Tubular daylighting captures sunlight on the roof, channels it down a highly reflective tube, and spreads it through a ceiling diffuser — delivering free, glare-free daylight indoors with no electricity and virtually no heat gain. It is the simplest way to bring real daylight into rooms that a window or ordinary skylight can't reach, and it runs entirely on sunlight.
The three parts of a daylighting system
A tubular daylighting system such as Solatube has three parts working together. A weather-sealed rooftop dome captures daylight from any angle; a rigid, highly reflective tube carries that light down through the roof and ceiling with almost no loss; and a ceiling diffuser spreads it evenly across the room like a natural light fixture. There are no lamps, no wiring, and no running cost.
Why it beats an electric light
Because it uses sunlight, a daylighting unit adds no electricity load and produces no heat from lamps. A single unit beautifully lights around 50–100 square metres, and the daylight it delivers is proven to improve mood, comfort and productivity. Solatube systems come in the BrightenUp line for standard commercial spaces, SolaMaster for deeper penetration, and SkyVault for large-format premium areas.
Where tubular daylighting is used
It suits any space that currently relies on daytime electric light: offices, warehouses, schools, retail floors, hotel corridors, and interior bathrooms or storage rooms. For a direct comparison with ordinary skylights, read Solatube vs. skylight.