You Don't Need Solar Panels to Use Sunlight for Your Home

Homeowners who either can't afford or aren't ready for the commitment of photovoltaic solar panels shouldn't give up on the expanded role of sunlight for the modern home. The possibilities inherent to solar panels are immense, but everything from "smart" glass windows and skylights to less common devices can all improve your home's energy-efficiency, comfort and ambiance.

The Art, Science, and Philosophy of Daylighting
Daylighting is the practice of using windows, openings and reflective surfaces for interior illumination. It's not just installing windows to let the sun in; it's a highly scientific approach which examines design, architecture, climate, geography, and location in order to fully optimize your home's natural lighting scheme. Of course, to the interior lighting designer who helps design the best natural lighting schemes for your home, the process might be described as much an art as a science.

Passive Design: Solar Tube Lighting, Cookers, and Automation
Unlike photovoltaics, which convert sunlight into electrical current, passive design uses sunlight in its original form. Unlike regular windows, however, this sunlight has been filtered, concentrated or otherwise modified to its best possible use. Here are three great examples of passive design at work with sunlight for residential use.

Solar tube lighting: These devices channel sunlight from your rooftop through your attic space into an overhead light that resembles a conventional light, can be used with the push of a button, and requires no energy to run. A softening lens and high-quality reflective materials allow for even lighting on sunny and cloudy days. Many solar tube lights come equipped with a conventional back-up light for nighttime use. The average cost of installation is only $500, while traditional skylights can run closer to $2,000.

Solar Cookers: These cookers are essentially miniature heliostats, one generation beyond cooking with a magnifying glass. Yet, people who use solar cookers also rave about the resulting taste and natural flavor. A solar cooker can be a great cooking method for your outdoor kitchen addition. Basic solar cookers can be constructed for just a few bucks with an oven safe pot and aluminum foil. For daily (or even weekly) use, however, plan to spend upwards of $1,000 for a solar cooker/electrical range hybrid. Other models use a portable immersion heater for nighttime use.

Automated Window Coverings: Electronic-operated curtains, blinds, or shades are pretty cool in themselves, allowing you to operate bulky fabrics with the push of a button. Yet, some of these devices can be programmed to follow the path of the sun throughout the day, make it appear as if your home is occupied, and maximize energy-savings without a second thought. The average cost of installation is $3,300

Final Analysis: Are these Solutions Right for Your Home?
Unfortunately, the most dramatic monetary benefits occur in homes with few modern upgrades. The more energy-efficient your gas oven, the less your monthly utility will be changed using a solar cooker. The more energy-efficient your furnace, the less you save in heating costs. Likewise, the benefits of these installations are dependent on professional design, installation, and your own use. "Smart" glass windows, for example, might reduce your home's energy use by 25 percent, but only with a full complement of windows that minimizes the need for heating and cooling while replacing day-time use of light bulbs.

That said, nearly all daylighting projects have some cost-saving benefit and most can be installed without a second mortgage. Plus, many homeowners find benefits beyond dollars and cents. Daylighting, in combination with a skilled lighting designer, can create unique effects and an ambiance of your own choosing. For the evenly-lit artist studio, the clear-eyed brightness of a sitting room, the task lighting of a workspace, or the dimly-lit relaxation of a reading room, appropriate daylighting can be designed and installed for any purpose.