loss performance for all window & skylight products. This measurement is called a U-Factor and is judged in units of 2-10, the lower the better.
Our Daylighting systems have been designed specifically as a completely sealed singular system with a variety of cutting edge techniques used to provide exceptional insulating results. Both our 160DSe & 290DSe Daylighting systems have again been tested by the NFRC and we are proud to announce that again our result was very impressive even compared to most double & even triple glassed windows available on the market!
Be aware some manufacturers will provide U-Factor figures as some of the components they use have been tested individually. But these results would not be true for the system as a whole once it is installed. Be sure to check that any U-Factor figures provided are for the 'complete system' installed, as ours is, rather than just a few of
the components used.
For more information on U-Factor's please visit the Australian WERS website NFRC website http:www.nfrc.org
Again because of the way a Skylight works, they are very limited in where they can be placed within the home. Traditionally they can only be installed directly over the room they are to be installed in. The advent of Tubular Skylights, tube lights and sun tubes provided a little more flexability with positioning. However they were still limited by obstacles in the roof and the tube lengh required to travel from the roof to the room. The longer the tube, the more light is lost.
The Solution: A Solatube Daylighting System
Our Daylighting systems use a unique and patented reflective tubing which allow our systems to travel over much greater distances, even around obstacles in the roof. In fact the 160DS can travel up to a huge 30 feet with limited light loss. The 290DS can travel even further, up to 40 feet with similar limited light loss results. How many Skylights can do that?
Often, because of the quality of the dome, the tubing or even the diffuser, elements of the color spectrum contained in natural light get lost in the transition of the sunlight from the roof into your room. This causes the light to look yellowish, grayish or simply 'off color'. This discolouration means items in your home won't look as intended. Colored furniture and walls will look dull and lack the impact they once made.
The Solution: A Solatube Daylighting System
The optical technology used in the dome and the reflective quality of our tubing means that our Daylighting Systems transmit 100% Color Rendition, (with a 100% UV filter) into your home. This means you'll get exactly the same light inside, as you see outside, which can truly transform the room. You can enjoy the colors in your home as they where always intended; bold, beautiful & natural. In fact our systems provide such quality results that they are the natural lighting product of choice for Architects and designers the world over.
Ever considered having a skylight installed but then realised you had no way to turn it off? Many people also find it frustrating that skylights can produce too much light during the mid-day sun when they need the light levels less.
The Solution: A Solatube Daylighting System
Our Daylighting systems have been built with a variety of options available to you, the homeowner, in order to provide exactly the control you need.
- Our electric daylight dimmer, allows you to dim daylight from 100% down to just 2%, providing you with exactly the amount of light you want, no matter what
time of day it is.
- Our Designer Touches accessory range, allow you to choose the lighting effect you want depending on the ambiance or look you want to achieve.
- Our systems provide tested & measurable lighting outcomes. Which means we can provide a professional lighting design using daylighting solutions providing a
consistant light output, regardless of the time of day or the weather outside, if that is required.
There is no minimum distance. Solatube Daylighting Systems are designed for installation even where there is no access to the attic or no attic at all. Our unique tubing allows complete installation from the roof and inside the building.
OK but how do the Daylighting Systems work, will they brighten my home?
Of course! Just take a look around our website to see for yourself.