Kenneth Sheeks a resident of the northern tip of the Big Island, recently remodeled his kitchen. He installed dark, granite counter tops and cherry wood cabinets, a dark wood rich with mood and grain. But immediately after the project was complete, Kenneth noticed something was missing. Light.

The dark countertops and cabnitry gave his new kitchen a walk-in closet feel; the furniture absorbed the light, making the space feel small and cramped. But instead of installing more light fixtures to solve the problem, Kenneth opted for natural lighting to brighten the space, an energy-saving option those in the know are embracing with open arms.

The appliance is not new, but the technology and performance are. In fact, solar light tubes, tubular skylights or tubular daylighting devices, whichever you prefer to call them, have been around nearly 20 years, lighting peoples° homes naturally. But with the recent, widespread focus on sustainable design and energy- and cost-saving upgrades in the home, solar light tubes offer attractive ways to light large spaces in your home during the day, without ever having to flip on the light switch.

The cost of a solar light tube is about one-third the cost of a traditional skylight and installs in two hours, rather than two to three days. The sun light reflects down the reflective tube to it's desired location in the house.

Every home is plagued with the common problem, an office without a window to call its own, a dark bathroom, a long hallway or a room on the north side of the house that receives only reflected light. If you have to turn a light on in your home during the day, then you have the ideal place for a tubular skylight.

The name says it all and solar tubes are just that-tubes that extend from the roof to the ceiling and bring natural light into the home. The actual tube can range in size from ten to twenty-one inches in diameter, depending on how much space you need to light. The tubes can be angled and adjusted to fit in most attic spaces, so that no structural adjustments are necessary. In fact, licensed contractors can complete an installation in about two hours.

So how does it work? The dome on the roof captures sunlight coming from just about any angle, at any time of day, and focuses it into the tube. The tube itself is made of highly reflective material and the light reflects and refracts as it travels through the tube. Before the light exits the tube and enters your home, it refracts one more time through a diffuser, the cap you see inside your home, which resembles typical recessed lighting. Cool, natural light is spread evenly around the room and the electric lights can stay off, morning, noon and evening.

There are only several majors brands of solar light tube used by contractors in Hawai'i, so make sure and do some comparative shopping first. Of utmost importance, the dome on the roof should be made of high grade acrylic that is weatherproof and can withstand high impact. In addition, the dome should offer at least 95 percent UV protection, which keeps the sun from bleaching carpet and furniture. Different brands will offer different upgrades, like single and double light fixtures inside the tube, ventilation kits for bathrooms and dimmer kits, so you can essentially turn off the natural light. They also offer diffusers made from different materials that alter the color and feel of the incoming daylight, depending on your preference. For instance, frosted diffusers broadcast cool, soft and even light, while other lenses deliver crystal clear, bright and sharp daylight.

What size is right for your dark room? Generally, a 10-inch device will spread light up to 150 square feet. Compared to light bulbs, it would take 300 watts of energy to power bulbs that bright and far. For residential applications the next size up is a 13- to 14-inch tube and has a coverage area of up to 300 square feet and the wattage equivalent of almost 500 watts. For larger spaces, 18- and 21-inch light tubes are available.

Another advantage to the solar light tube is that there is no heat gain to the living space that is associated with incandescent bulbs or traditional skylights. The air trapped in the tube acts as insulation and the diffuser cap remains cool to the touch. The monthly savings in the utility bill comes from cutting out the energy needed to power light bulbs on a daily basis and the additional cooling necessary to offset that source of heat.

Now you can stop wasting energy with electric lighting during the day and take advantage of sunlight to brighten up your home naturally. Where light from a light bulb will have a line of demarcation and a shadow, light from solar light tube is pure light cast evenly in all directions, sans electricity.