Technology

Daylighting Systems Designed with Passive Technology

At Solatube International, we intentionally design our daylighting systems using passive optical technology in order to significantly reduce system costs and maintenance. We’ve also spent the last 30 years perfecting this technology to ensure our Solatube Daylighting Tunnels perform better than other tubular daylight tunnels on the market.

Unlike Solatube Daylighting Systems, active daylighting systems rely on moving parts to achieve the promised performance. But a multitude of things can and do go wrong. Components break, switches stop working, and electrical outages significantly reduce system effectiveness. Active systems also don’t work well on cloudy days, rendering them practically useless until the sun reappears.

As an example, we engineered our patented Raybender^® Technology to work optimally from any solar angle. As a result, it controls sunlight more effectively than systems with active sun-tracking technology. The same goes for our proprietary Spectralight Infinity Tubing. It has no moving parts and yet it transfers daylight more efficiently and delivers better color rendition than active systems due to the nature of its composition. Proof that you don’t need fancy moving parts to perform at the highest level.

The end result is a broad array of affordable, high-performing commercial daylighting solutions that deliver the optimal amount of high-quality natural light—on both sunny and cloudy days—with virtually no commissioning or maintenance. We offer a large selection of components, allowing customization to meet the specific lighting needs, roof conditions, and aesthetics of any space. Solatube Daylighting Systems offer the highest Light Transfer Efficiency (LTE), the most consistent Color Temperature Maintenance (CTM), and the best light-to-solar heat gain ratio of any daylighting system on the market. Our third-party photometry and extensive product testing offer the designer and end-user peace of mind and ensure a reliable and consistent daylighting experience.

Quality You Can Trust, Certifications That Deliver Confidence

At Solatube UK, we’re proud to offer daylighting systems that carry both FM Approval and BBA Certification—two respected industry benchmarks that underline the quality, safety, and proven performance of our products.

These accreditations give architects, specifiers, and clients complete confidence when selecting Solatube solutions:

• FM Approved – Recognised globally for meeting rigorous performance, safety, and reliability standards.

• BBA Certified – Independently assessed to ensure durability, compliance, and suitability for use across the UK built environment.

• Listed on NBS – Allowing architects and designers to specify Solatube products quickly and seamlessly within their project workflows.

These achievements reflect our team’s dedication to engineering excellence and support our commitment to delivering high-performance, sustainable daylighting solutions for every type of building.

Learn more about our innovative passive daylighting systems by clicking on one of the boxes above.