Lighting dark internal or underground spaces

Light in a basement or cellar and underground lighting

To get light into places like basements you have to make use of windows close to ceilings which are in turn them self situated above ground level. Light is made to come inside with the use of mirror shelves and reflecting sheets placed at angles to reflect most of the light into the basement.

At places where direct natural light does not reach properly like basements etc mechanisms are used to get the light from the outside and artificially transport and distribute it in.

During light designing for natural light you should keep in mind what purpose the room serves and how much light would be appropriate for such a room.

For example, more light is required in kitchens and related areas as work needs to be done in them and they should be properly lit. In contrast, TV rooms or home theater rooms do not require a lot of light. So you should concentrate more on getting light to areas where it is needed.

Also make sure that the light does not cause a glare on things like TV and computer screens. With the use of natural light you can cut down on electricity costs and give your home a more environmental friendly touch. You can also mix and blend natural light with you indoor light to produce the right ambiance for beautifying your home.

Above: Undergound neon light lighting in a sewer

Light pipes, sun tubes – mirror tubes

Light pipes or light tubes are apparatus used for this purpose. These are also known as sun pipes, sun tubes, solar light pipes or daylight pipes. They are mostly installed into the roof, or sun-facing side walls, and are made up of mirrored and reflecting glass so that light may enter from the top, called the dome, and get reflected at continuous angles until it reaches the edge and gets distributed into the desired area through a diffuser.

There are basically two types of such tubes.

One type is solely made for transporting light and distribution is carried out at the diffuser end. The other kind distributes light along its length in a controlled amount while transporting it.

Subways around the globe are also lit using this apparatus, with tubes sticking out above the ground like poles for taking in light.

The material used in these tubes is highly reflective and the angles at which the tube turns and rotates are kept as such that the maximum amount of light gets transported with little or no loss of it along the way. In spite of this, some light intensity gets lost in long and angled tubes.

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