Solatube International Inc. has introduced a Solar-Powered Daylight Dimmer System for its tubular skylights, the company announced in Vista, California, on September 3, 2020. The system lets homeowners keep natural light in their rooms while choosing how bright it should be.
Solatube describes itself as the world’s leading maker and marketer of tubular skylights. With the new dimmer, light levels can go from bright to dark and anywhere in between. A remote-controlled butterfly baffle, powered by the sun, opens and closes at the press of a button.
Installation needs no wiring, no electrician and no batteries. A sunlit family room, for example, can quickly turn into a dark space for TV or movies. Because the product is eco-friendly, buyers also qualify for a 26% federal tax credit on both the system and its installation.
Homeowner J. Hedgecock called the dimmer magical and said it delivers exactly the desired amount of daylight at any time of day. The solar design kept the price down, according to Hedgecock, and no drywall had to be cut to run wires.
Robert E. Westfall Jr., president of Solatube International, said customers had asked for a solar-powered option and now have one. Like the company’s other daylighting products, it costs nothing to run once installed, he noted. He added that a fully solar dimmer is a strong addition to the product line, since customers can now nap or watch a movie in the dark.
How the skylights work
A Solatube tubular skylight collects daylight on the roof. The light then travels down a highly reflective tube, which can bend up to 90 degrees and run 70 feet or longer. At the ceiling, a diffuser spreads it evenly through the room on sunny and cloudy days alike. The system needs almost no maintenance and lets no heat or cold through. Once installed, it lights rooms at no cost, so electric lights are not needed during the day.
The skylights were recently among the first innovations to earn the Solar Impulse Efficient Solution Label from The Solar Impulse Foundation. The label recognizes the company’s work to become an accepted energy-efficient solution.
More than 2 million people have improved their homes with Solatube products so far. Millions more have seen them in department stores, schools, hotels, hospitals, grocery stores, offices and athletic facilities. Several Fortune 500 brands have also installed them to improve the customer experience while cutting energy costs.
The California-based company makes tubular daylighting devices (TDDs) for homes and businesses, as well as energy-efficient home ventilation systems. Its range also includes the award-winning, high-output SkyVault Series.
