Passive Solar Lighting

If your thinking about making mega savings to your energy bill why not have a go at building your own solar panels? It’s much simpler than you think But that’s not the only way to use the sun’s energy to help light your home. Here are four more ways you can use solar lighting for your house.

Illuminate Your Home With Home Made Solar Cell Technology

Skylights: Of the passive lighting sources used in houses, skylights are the most common. They are a great way to utilize natural light, particularly in small rooms or rooms without windows. Skylights can sometimes deliver more natural light to a room than windows, because their rooftop placement exposes them to the sun during the day.

Solar light tubes: Solar light tubes are effective for rooms without windows such as hallways, closets, interior bathrooms, and garages. This may seem like modern technology, but solar light tubes were evidently utilized by the ancient Egyptians.  Solar light tubes are usually smaller than skylights, usually only 9 to 12 inches around. They are installed through the roof, and use a reflective substance in the tube to increase the amount of light they deliver. Because of the reflective material, the tubes can be functional even on overcast days because they don’t require direct or bright sunlight to work well. Although solar light tubes can be added to most existing roofs, it’s easiest to put them in during construction.
Solar exterior lighting is very practical. It is powered by small solar cells that collect sunlight during the day, then store it for use at night. If the lighting fixture doesn’t receive enough direct sunlight, the solar cell(s) can be mounted in a sunny location and wired to the fixture.

learning About Homemade Solar Cell Technology

You can buy a solar powered version of just about any kind of exterior lighting. Porch and patio lights, spotlights, and even security lights with motion detectors can all be powered with solar cells. This is a great feature for security lighting because it will continue to function during power outages.

If your landscaping is something to be proud of then lighting will really help to show this off in the evenings too. They have many uses and come in a variety of sizes and styles. Can you imagine arriving home in the evening or when friends visit and see your beautiful gardens illuminated looking like a magazine cover? Low level lighting can be used to outline driveways and garden borders. Taller lighting fixtures will illuminate outdoor living areas like patios or gazebos. For lighting sidewalks or paths, choose mid-level lighting with non-glare screens. There are even solar party lights (sometimes called stringlights) you can use for special occasions or for decoration for outdoor living areas.

Passive solar lighting is one of the easiest ways to utilize solar energy. Try out some inexpensive outdoor decorative lighting and add to it as you feel comfortable. If you buy a new house or replace your roof, think about using skylights and even solar light tubes.

Here’s our recommended guide to solar lighting. It gives tips on all sorts of ideas that you can use solar energy to cut down on your energy bills. Be self sufficient. Be different. This indeed is the future.

A Easy DIY Guide To Homemade Solar Cell Technology