Projecting in LEED-certified Buildings
The U.S. Green Building Council has created a voluntary certification program that is all the rage: LEED ("Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.") As the turn toward energy efficiency progresses, more and more architects and contractors are delivering "sustainable" buildings as a way to offset climate and energy issues.
But LEED has a dark side…make that a light side. Most LEED specifications call for lots of natural light from windows, skylights, light pipes and other sources. On top of that, artificial light is primarily from fluorescent and other non-dimmable sources. All this natural ambient light is diametrically opposed to the needs of projection! Standard techniques just won't work.
High ambient light levels push contrast on standard white screens far below the 15:1 ratio required for adequate image discrimination, leading to eye strain and fatigue. Projection becomes a distraction. And even with the expense of building custom baffles or other light control systems, the high ambient light still makes it difficult for students or conference attendees to see the projected image.
One solution is to use LCD TVs in classrooms, but their screens are rarely big enough for the most distant viewer when using standard fonts. Another solution is to use rear projection techniques, but that requires room behind a fixed screen, and a professionally engineered (and very expensive) rear projection system.
There is only one known solution to the green building projection problem, the dnp Supernova Screen. Supernova is the ONLY screen of its kind that actually absorbs ambient light, allowing front projected images to truly resolve black in all ambient light levels (short of direct sunlight) while using standard, off-the-shelf projectors. And unlike reflective-coated "gray" screens, the 7-layer optical surface boasts a nearly 180-degree viewing angle (85 degrees either side of center). It is the first and only front projection surface to exceed 15:1 contrast in high ambient light settings.
In Ohio and surrounding states, Advent Media, Inc. is the exclusive reseller for the dnp Supernova Screen, which comes in two types of fixed screens, an electric roll down, and two portable models, in a wide variety of standard and custom sizes (5' maximum image height). For larger needs, the Supernova Infinity can grow to any size short of IMAX dimensions.
Read more about Supernova Here, and see our first-hand "Screen Test" pictures. We'd be happy to show you what a Supernova Screen can do in your venue. Give us a call! Toll-Free: 1-877-538-1622