The TZR Fire-Resistant Sun Tunnel was designed to adhere to strict building codes, including California’s Wildlife-Urban Interface zones. These zones were established in 1999 due to the extreme winds and steep mountain sides found in LA. But, even with those regulations in place, disaster still struck in January of 2025. Driven by extremely powerful Santa Ana winds, the L.A. Wildfires of 2025 were the most destructive and expensive natural disaster in L.A.’s history.
L.A. County was ravaged by five fires simultaneously starting on January 7, 2025. The largest, the Palisades Fire, burned down 37 square miles across Pacific Palisades, Topanga, and Malibu before being fully contained on January 31. On the same day, the Eaton Fire started burning in Eaton Canyon and destroyed 14,021 acres of L.A. County’s East side. Between those two fires, the Sunset Fire burned 40 acres across Hollywood Hills, while the Hurst Fire and Lida Fire in the Northern part of the county burned 800 acres and 400 acres, respectively. Collectively, these 5 fires burned 50,000 acres or 78 square miles, destroyed 16,000 homes and businesses, and killed 31 people.
The TZR Fire-Resistant Sun Tunnel skylight is all of that and more. This Sun Tunnel features a flat, metal top collar and flashing to meet all building codes and homeowner association regulations. The glass is made of fire-resistant tempered diamond wire flat glass, and the reflective tunnel is made of aluminum.
The American Society for Testing and Materials established the criteria for a Class A Burn Test. The objective was to create a method to evaluate a roofing system’s resistance to severe fire exposure. The test consists of placing a 2,000-gram wood lattice brand that is on fire directly on a TZR fire-resistant Sun Tunnel. To achieve the Class A rating, the Sun Tunnel must prevent fire penetration, sustain no flaming on the underside, and show no significant spread of flames or embers for 1.5 hours. The TZR passes with flying colors every time.
Why just rebuild L.A. stronger, when it can be built better, too? Not only is the TZR Sun Tunnel fire-resistant, but it can also contribute to energy efficiency and enhance biophilic design.
Energy Efficiency: A VELUX Sun Tunnel’s primary function is to allow natural light into a home. One 10” Sun Tunnel can let in as much as 6500 lumens, or two and a half 100-watt lightbulbs on a sunny day. Even on cloudy days, this same Sun Tunnel can produce 440 lumens or more, which is equivalent to a 60-watt light bulb. This continuous sunlight has many homeowners using their artificial lights less and less. On average, homeowners use the artificial lights in a room 4 hours less a day after a Sun Tunnel installation. This can save $50 - $100 annually on lighting costs, depending on the wattage of lightbulbs that are used.
Biophilic Design: This design concept combines interior decorating and architecture to connect people with nature. Incorporating natural elements into a home has been shown to improve health and well-being. There is nothing more natural than daylight, and the TZR Sun Tunnel distributes diffused natural light from sun up to sun down.
Getting a homeowner to purchase a TZR Sun Tunnel is just the first step. Next, they have to decide where in the house it should be placed. Sun Tunnel skylights are ideal for small areas of a home, such as closets, hallways, and staircases. However, they can bring natural light into any room of a home.
Sometimes, a homeowner has difficulty making a decision on placement. For them, VELUX has Design and Product Advisors who are happy to sit down virtually and discuss options. They can answer questions on Sun Tunnel skylights or the Skylight System.
For contractors and roofers looking for installation assistance, we provide comprehensive skylight installation videos on our website. You can also visit our YouTube channel for more information. We also provide hands-on skylight installation training in select areas via our Pro Partner Academy and Mobile Training Vans.
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