R. BOUWMEESTER & ASSOCIATES
Sun &
Shadow Position Specialists
with Modeling Applications in
Accident and Crime Scene Reconstruction,
Urban Development, Site Planning and Building Design
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Established
1995
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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.
To help you find what you are looking for on your own, or for an overview of this site's contents, 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 determine the location where the photo or video was 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 proposed building design to minimize the shadow
impact on the property 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 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).
In addition, Mr. Bouwmeester is available to address seminars and conferences on this topic.
What's New:
(May 2, 2008) Sample sunrise/sunset tables for May 2008 have been added. NOTE:
All times
are given in Standard Time; adjust for Daylight Saving Time when in
effect.
(March 25, 2008) Article
entitled, Our Places in the Sun - The Shadow Factor,
added as 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 Here.
(September 29, 2005) Article entitled, Equinox means more problems for commuters, added as re-printed from the East Valley Tribune (September 29, 2005 edition)
(June 1, 2005) Commuters' sun glare graphic as 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
added as re-printed from the Des Moines Register:
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Sept 16/04 - featuring our firm and the dangers of sun glare and driving
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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:
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a media article mentioning our firm as printed in the Dallas Fort Worth Star Telegram recently
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an interesting news story about the dangers of sun glare and driving as it appeared in the San Francisco Examiner
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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.
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
R. Bouwmeester & Associates
Barrie, Ontario Canada
Phone: 1-705-726-3392
(Please call or email for complete address details.)
All the
information contained within these World Wide Web Pages is
Copyright © 2005, R. Bouwmeester & Associates. All Rights Reserved.
All Trademarks mentioned herein belong to their respective owners.
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