Doing Our Part during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Solatube is committed to lending support to all of our communities, near and far.

As cases of the coronavirus continue to rise in Kiambu, Kenya, Governor James Nyoro knew he needed to do something to handle the growing numbers and ease the pressure off of the Kiambu level 5 hospital that has been overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients.

In a record time of 10-weeks, a new COVID-19 Isolation Center was built.

The new 104-bed facility, known as the Tigoni Medical Center, is fully equipped with an emergency center, ablution blocks, wards and changing facilities for doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers. It will provide much-needed space for isolation and treatment of the coronavirus.

Providing Natural Light from Solatube Daylighting Systems.

It’s a unique challenge to design a place where no one wants to end up. That’s why when our long-term Kenya distribution partner Steam Plant heard about the new medical center, they knew our Solatube Daylighting Systems would be a perfect lighting solution.

Daylight is best medicine.

Research shows that natural light provides physiological and psychological benefits in health care settings, not only to patients but also to staff. This is because daylit environments provide the mental and visual stimulation necessary to regulate human circadian rhythms and the production of neural transmitters, such as serotonin.

For patients in a hospital, this can help reduce depression, ease pain, improve sleep and has been shown to actually decrease the length of stay.

Daylight keeps us alert.

Nurses work long shifts. By maximizing access to natural daylight and providing a quality lighting design, a study done by Cornell University has shown improved safety levels and staffs’ ability to manage sleepiness, work in a better mood and stay alert.

Daylight helps cut energy costs.

Sunlight is a freely available natural resource, and by utilizing energy-efficient daylighting systems substantial energy savings can be achieved.

At Solatube, we are proud to 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.

By adding Solatube Daylighting Systems to the design, the medical center will substantially save on energy costs. The Solatube systems will deliver evenly distributed natural light with minimal solar-heat gain to the entire facility. And turning off electric lights will also reduce heat that electric lights inject into the building interior, which will provide a significant reduction in energy consumption and HVAC costs – a very important feature in a hot and humid climate.

24 Solatube Daylighting Systems were used for the new hospital design, half of which were donated by Solatube International in collaboration with our local distributor Steamplant.

During the early months of the pandemic, it was our privilege to manufacture and provide face shields to health care workers across America. Providing daylight to sick patients and staff at Tigoni Medical Center was the next step in our efforts to support local communities – all around the world.