PLANNING APPROVAL - UK
residential development guide for home extensions and new dwellings 

 

 
 
  

MONODRAUGHT - Building Materials and Architectural Building Products

Monodraught SUNPIPE® natural daylight systems consist of silverised mirror-finish aluminium tubes that carry daylight down into the room below. The SUNPIPE natural daylight system terminates in the patented Diamond dome, which seals the pipe against the ingress of rain, dust or insects, the ceiling diffuser seals the SUNPIPE natural daylight system at ceiling level.

Solar Boost - This is a solar driven natural ventilation system for the home. In addition to the natural wind effect, the solar panel will drive the integral fan on sunny days and bring in additional ventilation when it is needed most.

Most home extensions requiring planning permission will probably benefit from using their products during the build.  Many Architects or House Extension Designers can incorporate their products within the scheme design drawings and specifications.

The following article may be of interest for homeowners researching this type of building product for inclusion within their own house extension scheme.

Daylighting Your Home With Light Pipes

As the "Green" movement marches forward, we're all becoming a little more aware of how our day-to-day lives affect the environment. This has caused some of us to make small changes in our daily choices, while others take measures to fully embrace sustainable living, going to far as to take on Earth friendly home improvement projects. One simple home improvement you can make that adds natural beauty to a room, while reducing your reliance on natural resources is the addition of solar light pipes.

Solar light pipes, or light tubes, are used for daylighting a home. It's a way of bringing natural sunlight into rooms that don't lie along the exterior walls of the home, and where a skylight isn't feasible to install. They are actually cheaper than a skylight anyway, and provide a light more akin to what we're used to.

These light pipes are often made of a pliable metal, and have an interior of a highly reflective material. This allows the light to reach its destination with little absorption of loss of intensity. To increase the amount of light that is taken in by the pipes, a domed lens is place on the end of the tube that sits outside the home on the roof. On the end of the pipe that terminates in the room requiring light, a diffuser is installed to prevent direct sunlight, and spread the light throughout the room. A solar light pipe can typically produce as much as, if not more, light than a 100 watt light bulb.

Installing a solar light pipe is the type of project that can take a weekend, but the benefits can be enjoyed for the life of your home. Also, such Earth friendly home improvements extend the life of our planet, which is something we can all appreciate.