Tubular skylights, another way to save energy
Switching to energy efficient light-bulbs is great but tubular skylights go even further in that not only do you save electricity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions but you get free natural lighting. This natural light is not only brighter but also shows true color, unlike incandescent bulbs. It can also help reduce seasonal affective disorders. Green builders are often incorporating this type of lighting in their projects and works particularly well in commercial workplaces where most activity takes place during the day.
Completely different from conventional skylights, tubular skylights consist of an optical clear plastic dome on the roof which collects the sunlight and sends it down the connected straight or bent metal tube that is coated with reflective material. This tube passes through the attic space into the interior ceiling which has a diffuser to spread the light. At mid-day, the output of a 14-inch skylight can be as strong as five 100-watt light bulbs. Here is a good flash animation on Solatube’s website that shows how tubular skylights, Solatube in particular, work.
There are a wide variety of manufacture of various types of tubular skylights. Here is a link from ebuild.com to a great article and review of the leading tubular skylight brands as well as giving an insightful overview of the technology. Some of the more advanced and newer models have the capability of controlling the output with a dimmer, also they have kits to combine electric lights for nighttime use as well as fans, combining them in one fixture to decrease visual clutter.
Apparently the instillation is fairly simple, some do it yourself kits are available. A wide range of prices come to play depending on the type, manufacturer, and type of roof you have. It seems fair to say that most range between $200 - $400, give or take.
Solatube seems to have the wider range of types and speaks to the higher end market. Sun-Dome seems like another good place to check out.
