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LIGHTING BUILDINGS THE
WAY NATURE INTENDED
Innovative Technology that Harvests
the Benefits of Natural Light
H
umans flourish in natural light. They
intuitively are drawn toward the things
of nature, including spaces illuminated
by the sun and prefer to work near
windows or in workplaces that have natural
lighting. And, for good reason.
Natural light is inviting and provides a
comfortable environment that can contribute
to a person’s well-being, which in turn may
lead to better job satisfaction and performance.
Yet, most of us have yet to experience such
phenomena given that we spend our days under
the glow of artificial lighting.
Logistics, of course, have been a huge stumbling block: Not all workers can
be near a window and daylight almost vanishes when workstations are more
than 5 meters away from outside walls that have windows.
Illuminating Technology
Until just a few years ago, providing natural light throughout a multi-storied
building was a physical improbability. But SunCentral solved this problem with
revolutionary technology that uses low-cost optical components to provide
and control sunlight into the interior of buildings where natural light is most
© 2014 SunCentral
Proven Energy Savings
From July to November 2011, SunCentral
ran a demonstration project at British
Columbia Institute of Technology
(BCIT) to measure energy savings from
the SunCentral System™. It replaced
conventional lighting in three rooms on
the third floor with its hybrid sun lighting
system with the goal of drastically
reducing energy consumption. Two of
the rooms were open-layout offices
and one was an enclosed classroom.
For the demonstration, 10 lighting
runs were installed along the ceilings
and each also included integrated
fluorescent lamps to be used during
darker conditions (the system now uses
LED lighting). Each of the ballasts had
light sensors to actively measure the
dim level in the room and feed a signal
back to the ballast controls. The ballasts
were able to automatically adjust the
brightness level of the artificial lighting
system to provide a predetermined
and consistent brightness level in all
rooms. The demonstration, which was
independently analyzed, found that
the SunCentral System™ achieved
an average daily power savings of 36
percent in the energy used to light
the building. The climate where the
demonstration project was conducted
had a 40 percent sunshine probability. In
sunnier climates, such as that found in
Australia, savings would be significantly
higher.
needed. SunCentral technology
provides builders and designers
the opportunity to inexpensively
retrofit existing buildings or
construct new buildings to bring
sunlight inside and improve
surroundings, greatly impact
sustainability, and provide direct
energy savings.
The SunCentral System
in a Nutshell
The SunCentral System™ is comprised of
several components. The main component
is the SunBeamer™, which autonomously
tracks the sun so that a stationary, collimated
beam of light will shine inside a building
throughout the day, regardless of the
position of the sun. The SunBeamer™ can
be used in skylights, atria, and with tubular
devices to deliver glare-free, full spectrum
sunlight into building including areas that
were previously inaccessible.
Light gathered from the SunBeamer™
can also be intercepted by SunCentral’s
SunShade™ positioned on every floor of
a building. The SunShade™, containing
patented optics, directs the sunlight into the
SunSpandrel™ which channels the sunlight
within the façade of the building into the
SunLuminaire™, a hybrid light fixture that
transports full-spectrum sunlight up to 15
meters into a building. The SunLuminaire™
is also equipped with LED lighting and
photosensors that automatically dim electric
LED light when sunlight is present.
A five-month
demonstration project
found that the SunCentral
System™ can result in at
least 36 percent savings
in the energy used to light
buildings during business
hours.
SunCentral’s SunBeamer™ 500
is the world’s first cost-effective,
web-connected intelligent
sun-tracking device capable of
delivering full-spectrum sunlight
deep within multi-story buildings.
Using advanced optics, the
SunBeamer™ automatically tracks,
controls, and redirects natural
light by producing a stationary
collimated beam of sunlight into
buildings throughout the day.
Through a mobile app, users can calibrate and control the
SunBeamer™. No technical assistance is needed to direct the
device how to use the light.
Sustainability and Dramatic Energy Savings
The SunCentral System™ greatly impacts electrical energy
savings by reducing peak power and total energy use for
lighting. Automated lighting controls dim or completely
powers down the electric light when the sun shines. With the
SunBeamer™ in operation, up to 80 percent* of electricity used
for lighting can be saved during business hours. The SunCentral
System™ also blocks more than 55 percent of solar heat energy
from entering a building, thus lowering air conditioning costs
during warm summer months.
LEED and Green Star Friendly
SunCentral’s SunBeamer™ technology can greatly contribute
to sustainable construction that is becoming more attractive
to architects and builders and communities looking for
alternatives that can positively impact the environment, be
LEED certified and receive Australia’s high Green Star rating. It’s
also a sought-after component to those working to achieve a
biophilic design, which encourages adding more elements of
the natural world into the designs of workplaces, communities,
schools, and malls.
SunCentral products are currently being incorporated in
buildings in various parts of the world. Most notably, it is part of
New York City’s Lowline Project—the world’s first underground
park. SunCentral is also being installed at Westfield Santa Anita
shopping center, providing natural sunlight throughout mall’s
central concourses allowing designers to add trees and water
elements and create an inviting shopping experience.
*Note: 80% savings applies to sunny climates, such as Los Angeles, California.
Energy usage will vary in areas with lower sunshine probability.
© 2014 SunCentral