Products - July 2007

LightLouver
The low-profile LightLouver Daylighting System combines daylighting and solar control by using highly reflective fixed louvers to redirect incoming sunlight from any angle onto a room’s ceiling, providing uniform ambient light. Installed like lightshelves (above the vision glass on tall windows), a one-foot-tall section will reflect daylight about 14 feet into a room. They reflect approximately 76 percent of direct overhead sunlight or about 54 percent of available light when it’s cloudy. These units range from 14 inches to 48 inches high, and up to 68 inches wide; multiple units can be combined to cover larger areas. LightLouver LLC; Boulder, CO. www.lightlouver.com; 303-444-8773

Solar Access Design Tool
The SunEye from Solmetric is a hand-held design tool for field-assessing solar access using digital optics and an onboard computer—taking the guesswork out of siting passive solar buildings and solar devices. The sophisticated but easy-to-use unit actually shows obstructions by time of day and month and allows the user to simulate removing (or adding) trees or structures to assess the solar impact. Monthly, annual, and multi-skyline averages can be calculated in the field or uploaded via USB to a PC for further analysis. (A Mac interface is on the way.) Solmetric also makes extensive use of recycled materials and components in manufacturing the devices. Solmetric Corporation; Bolinas, CA. www.solmetric.com; 877-263-5026

Solar Tracking Skylights
Solar Tracking Skylights are self-contained, photovoltaic-powered active daylighting systems for low-slope roofs. A dome-protected array of mirrors tracks the sun across the sky to boost daylighting intensity and duration, especially during early-morning and late-afternoon hours when the sun is low. Light throughput can be up to four times greater than a standard skylight in northern latitudes. And here’s a nice twist: The mirrors can also provide shade during summer to reduce unwanted heat gain. Solar Tracking Skylights Inc.; Chicago. www.solar-track.com; 773-296-4200.

High-Performance Wood Windows
The custom-engineered Zo-e-shield glazing system is available on select windows and doors from Weather Shield. Its Value R6 windows are triple-glazed and argon-filled, with two low-e surfaces and low-conductive warm-edge spacers. Taking it up a couple of notches, Value R10 uses a krypton/argon gas mix. These boast some of the lowest U-factors listed by the National Fenestration Rating Council—as low as 0.16 for commercial fixed windows and 0.17 for residential. Tinted and specialty glass may be specified to meet solar heat-gain requirements and structural or safety needs; options for reduced sound transmission are also available. Weather Shield Manufacturing Inc.; Medford, WI. www.weathershield.com; 715-748-2100 or 800-477-6808