A Review of Solar Tube as an Alternative to Artificial Light Sources

Abstract

Since the population of the world is increasing at a very rapid rate, the demand for necessities is rapidly increasing. Such necessities include food, clothing, shelter, energy, etc. The main challenge the government is facing is the increasing demand for power generation for the entire population which is required for any nation to be called a developed nation. The demand for shelter is being met by the speedy rate of colonization which if not properly governed will eventually lead to the depletion of the net sown area, increased deforestation, and various ecological problems. Hence, the trend is to build multistory buildings on a very small piece of land. Due to lack of land resource and heavy population density, present day constructions result in clustered ,dark and unhygienic spaces due to lack of natural light inside the built space. Also, with increasing land utilization efficiency of per unit of land, underground spaces like library, metro-stations etc. are developing leading to increased need of natural lighting inside these spaces. Thus, to create illumination in the building during the day, a lot of energy (electrical) is wasted. In our fast-growing and expanding world, securing a dependable energy supply to power our societies have become a necessity to continue forward as well as preserve the natural resources around us. Developing renewable energy, such as that acquired from solar collectors can help provide people with a reliable and safe source of power worldwide .Un-necessary use of artificial lighting in indoor spaces during day time is an evident reason for increased power demand. This un-sustainable practice can be limited by use of Solar Tube aided lighting inside the spaces so the natural light can be optimally utilized which will be economic and environmentally friendly in longer run.