The size and design of modern (office) buildings means that the natural light which everyone craves is far away. Veronica Garcia Hansen, a PhD student from the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, has a solution: “light pipe technology” which uses sunlight for the illumination of high or middle-rise deep plan buildings.
The unique solar collectors already have patent protection and a leading Malaysian architect has incorporated the pipes into her latest designs.
“Nearly 20% of the power consumed by commercial buildings comes from electrical lighting,” she says. "The only practical way to naturally illuminate spaces at distances over 10 metres is by piping light in."
“An important innovation of our system is that light can be extracted at any distance and at multiple points along the pipe, up to a distance of 24 metres. Commercially available light pipes for residential use can only reach up to three metres and have only one light output”
With interest growing from international architects, the next step for Veronica and her colleagues is to build a prototype – scheduled for later this year. Veronica believes the light pipes will provide a cost-effective, energy efficient solution that will enhance the well being and productivity of workers.
Facebook
Twitter
Digg
Reddit
StumbleUpon
