(Vista, Calif., June 27, 2011): Solatube International Inc., the worldwide leading manufacturer and marketer of Tubular Daylighting Devices (TDDs) is celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year.  The company invented TDDs, which harvest and distribute daylight in homes and commercial buildings, opening up an entirely new category in the lighting industry.  Solatube Daylighting Systems are now routinely installed as part of energy-saving and sustainability efforts in residential and commercial spaces around the world.

Using patented technology, Solatube Daylighting Systems harvest daylight at the rooftop and transfer it down through a highly reflective tube (which bends and can be up to 70 feet or more long) and distribute it evenly into a room through a diffuser at the ceiling.  The products have been installed in everything from homes to warehouses, schools, offices, manufacturing facilities, zoos and government buildings, in every part of the world.

“Solatube International has certainly made a large impact in the daylighting arena over the past 20 years,” said Chip Israel, president of Lighting Design Alliance and treasurer of the Illuminating Engineering Society.  “Daylighting wasn’t even a term anyone used in 1991 and they really helped push that movement forward.”

“It is remarkable to see the impact we have made worldwide in just two decades,” said Solatube International CEO and Founder David Rillie.  “By conservative estimates, we have sold enough Solatube Daylighting Systems to offset 68,590,000 pounds in carbon emissions annually.  That equates to taking 5,715 cars off the road for a full year.  Imagine if everyone used daylighting.”

Some of the milestones over the past 20 years include:

• 1991 – first Solatube product is sold in Australia
• 1992 – founders open North American market, with an office in Carlsbad, Calif.
• 1995-1996 – Solatube International expands to Europe and Latin America
• 1999 – the first patent is awarded for a tubular skylight: round to square adaptor, allowing product to be integrated into commercial ceilings
• 2000 – commercial division opens with launch of SolaMaster® Series (larger units designed for commercial spaces); Solar Star® attic fan is launched
• 2001 – Solatube revolutionizes daylighting design with the introduction of relative photometry for daylighting systems
• 2003 – Daylight Dimmer® is launched, allowing the light from Solatube products to be gradually dimmed and rooms darkened
• 2004 – Energy Star® status is achieved – Solatube products first tubular daylighting devices to receive it
• 2004 – Solatube International enters the Asian market
• 2005 – patent awarded for tubular skylight dome with variable prism, known as Raybender® Technology
• 2005 – China facility is opened and the first Solatube products are sold there
• 2007 – Raybender® 3000 and Vusion® optical cross linear Fresnel lens are launched
• 2008 – Solatube International enters a joint venture with the China Energy Conservation Investment Corporation
• 2011 – enough Solatube products have been installed to offset 68,590,000 pounds of carbon emissions annually

Solatube International Inc., based in Vista, Calif. (northern San Diego County), is the worldwide leading manufacturer and marketer of Tubular Daylighting Devices (TDDs) and is celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2011. The company’s flagship product, the Solatube® Daylighting System, provides a revolutionary natural lighting solution for all types of residential and commercial applications and is the only spec-grade TDD currently available on the market. The maxim “Innovation in DaylightingTM” reflects the company’s commitment to the development of breakthrough daylighting technologies, which has resulted in numerous patents dating back to the mid-1980s. Widely recognized as the industry innovator, Solatube International has earned acclaim around the globe for its unrivaled ability to transform interior spaces with the power of daylight. For more information on the Solatube Daylighting System or other products manufactured and marketed by Solatube International, including solar-powered attic ventilation fans, please visit the Solatube Web site at http://www.solatube.com or call 888-SOLATUBE (888-765-2882).

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