Gujarat based companies have installed ‘Light Pipe - The Miracle Daylight System’

Concerns over environment is prompting business houses and even the state government to harness power of the sun. Torrent Pharmaceuticals, Core House and the forest & environment department have installed an innovative system that uses sunlight to illuminate enclosed office spaces. 

The technology, called ‘Light Pipe - The Miracle Daylight System’, has helped them reduce their electricity consumption and maintain ambient temperature.

“The system illuminates our offices from the moment the sun rises to late in the evening. By installing it, we have been able to cut down our power bill,” Torrent Pharma’s assistant general manager, Illesh Parikh, told Mirror.
 

Light tubes, like the one above, are installed on buildings’ rooftops where they can get exposure to sunlight	Captured light passes through reflective tubing. At the tubing’s end, there’s a diffuser that distributes light in an enclosed area

The company has set up six ‘light pipes’ in its finished goods stores and offices over the past four to five months. It now plans to install the system in its packaging and storage department.

Parikh said that the technology was a tad expensive, but it would prove to be very beneficial in the long term. “The current (power) traffic is Rs 5.5 per unit. If, in a year, one uses it (the system) 10 hours a day, then one can break even after seven years,” he said.

The ‘Miracle Daylight System’ captures sunlight from rooftops and “pipes it down” through reflective tubing to enclosed spaces such as basements. A diffuser at the end of tubing evenly distributes light in all directions. (See box to know the specifics.)

Respite from heat

While it uses sun’s rays to illuminate a place, it does not pass on sun’s heat. What is more remarkable about the technology is that it provides illumination even on cloudy days. S K Nanda, the principal secretary of environment department that has set up light pipes, told Mirror that they were proving to be quite effective in decreasing
dependence on electricity.

‘use of natural light vital for green dream’
“Using natural light for illumination of closed spaces is a good way to save money. There’s an installation cost involved, but there is no operational cost,” he said. “Such technology is a step towards environment conservation.”

It’s not just major businesses houses and government departments that are harnessing the power of the sun. Humed Jambughoda, a Dahod-based businessman, has fixed a light pipe in his warehouse. “The results are great. I hope such systems help us create a green Gujarat,” he said.

Light pipes may be used at Vibrant venue
The company that sells light pipes, Motivation, said that they might be used at the venue of Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors’ Summit next year.

“They provide light even at low sun angles and do no produce any noise. Moreover, they do not transmit sun’s heat, in the process decreasing the need for air conditioners,” the company’s director, Sunil Shah, said. 

The system, whose cost ranges from Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000, can be set up in buildings, industrial units and even residential spaces. 

Catching the light

»   ‘Light Pipe - Miracle Daylight System’ captures sunlight from rooftops and “pipes it down” through reflective tubing to enclosed spaces. A diffuser at the end of tubing evenly distributes light in all directions.

»   While it uses sun’s rays to illuminate a place, it does not pass on sun’s heat. What is more remarkable about the technology is that it provides illumination even at low sun angles and on cloudy days.

»   The Miracle Daylight System has a ultraviolet (UV) absorbing polycarbonate dome and bottom diffuser,which absorb 99 per cent of UV radiation. Its life expectancy is 15 to 20 years.

»   Light pipes — which can be used to illuminate commercial, residential & industrial places that don’t have adequate windows — help reduce dependence on electricity. They can be very beneficial during power failures.