Motorized heliostat mirror (north-facing daylighting)

A sun-tracking, two-axis motorized mirror redirects daylight (and a modest amount of heat) into a north-facing window that would otherwise receive none, claimed roughly equivalent gain to a same-sized south-facing window, per the source, not independently verified. Genuinely more complex and fragile than anything else in this catalog's daylighting entries: custom electronics (photoresistor sensor board, H-bridge motor driver, hand-soldered), two motorized axes, implied ongoing calibration. Flagged honestly as a poor fit for this project's repairability bar, catalogued as an available option for a specific site condition (a useful north-facing room with no other daylighting fix), not a general recommendation.

Cost
Medium
Upkeep
Frequent
Skill to build
Specialist
Lifespan
5-10 years for the custom electronics (photoresistor, H-bridge driver) and motorized axes, explicitly flagged elsewhere as fragile and needing ongoing calibration
Embodied carbon
Medium
Space / material use
Low
Output timing
Weather/time-dependent
Skill to repair
Specialist

Note: Cost, carbon and footprint are rated against the other options for this same need, not in absolute terms.

What your site needs

A north-facing window/room lacking other daylighting options, with space for the mirror assembly

Inputs

Outputs

Sources

Tutorials

What this page does not tell you

No sizing or quantities: how much a technique yields, and how much a household needs, both depend on the build and the people, so the catalogue compares options rather than dimensioning them. It carries no bill of materials and no build sequence, and it is written for an oceanic, clay-soil climate (Normandy, France). Regulatory notes are indicative and need confirming locally.