Skylight Output
NATURAL LIGHT TUBULAR SKYLIGHTS
How Bright is the Light?
Natural Light Tubular Skylights illuminate the equivalent of up to 300 to 1,450 watts of incandescent lighting varying on the model installed (see chart), but without the heat gain of traditional lighting.
Additionally, they filter out 99% of the harmful UV rays that fade furniture and carpeting. And because they operate using free solar power, Natural Light Tubular Skylights are energy efficient and will help reduce your electric bills! The standard kit length is 48". Extension tubes measuring 12" and 24" are available. The extension tubes have the same highly reflective mirror finish.
| Model Size | Coverage Area | Wattage Equivalent | Max Tube Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10" Model | up to 150 sf | up to 300 watts | 18 feet |
| 13" Model | up to 300 sf | up to 500 watts | 20 feet |
| 18" Model | up to 500 sf | up to 1,000 watts | 20 feet |
| 21" Model | up to 700 sf | up to 1,450 watts | 20 feet |
Please note that the maximum amount of light decreases as the light pipe height increases.
Average Light Output
Natural Light manufactures 4 different model sizes to accommodate all daylighting needs.
10"
MODEL
illuminates up to
150 sf
13"
MODEL
illuminates up to
300 sf
18"
MODEL
illuminates up to
500 sf
21"
MODEL
illuminates up to
700 sf
TUBULAR SKYLIGHT LIGHT PIPE
The Miro-Silver® Advantage
The main component of the Natural Light Tubular Skylight is a super reflective, mirror-like light pipe with a 98% reflectivity rate. The entire length of the pipe’s interior is coated with the reflective surface that is responsible for bouncing sunlight several times as it travels through the tube. This coating is called Miro-Silver®. Many other tubular skylights use a much thinner, less reflective material called Multi-layer Polymeric Film (MPF).
Miro-Silver® vs. MPF
A series of tests were conducted comparing the Miro-Silver® light pipe to the more standard Multi-layer Polymeric Film (MPF) used by many of our competitors. The test’s purpose was to measure the amount of light reflected at different times of the day – particularly when the sun’s angle is low and light is really needed (early morning and late afternoon).
Light reflection measurements were taken with the sun’s angle at 13.8 and 40 degrees on a 10 foot long x 12″ diameter tube. The test results prove that Natural Light’s Miro-Silver light pipes transmit much more light between 13.8 and 40 degrees than the standard Multi-layer Polymeric Film.
MIRO-SILVER LIGHT PIPE ADVANTAGE OVER MPF
| Sun's Angle | Total Reflection | Amount of Reflections | Miro-Silver® Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13.8° | 98.16% | 40 | +78% |
| 40° | 98.22% | 11 | +17% |
NATURAL LIGHT TUBULAR SKYLIGHTS
Energy Performance Ratings
U-Factor measures the rate of heat transfer and tells you how well the skylight insulates. U-factor values generally range from 0.20 to 1.25 and are measured in Btu/h ft2 °F. The lower the U-factor, the better the skylight insulates.
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) measures the fraction of solar energy transmitted and tells you how well the product blocks heat caused by sunlight. SHGC is measured on a scale of 0 to 1; values typically range from 0.20 to 0.80. The lower the SHGC, the less solar heat the skylight transmits. The Solar Heat Gain for Natural Light is 0.23.
| U-Factor 0.54 |
Solar Heat Gain 0.23 |
|---|