In 2014, Facility Systems was selected by JE Dunn Construction Company to install a revolutionary window management system at the new University of Kansas business school, Capitol Federal Hall. This system, called SolarTrac® is manufactured by MechoSystems. The project was successfully completed in the spring of 2016, and the new system is currently up and running.
The goal of the SolarTrac® system is to maximize natural daylight entering any given space, while providing occupants a comfortable environment and views to the outside. Sounds great right? Your employees (or students in this case) will be more comfortable while they’re working and can enjoy the benefits of more sunlight, which we all know is a good thing. It also offers a number of other benefits, including:
- Optimization of dimmable-light systems to reduce energy costs, which could lead to significant savings on your utility bills.
- The system will control the shades to assure uniformity of the view on the building façade.
So how does the system work? Here are the highlights:
- It controls the shade positions at every window, minute by minute, all year round.
- Utilizing sensors installed on the roof of the building, it tracks the sun location and adjusts the shade positions automatically.
- The system calculates the sun’s angle on each window on every elevation of the building. It takes into account a window’s elevation, geometry, solar orientation and profile.
- It even tracks the sun and sky conditions, automatically adjusting shades to protect against solar-heat gain, brightness and glare.
Yes, it’s a complex system, but we will handle the installation and set-up. The SolarTrac® system comes with a computer or online interface on which we offer training. This allows you to change your own settings down the road. Facility Systems and MechoSystems will also be available to support any questions that may come up.
For more information about the SolarTrac® system, feel to reach out to us at 913-341- 1529 or go to http://www.mechoshade.com/SolarTrac® /. For information about Capital Federal Hall at the University of Kansas, go to http://capfedhall.ku.edu/. It was a great project, and we are very lucky to be a part of it.
