Tubular Skylight

Also known as a solar tubes, these are skylights are great for bringing daylight to dark parts of your home. They have a clear dome on the roof, and a reflective tube that brings the daylight to a fixture in the ceiling. The tube can pass through an attic or other space. Some have straight tubes and some are flexible to go around curves and obstructions.

Look for the right size and quantity of light to fit your space. Consider whether you need a flexible tube, which can reach harder areas but generally gives less light, or a straight tube, that often gives more light.

You can have daylight in parts of your house that have now windows, like hallways, without using electricity and without the complication of a full skylight, especially in areas where there is a curve between where you can place the roof part and where you need the light. And a tubular skylight is easier to insulate around in the attic, thus minimizing your heating and cooling losses, compared with an ordinary skylight.

The world's biggest continuous, point-supported skylight is at the Core Shopping Centre in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This vast glass structure spans the entire mall, at 85 feet wide and 665 feet long.