Solar / light tubes

Reflective tube channels daylight from a roof-mounted dome into a room with no exterior wall access.

Cost
Medium
Upkeep
None
Skill to build
Basic
Lifespan
20-30 years for the reflective tube and dome (UV degradation of the dome plastic is the main failure mode)
Embodied carbon
Low
Space / material use
Low
Output timing
Weather/time-dependent
Skill to repair
Basic

Note: Cost, carbon and footprint are rated against the other options for this same need, not in absolute terms.

What your site needs

Roof access for the collector dome, and a vertical run to the ceiling penetration below

Inputs

Outputs

Sources

What this page does not tell you

No sizing or quantities: how much a technique yields, and how much a household needs, both depend on the build and the people, so the catalogue compares options rather than dimensioning them. It carries no bill of materials and no build sequence, and it is written for an oceanic, clay-soil climate (Normandy, France). Regulatory notes are indicative and need confirming locally.