Solatube Brighten Up 160 DS & 290 DS

Steam Plant Limited: Solatube Brighten Up 160 DS & 290 DS Residential Daylighting Systems (TDD)

The Solatube Brighten Up 160 DS and 290 DS are residential tubular daylighting systems that capture sunlight at roof level and deliver it into interior rooms through highly reflective tubing, replacing or supplementing electric lighting during daytime hours without the heat gain, glare, structural cost or leak risk of conventional skylights. The 160 DS (10-inch / 25 cm tube, 12-inch ceiling opening) illuminates rooms up to approximately 19 m² (200 sq ft), making it suited to bathrooms, laundry rooms, hallways and closets. The 290 DS (14-inch / 36 cm tube, 14-inch ceiling opening) delivers higher light output to spaces up to approximately 28 m² (300 sq ft), suited to kitchens, family rooms, master bathrooms and larger entryways.
Both models use Solatube’s Raybender® 3000 dome technology to capture low-angle morning and afternoon sunlight while managing midday intensity, and Spectralight® Infinity tubing at 99.7% reflectance to maintain light quality over tube runs of up to 9 metres (30 ft). For Kenyan residential developments targeting green building certification, reduced electricity bills or improved occupant wellbeing, these systems provide full-spectrum natural daylight to rooms that would otherwise depend entirely on electric lighting. Available with round or square ceiling diffusers in multiple decorative styles, and with optional add-ons including a solar-powered daylight dimmer, ventilation kit and integrated solar-powered NightLight. Distributed and installed in Kenya by Steam Plant Limited.

Key Technical Information 

• 160 DS: tube diameter approximately 25 cm (10 inches); ceiling opening 12 inches; illuminates spaces up to approximately 19 m² (200 sq ft)
• 290 DS: tube diameter approximately 36 cm (14 inches); ceiling opening 14 inches; illuminates spaces up to approximately 28 m² (300 sq ft)
• Maximum tube length: approximately 9 m (30 ft) for both models, using Spectralight® Infinity extension tubes
• Dome technology: Raybender® 3000 optical lens captures and redirects low-angle sunlight while managing midday solar heat gain
• Tubing reflectance: Spectralight® Infinity- 99.7% reflective internal surface; delivers full-spectrum daylight with no colour shift
• Ceiling diffuser options: round or square formats; multiple decorative styles available including OptiView, JustFrost, TierDrop, SoftView and Classic Vusion
• Optional add-ons: solar-powered daylight dimmer (wireless remote control), ventilation add-on kit (combines daylighting and bathroom ventilation in one fixture), Universal Light Add-On Kit (electric light for nighttime use), integrated solar-powered NightLight (ISn models)
• Flashing compatibility: flashings available for pitched roofs (shingle, metal, shake, slate), flat roofs (rolled asphalt, membrane), and tile roofs (Spanish and flat tile), each fabricated as a single seamless piece for leak-proof performance
• Installation: typically completed in approximately two hours; no major structural modification required

Efficiency Features

1. Energy Efficiency: Electric lighting displacement: replaces daytime electric lighting in interior rooms that would otherwise have no access to natural light — bathrooms, hallways, closets, interior kitchens — delivering direct electricity savings and reduced carbon emissions over the building’s lifetime
2. Zero operating energy: the system operates entirely on captured sunlight with no motors, wiring or ongoing electricity consumption; optional add-ons (dimmer, NightLight) are solar-powered
3. LEED v4/v4.1 contribution: contributes to credits in Energy and Atmosphere: Energy Performance (up to 18 points), Indoor Environmental Quality: Daylighting (up to 3 points), Indoor Environmental Quality: Interior Lighting Control (1 point), Materials and Resources (1 point), and Innovation and Design Process (up to 5 points)
4. Occupant health and wellbeing: delivers full-spectrum natural daylight that supports circadian rhythm regulation, improves mood and alertness, and reduces reliance on artificial light sources linked to eye strain and disrupted sleep patterns
5. Reduced solar heat gain versus conventional skylights: the Raybender® 3000 lens technology manages thermal transmission, avoiding the overheating that drives up cooling energy demand with traditional glass skylights — particularly relevant in Kenya’s equatorial climate
6. Minimal structural impact: the compact tube diameter (25–36 cm) requires a small roof penetration with a single-piece seamless flashing, reducing waterproofing risk and embodied material compared to large conventional skylight openings
7. Rapid installation, minimal construction waste: typical installation takes approximately two hours with minimal material waste — no heavy framing, no drywall reconstruction, no painting required
8. Long service life: no lamps or bulbs to replace; the Spectralight® Infinity tubing and dome assembly are designed for decades of maintenance-free operation, eliminating the lifecycle waste associated with electric lighting fixtures
9. Retrofit-ready: designed for installation into existing homes without structural modification, enabling sustainability upgrades to Kenya’s existing residential building stock