R. BOUWMEESTER & ASSOCIATES
Sun & Shadow Position Specialists
with Modeling Applications in
Accident and Crime Scene Reconstruction,
Urban Development, Site Planning and Building Design

Welcome to the Home Page of
SunPosition.com

          Established 1995         

Updated February 4, 2010

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Introduction                      What's New                      Client Types                      Contact Info

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Introduction:

R. Bouwmeester & Associates, a civil engineering firm, provides specialized sun and shadow position modeling services related to traffic accident and crime scene reconstruction, and urban development, site planning and building design projects.

Initial consultations are free of charge.  Contact us.

For an overview of this site's contents, or to help you find what you are looking for on your own, please click the Site Map link.  You may also search using the Search this Site link.

In the accident and crime scene reconstruction fields we are called upon to confirm historical sunrise and sunset times, to determine the sun's position relative to the field of view of a driver (or pedestrian), to determine the limits of shaded vs. sunlit areas, and to provide general input related to glare, blinding, contrast, shadowing, visibility, ambient lighting, etc.

We also provide investigators with alternate dates and times at which a scene can be visited and photographed under similar lighting conditions (e.g. including daylight, dawn and dusk).

In addition, we conduct forensic shadow analyses of photos and videos to determine (or confirm) the date and time they were taken. Alternatively, if the date and time are known, we can narrow down the location where the photo or video may have been taken.

In the fields of urban development, site planning and architecture we are called upon to prepare shadow impact studies, solar access studies and daylighting analyses.  Shadow impact studies include technical reports and drawings showing the predicted shadow patterns of proposed building projects.  From these we determine how much sunlight will be lost in specific locations as a result of the building project.  Solar access and daylighting studies allow architects and planners to maximize exposure to sunlight in specific areas within a building (e.g. sunroom, living room, etc.) or on a site (e.g. pool, patio, etc.).

 

Enquiries are always welcome, and our Clients throughout the world appreciate our prompt and personal responses. 

Do you need to know an historical sunset time for an accident investigation, or a future sunset time for an outdoor wedding?  We would be happy to provide the answers...free.  

We regularly answer questions such as...

...what time was sunrise(set)?
...what was the direction of the sun at sunrise(set)?
...what was the position of the sun relative to the field of view of the driver?
...could the sun have impaired the driver's vision?
...was the pedestrian stepping out of shade?
...what time will the sun rise(set)?
...what will be the direction of the sun at sunrise(set)?
...how many hours of daylight will there be?
...where will shadows from the proposed building fall?
...how will my property be affected by shadowing from the proposed building?
...how can I modify my building design to minimize shadowing next door?
...where is the sunniest location for my pool or patio?

The modeling is carried out through the use of a computer model developed by Ralph Bouwmeester which simulates the daily "motion" of the sun and calculates its position in the sky relative to any location on earth at any time - past, present or future.

Mr. Bouwmeester provides expert witness testimony in the field of sun position modeling. He has appeared as an expert witness before criminal court, civil court and land use tribunals (Ontario Municipal Board) in accident cases, criminal investigations, and land development application hearings. 

The firm provides opinion letters, technical analyses and reports, and CAD drawings (including plan views and 3D driver's eye perspectives). 

Mr. Bouwmeester is available to address seminars and conferences on this topic.

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What's New:

(February 4, 2010) In early 2008 we were retained by BBDO (Toronto) to design a solar-powered billboard (actually a shadow-animated billboard) for a Frito-Lay SunChips ad campaign by Juniper Park of Toronto. The billboard was installed in Oakland CA on Earth Day 2008 to mark the opening of the solar-powered SunChips plant in nearby Modesto. A time-lapse video of the Sunchips Solar Billboard can be seen here. Congratulations to Juniper Park, who on January 28, 2010, took home the 2009 Cassies Grand Prix for the SunChips ad campaign.

(February 1, 2010) Sample sunrise/sunset tables for February 2010 have been posted. The tables include the times of rise and set as well as the time of solar noon and the total number of daylight hours for each day of the month.  Note: All times are given in Standard Time; adjust for Daylight Saving Time if in effect.

The sample tables are updated each month and include:

Canada - Barrie, Halifax, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg
USA - Chicago, Denver, Houston, Miami, New York, San Diego, San Francisco
Middle East - Baghdad, Kabul, Kuwait City
Haiti - Port-au-Prince

Click here to view, download and print our sample tables.

(January 14, 2010) A free sunrise/sunset table has been added for Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in support of those involved in rescue and relief work.  The table provides rise and set times and the total number of hours of available sunlight for each day of the current month.

(January 6, 2010) Free sunrise/sunset tables have been added for those of you visiting Vancouver or Whistler BC during the Olympics and Paralympics in February and March.

February - Vancouver;  Whistler
March - Vancouver;  Whistler

(October 30, 2009) Halloween sunset times added for select Canadian and US cities.

(October 1, 2009) Sample photos of the effects of sun glare while driving.

(September 30, 2009) In response to numerous enquiries, we have prepared a graphic showing the duration of sun exposure on the various faces of a building.  Our sample applies to Toronto ON and is based on the orientation of Toronto's street grid.

(July 27, 2009) We have added a Blog which has been set up as a discussion board where you can post stories or ask questions.

(January 5, 2009) Sample sunrise/sunset tables have been added for Chicago, Denver, Halifax, Houston, Miami, New York City, San Francisco and Winnipeg.

(December 15, 2008) The story of our design of the Air India Memorial Sundial unveiled in Toronto, Ontario, by Prime Minister Stephen Harper on June 23, 2007.

(October 14, 2008) See this Facebook page for a time-lapse video of the SunChips solar billboard in Modesto California as designed by R. Bouwmeester & Associates. 

(October 1, 2008) Commuters' sun glare graphic as published in the Des Moines Register on September 16, 2008.

(March 25, 2008)  Article entitled, Our Places in the Sun - The Shadow Factor, re-printed from the Toronto Star (February 2, 2008 edition)

(December 28, 2007)  Virtual  Modeling of Tall Buildings - Sun & Shadows - presentation made on October 19, 2006, at the Higher Learning Symposium, Toronto, Ontario.  The event was co-sponsored by the City of Toronto, the Canadian Urban Institute and the Toronto Society of Architects.

For a PDF version of the presentation (slides only, no notes) click the following:
Part 1,  Part 2,  Part 3,  Part 4

(September 29, 2005)  Article entitled, Equinox means more problems for commuters, re-printed from the East Valley Tribune (September 29, 2005 edition)

(June 1, 2005) Commuters' sun glare graphic re-printed from the Des Moines Register (March 21, 2005 edition).

(March 24, 2005)  "Search this Site" link added to Home Page.

(November 22, 2004) Two articles re-printed from the Des Moines Register:

·         Sept 16/04 - featuring our firm and the dangers of sun glare and driving

·         Sept 18/04 - mentioning our firm in an article regarding 1 fatality and 2 collisions blamed on sun glare.

(January 12, 2004) Monthly sunrise/set tables are now available in three formats as follows:
1. Rise/Set Times, Time of Solar Noon, Number of Daylight Hours (This is our standard format.)
2. Rise/Set Times, Azimuths of Rise/Set (great tool for photographers)
3. Rise/Set Times in Monthly Calendar Format.
See samples of each by clicking on the links above.

(January 2, 2004) Our list of Representative Projects has been updated and reorganized.

(January 2, 2004) The following pages have been added:

·         a media article mentioning our firm as printed in the Dallas Fort Worth Star Telegram recently

·         an interesting news story about the dangers of sun glare and driving as it appeared in the San Francisco Examiner

·         a sample 3D house model showing the shadow impact of a proposed second storey addition.

(March 1, 2003) The time format (hh:mm:ss) has been revised to make the times easier to read.

(February 11, 2003) For those of you interested in this month's sunrise/sunset data for the Middle East, we have added tables for Baghdad, Kabul and Kuwait City.

(January 1, 2002) We have added a Site Map which will help you quickly find what you need. Our most popular pages are still accessible from the menu to the left.

We have also updated our "project samples" pages with better graphics and more detailed explanatory notes. Have a look if you haven't visited in a while. Follow the links on our Modeling Applications page.

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Client Types:
Our data (much of it free) and modeling services have been used by professionals, organizations and individuals around the world. We would be pleased to provide you with the data you need, or to simply answer your questions in a personal and timely manner.

The following are just some of the types of clients who have sought our services:

·         accident reconstructionists, lawyers, and police officers looking for historical sunrise or sunset times, or sun position data related to an accident or crime scene. Contact us for free data.

See Modeling Applications for more details.

·         architects, builders, developers and urban planners striving to...

...minimize shadow impact of a project on adjacent property

...maximize solar access (or daylighting) to certain areas of a site or building

See Modeling Applications.

·         biotechnology professionals seeking data on sunlight and daylight availability

·         criminal lawyers seeking input regarding time of day, visibility, lighting or identification issues.  In addition, we provide forensic analyses of photos and videos to determine and/or confirm the date and time they were taken.

·         golf industry professionals seeking data on sunlight and daylight availability

·         homeowners, ratepayer group representatives, or municipal officials concerned about the shadow impact of a proposed development on a neighbourhood

·         photographers, film industry professionals, and event planners looking for rise/set times (or sun position info) for future dates

·         solar energy professionals

·         sports teams, coaches and athletic organizations

·         transportation professionals

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Contact Info:

Ralph Bouwmeester, P. Eng.
R. Bouwmeester & Associates
Barrie, Ontario  Canada
Phone: 1-705-726-3392

rba@sunposition.com

(Please call or email for complete address details.)

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Copyright © 1997 - 2010, R. Bouwmeester & Associates.  All Rights Reserved.
All Trademarks mentioned herein belong to their respective owners.

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