NationStates Jolt Archive

http://hight3ch.com/post/hybrid-solar-lighting/
It seems to make a lot of sense, and it would be nice if we would see more energy saving innovations.

for those not up to watching the video, basically it details a method of using the sun to light a building, through a simple collector and photo-optic cable. It's only efficient out to 30 feet from the collector, but that's perfectly fine for retail and small office buildings, and perhaps the system could be ramped up for larger buildings.

Please watch the video before making any criticisms, as it goes into far greater detail than I could.

Solar lighting.. like.. the sun? That's so original :p. I'd rather just have windows.

Solar lighting.. like.. the sun? That's so original :p. I'd rather just have windows.
You have a sun in the store cupboard where you work? Wow!

Solar lighting.. like.. the sun? That's so original :p. I'd rather just have windows.

Windows don't work on two story office buildings with rooms that don't face the outside.

Windows don't work on two story office buildings with rooms that don't face the outside.

Then perhaps we should stop building these.. buildings. They're clearly unnatural and ungodly.

When I was in college, we had a solar dryer in the back yard *nods*

I didn't know the sun could be used to light up things.

First off – why does it need a small battery? Why not simply have a small photovoltaic cell?

Secondly – if you want natural light, you simply have to use a little architectural thought when building (yes, I know, that doesn’t help established buildings). The Minoans had a very clever system of distributing sunlight through a large palace simply by how they built, with the added bonus of being able to get fresh air moving through it – and that was a few thousand years ago. Surely we are not incapable of doing something similar.

First off – why does it need a small battery? Why not simply have a small photovoltaic cell?

Secondly – if you want natural light, you simply have to use a little architectural thought when building (yes, I know, that doesn’t help established buildings). The Minoans had a very clever system of distributing sunlight through a large palace simply by how they built, with the added bonus of being able to get fresh air moving through it – and that was a few thousand years ago. Surely we are not incapable of doing something similar.

I assume you are discussing passive solar design, a concept used throughout human architectural history. In current practice, things like using the maximum possible site coverage and maximising rentable space are more important than ecological or even ergonomic considerations. Unless you have a green client or developer.

First off – why does it need a small battery? Why not simply have a small photovoltaic cell?

Secondly – if you want natural light, you simply have to use a little architectural thought when building (yes, I know, that doesn’t help established buildings). The Minoans had a very clever system of distributing sunlight through a large palace simply by how they built, with the added bonus of being able to get fresh air moving through it – and that was a few thousand years ago. Surely we are not incapable of doing something similar.

such constructions, while being aesthetically pleasing, take a great deal of initial investment. Solar lighting is not much more expensive than the electrical wiring that would typically be used.

Ah, damn. I thought you said solar lightning, which would have been inconcievably awesome.