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| Solar Technologies |
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| Upcoming Seminars |
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Solar Lighting |
| The history of lighting is dominated by the use of natural light. The Romans recognized a right to light as early as the 6th century and English law echoed these judgments with the Prescription Act of 1832.[32][33] In the 20th century artificial lighting became the main source of interior illumination but daylighting
techniques and hybrid solar lighting solutions are ways to reduce
energy consumption. |
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| Daylighting features such as this oculus at the top of the Pantheon in Rome have been in use since antiquity. |
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| Daylighting systems collect and distribute sunlight to provide interior
illumination. This passive technology directly offsets energy use by
replacing artificial lighting, and indirectly offsets non-solar energy
use by reducing the need for air-conditioning.[34] Although difficult to quantify, the use of natural lighting also offers physiological and psychological benefits compared to artificial lighting.[34] Daylighting design implies careful selection of window types, sizes and
orientation; exterior shading devices may be considered as well.
Individual features include sawtooth roofs, clerestory windows, light shelves, skylights and light tubes. They may be incorporated into existing structures, but are most effective when integrated into a solar design package that accounts for factors such as glare, heat flux and time-of-use. When daylighting features are properly implemented they can reduce lighting-related energy requirements by 25%.[35] |
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| Hybrid solar lighting is an active solar method of providing interior illumination. HSL systems collect sunlight using focusing mirrors that track the Sun and use optical fibers to transmit it inside the building to supplement conventional lighting.
In single-story applications these systems are able to transmit 50% of
the direct sunlight received.[36] |
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| Solar lights that charge during the day and light up at dusk are a common sight along walkways.[citation needed] |
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| Although daylight saving time is promoted as a way to use sunlight to save energy, recent research
has been limited and reports contradictory results: several studies
report savings, but just as many suggest no effect or even a net loss,
particularly when gasoline consumption is taken into account. Electricity use is greatly affected
by geography, climate and economics, making it hard to generalize from
single studies.[37] |
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