More on Light Pipes: Aussie Grad Student Develops New Collector
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.12.05
Treehugger has covered a lot of light pipe schemes recently, and show one here developed by Veronica Garcia Hansen, a PhD student from the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane. We quote Veronica:
“Most systems use complicated and expensive sun tracking systems. Our solution has no mobile parts, and is completely passive, therefore reducing operation and maintenance costs.”
“We realised that a simple device known as laser cut acrylic panels, would passively redirect sunlight inside the pipe. This reduces the number of light reflections along it, thereby increasing the performance.”
before light pipe
Now we do not want to be too critical of Veronica in her project here, but using light pipes to bring natural light into a building is no substitute for properly designing a building in the first place so workers have a decent environment. Nobody should have to sit 30 metres from a window for half of their waking life. The images here are oppressive with or without natural light.
after light pipe
So points to Veronica for a clever solution to the wrong problem- Lets demand better working conditions with windows and fresh air and views, not piped air and piped light and Microsoft backgrounds as the only trees and plants that we ever see.
::freshinnovators by [LA]
Nano-tech Street Protest on Chicago's Magnificent Mile
|
Beta-batt: A nuclear battery that lasts 20 years
|
This is interesting work in progress. Light can potentially be transported >20 m into a building by this design (cf. Parans system). Buildings with poor natural lighting (deep plan mid to hi-rise, shopping centres, universities, hospitals etc) coupled with poor interior design and office layout are commonplace and will continue to be built in the future for many reasons, often economic. The problem won't go away, and this type of economical solution should be encouraged. More published information is available on the light pipe studies by the QUT group than the brief media release referred to here.