What’s the point of skylights or solar panels if they’re in the shade for half the year? Using a handheld device called SunEye, builders and architects can get estimates of a particular location’s sunshine. That means they can find the best place for solar panels, daylighting, solar water heating, and other solar systems.
To get estimates, users point the tool south, make it level, and push the button, says Peter Hoberg, vice president of sales and marketing for Solmetric Corp., which makes the product. The device also shows shade-causing obstructions, such as trees, and simulates their removal.
Sunny Skies
SunEye shows how much sunlight a location gets so users know where to put solar systems. It delivers data in daily, monthly, or annual formats and generates reports for rebates. A GPS feature allows the tool to detect readings up to a couple meters. Solmetric Corp. 877.263.5026. www.solmetric.com. Circle 403. Optional GPS lets SunEye load locations within a couple of meters. This works well for large sites—because users can tag multiple spots in a site—and in rural areas. Otherwise, users manually enter a site’s location, latitude, and longitude or the nearest city.
