R. BOUWMEESTER
& ASSOCIATES Sun & Shadow
Position Specialists with
Modeling Applications in
Accident and Crime Scene Reconstruction,
Urban Development, Site Planning and Building Design
Sun glare contributes to a variety of traffic collisions and pedestrian
strikes. See article featuring our firm as published in the Dallas
Fort Worth Star TelegramTraffic section recently.
Our
model calculates the sun's position using historical data for any date,
time and location, allowing us to prove/disprove witness statements.
With our civil engineering and surveying experience, we are able to take
this data and apply it to the topography of an accident
or crime scene, creating a
technically correct representation of the relative positions of the sun,
shade and scene elements (e.g. vehicles, pedestrians, traffic signs and
signals, obstacles, etc.) at the time of an incident. This
approach allows us to provide clients with a "real world"
analysis.
The
picture below is another example of how we can insert the sun into a
current photo to demonstrate where it would have appeared at the time of
a collision.
Accident
investigation/reconstruction and legal professionals are encouraged to contact
us for free historical sun
position data and a free initial consultation. To start, we simply need
to know the location, time and date of the incident. (This also
applies to those involved in crime scene and criminal investigations -
see below.)
Crime Scene and Criminal Investigations We assist in the
reconstruction of crime scenes and in criminal investigations where sun
glare or blinding is suspected, and where there are issues related to
visibility / ambient lighting / suspect identification.
The firm also provides forensic analyses of photos and videos in order
to help prove/disprove witness statements. This is done by
determining/confirming the date and time they were taken. When a
series of photos or videos is available, these analyses enable us to
establish and/or confirm timelines.
Contact
us for free historical
sunrise/sunset times, sun position data, and a free initial
consultation. We simply need to know the location, time and date of the
incident.
Shadow
Impact Assessments
Many municipalities require shadow impact studies as part of their
development approvals process. The drawings
and reports which we prepare for our clients (including architects,
builders, developers, lawyers, and urban planners) enable them to refine
their plans by identifying potential impacts at the preliminary site
plan stage. (See "monster
home" and "second
storey addition" examples.) This streamlines the
approvals process and helps avoid costly delays. See feature articles
published in the Toronto
StarCondo Living
section, and in the National
PostPost Homes section.
We also represent property owners and ratepayer groups concerned about
the potential shadow impacts of building or development projects
proposed in their neighbourhoods.
Solar Access Studies Our modeling techniques provide
an edge to those involved in the marketing of new homes and residential
condominium units. By showing the extent and duration of sunlight
available within specific units or outdoor
areas, potential buyers can
visualize just how sunny they are.
Based on our analyses, architects and owners are able to make design
adjustments in order to satisfy market demands.
Passive solar opportunities are identified and capitalized upon, and our
modeling assists in optimizing daylighting and the orientation of solar
equipment.
Have a look at our sample shadow animation
for a recent project (in QuickTime avi format). The video shows shadow
patterns on proposed skylights (yellow) for Sep 21st between 7:00 am and
7:05 pm.
Miscellaneous
Studies We provide
solar data for a variety of unique applications - from simple
sunrise/sunset times for photographers, event and wedding planners,
athletes, coaches and sports teams, marine biologists, medical patients
(e.g. SAD sufferers), TV and radio stations, telephone InfoLines,
operations planners (including the US Air Force in scheduling air
shipments to Antarctica), etc., to sun position charts for film
production planners, photographers, home builders, solar energy
equipment installers, etc.
We were recently involved in two unique projects that were related to
neither accident investigation nor building and development:
-
the design of a memorial sundial
- the design of a shadow-activated billboard.
In the Fall of 2006 we were commissioned by the City of Toronto to
design a sundial for the Air
India Flight 182 Memorial that was to be built in Humber Bay Park
East on Toronto's waterfront. The sundial and memorial were
unveiled by the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, on June 23,
2007, the 22nd anniversary of the Air India Flight 182 bombing. We
are honoured to have had our sundial recognized by The North American
Sundial Society and registered in their database. A brief write-up
and photos
can be found on their web
site.
In
early 2008 we were retained by BBDO (Toronto) to design a 'solar'
billboard for Frito-Lay Sunchips. The billboard, installed in
Oakland, California, was unveiled on Earth Day 2008 (April 22) to
coincide with the commissioning of Frito- Lay's field of solar
collectors that now help power the SunChips plant in nearby Modesto.
Quoting the Reuters news agency, "The solar-powered billboard will
reveal the SunChips message by casting a shadow changing the look of the
outdoor billboard as the sun naturally tracks across the sky".
See below for a time-lapse video of
the SunChips billboard in action.
Ad
agency Juniper Park of Toronto took home the 2009 Cassies Grand Prix on
January 28, 2010, for the ad campaign that included the billboard.
See story.
Summary The solar computer
model developed
by R. Bouwmeester & Associates is a cost-effective and precise tool.
Unique solutions are found for sun-related problems in accident and
crime scene investigation, urban planning, and building and facility
design. Opportunities are capitalized upon, constraints are dealt
with, and impacts are mitigated. On projects where time is of the
essence, as in the development approvals process, this technological
planning and design tool provides clients with a key advantage.
With
our model we are able to generate sunpath views from any location.
In the sample below, one can see at a glance how little sunlight will be
lost due to a highrise development proposal (blue buildings). The
sun's position (yellow circles) is shown in 15-minute intervals on the
21st of each month from June to December. (December to June will
be similar but in reverse - therefore, the entire is represented in this
one view.) The loss of sunlight will occur only when the sun
passes behind the proposed buildings (e.g. less than 45 minutes on Aug
21, less than 15 minutes on Sep 21 - no new shadows on 21st of Jun, Jul,
Oct, Nov and Dec).
