SolarTrac® Automated-Shading System Among First Systems Tested at World’s Most Advanced Building Energy Efficiency Laboratory
LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y., February 19, 2015—In a “handshake between science and architecture,” biotechnology company Genentech and Webcor Builders have partnered with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) to test systems for a planned 250,000 sq.-ft. (23,225m2) building on Genentech’s South San Francisco campus using Berkeley Lab’s literally revolutionary new testing facility, called FLEXLAB (TM).
FLEXLAB, an advanced building-science laboratory whose ability to physically rotate simulates the motion of the earth, provides a dynamic environment in which to test different building systems.
“Even if you’ve got a beautifully designed building, a lot of the problem comes in the operational phase,” says Berkeley Lab Senior Advisor for Building Science, Stephen Selkowitz. “Once you bring people in, you change the dynamics.”
The quest for building systems that create energy savings and ensure occupant comfort led Genentech to MechoSystems, the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of manual, motorized, and automated shading systems.
MechoSystems’ SolarTrac System, the most advanced automated-shading system on the market, was among the first building systems to undergo FLEXLAB testing.
SolarTrac tracks sun and sky conditions and automatically adjusts window shades, maximizing natural daylight while protecting against heat gain, brightness, and glare. The system ensures that real people are kept comfortable yet reduces overall electric-lighting and cooling demands.
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