After living with the Solatube® Daylighting System and watching the product being manufactured, I next visited my local Solatube Premier Dealer to learn more about working with Solatube International Inc.’s network of certified dealers and professional installers.
I visited Sunaire in Sherman Oaks, CA. Sunaire specializes in residential and commercial daylighting and can typically install a Solatube Daylighting System in about two hours. This family-run business not only installs the Solatube Daylighting Systems but also offers Solatube’s Solar Star® Attic Fans for whole-home ventilation and temperature control.
Sami at Sunaire gave me a tour of the showroom, which featured Solatube Daylighting Systems alongside the Solatube Smart LED™ System. It was useful to see the Smart LED System in operation so I could observe the transition from daylight to LED illumination and understand how the two sources blend.
The Smart LED System relies on SunSense™ Technology, a patented control that continuously monitors daylight levels. When daylight is insufficient, the LED lighting engages automatically; when daylight is abundant, the LEDs dim or turn off. This dynamic control produces a smooth, natural transition between daylight and artificial light, providing efficient, consistent illumination for up to 24 hours a day.
Here’s a short video that illustrates how the Smart LED System operates.
The showroom also displayed several Solatube decorative fixtures designed to complement a wide range of interior styles. These fixtures are interchangeable, allowing homeowners to update the look of their daylighting easily. In addition to fixture styles, Solatube offers four Effect Lenses that alter light color, diffusion, or intensity. Lenses can be paired with fixtures or diffusers to achieve a desired ambience.
*Not available for Australia or QuadraFrost
Sami demonstrated how the combination of fixtures and lenses customizes the delivered light. Adjustments are straightforward, so homeowners can fine-tune color and intensity to meet their preferences or change them later as needed.
The display also showed how daylight is captured by the rooftop dome and transferred through Solatube’s Spectralight® Infinity Tubing, which provides 99.7% specular reflectivity. That high reflectivity allows sunlight to travel through tubing runs exceeding 30 feet, delivering natural light to deeper interiors and lower floors without significant loss of brightness.
While manufacturer websites provide useful technical details, visiting a Solatube certified dealer and installer is the most effective way to evaluate whether the system fits your home. A Solatube Premier Dealer like Sunaire has extensive installation experience and can answer practical questions, show different models and fixtures in person, and help you choose the right configuration for your space.
Thanks to Sami and the team at Sunaire for the showroom tour, and to Solatube International for supplying product graphics and specifications that helped explain the technology and options available.
Disclosure: This article was sponsored by Solatube International, Inc. All opinions in this piece are those of the author. Solatube International’s policies are consistent with industry ethics and disclosure guidelines.