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Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) used tubular daylighting devices to turn a dark student gathering area—nicknamed “the cave”—into a brighter place to eat, study and socialize. The renovation at the college’s Waukesha, Wisconsin, campus installed 12 Solatube SolaMaster 750 DS units, combined them with LED lighting for nighttime use and added custom square fabric lanterns at the ceiling. The project’s case study reports that students used the gathering area more often and that lighting costs fell, but it provides no measured energy savings, light-level readings, student counts or post-occupancy study. The account appears in Building Design + Construction, published September 4, 2015.
This is therefore a useful retrofit case study rather than a quantified product performance report. It shows how a college coordinated roof-mounted daylighting, electric-light controls, interior design and acoustic goals in an existing space, while also illustrating the information facilities teams should require before promising energy or wellbeing results.
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Project facts at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Client and location | Waukesha County Technical College, Service Building, Waukesha Campus, Waukesha, Wisconsin |
| Project type | Renovation of an existing student service-center gathering area |
| Reported budget | $600,000, as reported by Building Design + Construction; the figure was not independently corroborated |
| Daylighting equipment | 12 Solatube SolaMaster 750 DS units |
| Installer/distributor | Brighter Concepts, identified as a Solatube Certified Commercial Distributor |
| Architect and interior designer | Zimmerman Architectural Studios |
| Engineering consultant | Ring & DuChateau |
| Lantern fabrication | Ascend Design |
| Electric lighting | LED lighting integrated for nighttime operation |
| Reported outcomes | More use of the gathering area and lower lighting costs, both described qualitatively |
Prices checked November 2026.
What problem was the student center trying to solve?
The existing gathering area was so dark and uninviting that people called it “the cave.” WCTC wanted the same space to support several everyday activities—eating, studying and socializing—without losing the capacity and openness of the existing room. The challenge was not simply to add brighter fixtures. The renovation had to change how the room felt while working within an already constructed service building.
That distinction matters in a retrofit. A college cannot assume that adding electric fixtures will create the visual comfort or sense of connection associated with daylight. Conversely, cutting openings for conventional skylights can introduce structural, waterproofing and layout complications. Tubular daylighting offered the design team a way to bring light from the roof into the interior while keeping the room’s broad visual field available for circulation and gathering.
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The project brief also included an acoustic concern. Matthew Kerr, IIDA, ASAI, a senior associate and interior designer at Zimmerman Architectural Studios, described a goal of creating auditory separation without giving up visual openness. In practical terms, the team sought areas that could feel less noisy or more distinct while remaining part of one shared student environment.
How did the tubular daylighting installation work?
The renovation installed 12 Solatube SolaMaster 750 DS tubular daylighting units. A tubular daylighting device typically brings roof-level daylight through a reflective shaft to a ceiling diffuser; the diffuser spreads the light into the occupied room. The case study identifies the installed model and quantity but does not publish tube lengths, aperture sizes, photometric data, roof details or control specifications, so those should not be inferred from this project description.
The daylighting was paired with LED fixtures rather than treated as a complete replacement for electric light. That combination addresses the changing conditions of a student facility: daylight can serve the room during suitable hours, while LEDs provide illumination after dark and during overcast periods. The case study does not state whether the LEDs dimmed automatically in response to daylight, how the circuits were zoned or what lighting levels were maintained. Those are critical questions for anyone attempting to reproduce the approach.
At ceiling level, custom square fabric lanterns added a visible architectural element. They helped the new light sources read as part of the interior design instead of as isolated pieces of building equipment. Ascend Design fabricated the lanterns. The source does not provide their dimensions, fabric specification, acoustic rating or cleaning procedure, so those details belong in project documentation rather than in assumptions about the installation.
Which design goals shaped the renovation?
The stated goals combined natural light, acoustic definition and visual openness. The daylighting devices addressed the first goal; the room’s planning and ceiling elements supported the others. This combination is important because a student center is both a circulation space and a social setting. A design that maximizes brightness but creates glare, echo or visual clutter would not meet the full brief.
Natural light was intended to make the space feel brighter and more welcoming. Auditory separation suggests that furnishings, ceiling treatments or spatial organization were expected to help different activities coexist. The lanterns provided a decorative ceiling rhythm that could contribute to that organization, although the case study does not claim a measured acoustic improvement.
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Visual openness meant the team did not solve the problem by enclosing study or conversation areas with solid partitions. For facilities managers, the lesson is to write the experience goals—brightness, openness, privacy, noise control and evening usability—alongside equipment requirements. Doing so gives architects and engineers a basis for coordinating the ceiling, lighting controls and furniture rather than treating each item as a separate purchase.
Who delivered the project?
WCTC was the client. Zimmerman Architectural Studios served as architect and interior designer, bringing the spatial and finish decisions together. Ring & DuChateau was the engineering consultant. Brighter Concepts was identified as the Solatube Certified Commercial Distributor and installer, and Ascend Design fabricated the lanterns.
That team structure shows why daylighting retrofits are multidisciplinary. The distributor or installer must coordinate roof work and the light-transport components. The architect and interior designer must place diffusers and decorative elements so they support the room’s use. Engineering must address existing building conditions and electrical integration. A college commissioning plan should assign responsibility for roof penetrations, flashing, controls, ceiling coordination, access for maintenance and final documentation before construction starts.
What changed after the renovation?
Building Design + Construction reports two practical outcomes: the gathering area was used more often, and lighting energy costs decreased. These are meaningful results for a student center because the project’s purpose was to make the room more useful, not merely to install new equipment.
However, the source gives no numerical evidence. It does not report kilowatt-hours, utility bills, operating schedules, illuminance measurements, glare surveys, occupancy counts or a before-and-after study. The outcomes should therefore be described as reported qualitative observations. They cannot establish a payback period, a percentage reduction in energy use or a causal measurement of student wellbeing.
The people quoted in the case study emphasized the perceptual change. Keith Johnson of Brighter Concepts called the former environment “very oppressive” and said the transformation after installation was “truly incredible.” Brooks Kyler-Eberlein, a WCTC interior design instructor, said that a remodel incorporating natural light could affect a person’s psyche and credited the Solatube units with making that possible. These comments document stakeholder impressions; they are not controlled evaluations.
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What can other colleges learn before specifying tubular daylighting?
The WCTC project suggests a planning framework, but each building needs its own assessment. Facilities teams can use the following questions to turn a daylighting concept into a buildable scope.
1. Document the existing roof and ceiling
Map roof structure, membranes, insulation, drainage, fire-rated assemblies, mechanical equipment and the ceiling grid before selecting diffuser locations. Confirm where a tube can pass without conflicting with beams, ducts, sprinklers or future maintenance access. An installer should identify the flashing and warranty requirements for every roof penetration.
2. Define the room’s visual and acoustic criteria
Record when students use the space, which activities need quieter zones and where glare would be disruptive. A daylighting layout should be reviewed with furniture, screens, signs and circulation paths in place. If acoustic separation is part of the brief, require an explicit strategy—such as ceiling absorption, furnishings or zoning—and do not assume that a decorative lantern alone will provide it.
3. Coordinate daylight with electric lighting
Specify how LED fixtures will operate when daylight is available, when the sky is overcast and after sunset. Ask for a control narrative describing switching zones, dimming, occupancy sensors and override functions. The WCTC case confirms that LEDs supported nighttime use, but it does not document the control sequence; a new project should.
4. Set measurable performance requirements
Before construction, establish a baseline for electricity use and representative light levels. Define where and when measurements will be taken, how seasonal variation will be handled and who will collect the data. Post-occupancy checks can then distinguish a perceived improvement from a verified change in lighting energy or illumination.
5. Include maintenance and access
Ask how roof components, diffusers, lantern fabrics and LED equipment will be inspected and cleaned. Keep replacement parts, warranties and access procedures in the closeout package. A ceiling treatment that looks effective on opening day can become a maintenance problem if fixtures cannot be reached safely or fabric cannot be removed for cleaning.
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6. Compare total installed cost, not just equipment price
The case study reports a $600,000 renovation budget, not a separate daylighting cost. A college evaluating proposals should account for design, structural review, roof work, electrical controls, ceiling repairs, finishes, commissioning and future maintenance. Comparing only the price of the tubes can conceal the largest project risks.
How should a facilities team evaluate a daylighting proposal?
Start with the room’s use and existing conditions, then require documentation that connects the proposed equipment to those needs.
- Write the brief. State the desired activities, operating hours, visual openness, acoustic expectations and acceptable glare conditions.
- Survey the building. Provide roof plans, reflected-ceiling plans, structural information and photos of above-ceiling congestion to bidders.
- Request a coordinated layout. Require diffuser locations, tube routes, LED fixtures, controls, lanterns or other ceiling elements to appear on one drawing set.
- Ask for product and installation data. Obtain the exact model, dimensions, warranties, roof details, cleaning instructions and any available photometric information. Do not substitute generic claims for model-specific documentation.
- Define commissioning. Include daylight and electric-light checks, control programming, nighttime verification and owner training before final acceptance.
- Plan post-occupancy review. Track utility data and room use against a documented baseline, and gather user feedback with a stated method and time period.
This process keeps the project focused on outcomes while respecting the limits of the WCTC evidence. It also gives a college records it can use when deciding whether to expand daylighting to other buildings.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What does this case study prove—and what does it not prove?
It proves that WCTC renovated an existing student-center area with 12 Solatube SolaMaster 750 DS units, integrated LEDs for nighttime operation and custom fabric lanterns, with a stated aim of improving daylight, acoustic separation and visual openness. The published account also reports increased use of the gathering area and reduced lighting costs.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteIt does not prove a specific energy-saving percentage, a financial payback, a universal effect on student wellbeing or the current availability of the named model. It also does not compare tubular daylighting with skylights, light shelves, clerestories or other products. Those questions require project-specific calculations, current manufacturer documentation and measured post-occupancy data.
For construction professionals, the strongest takeaway is the coordination model: daylighting was treated as part of an interior and building-services renovation, not as a standalone fixture swap. The project’s success, as reported, came from aligning roof-level light collection, the ceiling design, LED support and the intended social use of the room.
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What should a college include in its closeout records?
Keep the final reflected-ceiling plan, roof details, equipment schedules, control sequences, warranties, cleaning instructions and commissioning results together. Record the date and conditions of any light-level or energy measurements so future staff can compare them consistently. If the project includes decorative lanterns or other custom elements, document their fabric, attachment method and replacement process as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can tubular daylighting be added to an existing college building?
Yes, it can be considered in a renovation, but feasibility depends on the roof structure, ceiling void, fire and mechanical systems, and available routes for the tubes. A site survey and coordinated roof/ceiling drawing are necessary before anyone commits to a layout or budget.
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Do tubular daylighting devices eliminate the need for electric lights?
No. WCTC integrated LED lighting for nighttime use, and the case study does not state that the LEDs were switched off whenever daylight was present. A project should define controls and backup-lighting requirements for cloudy conditions, evening events and safety.
How can a college verify whether daylighting actually saves energy?
Establish a pre-renovation baseline using utility data and lighting operating schedules, then repeat measurements after commissioning across representative seasons. Separate lighting energy from other loads and document control settings so any change can be attributed responsibly.
Is the Solatube SolaMaster 750 DS still available?
The source confirms that 12 units were installed at WCTC in the 2015 project, but it does not establish present-day availability or an equivalent replacement. Facilities teams should obtain current model, warranty and compatibility information directly from a qualified commercial distributor before specifying equipment.
