Ian Ashdown

A research engineer, Ashdown brings almost 40 years experience in lighting design, research and development, as well as software engineering. He owns and runs Sun Tracker Technologies as well as byheart Consulting. Ashdown is currently working hard on several projects involving horticultural lighting design, including design software for greenhouses, and building atria that integrate climate-based annual daylight and supplemental electric lighting. He’s also authored more than 100 articles and technical journals. When he’s not working, Ashdown prefers hiking at elevations above 8,000 feet in the Canadian Rockies.

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Articles by Ian Ashdown

Photo of tomatoes growing inside a greenhouse. Photo of tomatoes growing inside a greenhouse. Photo of tomatoes growing inside a greenhouse. Photo of tomatoes growing inside a greenhouse.


Lighting expert Ian Ashdown examines why there is less photosynthetically active radiation at the canopy level in a greenhouse compared to...

Far-Red Lighting and the Phytochromes Far-Red Lighting and the Phytochromes Far-Red Lighting and the Phytochromes Far-Red Lighting and the Phytochromes


While it’s not fully understood exactly how far-red lighting impacts plants, Ian Ashdown examines a few interesting things we know about...

Cost of a joint Cost of a joint Cost of a joint Cost of a joint


Ever wonder what the ecological cost of a joint is? Ian Ashdown, Maximum Yield advisory board member and senior scientist at SunTracker...

Q&A by Ian Ashdown

Cannabis plants in a growroom under a light. Cannabis plants in a growroom under a light. Cannabis plants in a growroom under a light. Cannabis plants in a growroom under a light.


This is short question with a long answer.It may be true that a 10K finisher lamp adds “lots of UV,” but it is important to ask...

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