MORE than 500 of SunPipe natural daylight systems have now been installed in the Gulf region since the launch of these British-made tubular skylights in the Middle East in December 1999.

"Hundreds more SunPipes are now specified for many of the major tourism, residential and commercial projects in the region," says Justin Carter of Edison Lighting (Middle East), the Middle East agent for the SunPipe system.

The SunPipe - which comprises a circular highly mirror-finish aluminium tube, with an ultraviolet (UV)-protected acrylic dome attached at roof level and a recessed diffusing lens attached internally - pipes in natural daylight to any part of the building.

''This arrangement offers an ideal alternative to conventional skylights, due to the SunPipe systems' elimination of solar gain and heat transfer as well as the flexibility of the system, which allows natural light to be literally 'piped' to wherever it is needed," he says. "The system, which is supplied in a kit form that simply fits together, is easily installed by local labour. However, Edison Lighting provides a comprehensive system design and installation service for the Middle East.

"The SunPipes, which are available in 10 different sizes ranging from 200 mm to 1,500 mm diameter, have been installed in schools, villas, offices, gymnasiums and retail spaces in Dubai , bringing with them the benefits of significant energy savings due to the reduction in the dependency on artificial light during daylight hours and a marked improvement to the atmosphere and quality of the internal environment. By eliminating solar gain, SunPipes can also help to reduce the demand on the cooling load of the building."

Recently-completed SunPipes projects in the UAE include: GAC corporate headquarters at Jebel Ali Free Zone, La Plage apartment complex in Jumeirah and prestigious government school projects, including the Rashid School for Boys.

"Even on cloudy, dusty or hazy days, the SunPipe - thanks to its powerful aluminium mirror-finish tubing - still provides an impressive output of light. It is this year-round performance which has helped achieve sales of more than 10,000 systems in the UK alone over the past six years," says Terry Payne, managing director of Monodraught International, the UK-based manufacturer of the system.

The most popular size of SunPipe system is the new 300 mm diameter and this will light an internal area of approximately 15 sq m, he says.

For night-time lighting, Monodraught, offers a low-voltage integral light kit, which when fitted inside the SunPipe's mirror-finish tube, provides a compact arrangement for 24-hour operation.

Manual or motorised 'black out' dampers are another innovative option from Monodraught. These dampers provide a simple method of shutting out the daylight or reducing daylight when it is not required. This system is particularly useful where SunPipes are applied to hospital wards, conference rooms, or bedrooms, he says.

Monodraught's latest development is its new diamond-shaped top dome.

''This dome gives added strength as well as even greater light distribution and incorporates special prisms internally to carry light down to the mirror-finish surface,'' explains Payne. ''We received a lot of interest in our new patented diamond top dome, when we launched it in March this year at our stand at the Ideal Home Show in London and we are already receiving a lot of interest from the Middle East, where we expect the visually-appealing diamond dome to be especially popular for villa and residential applications, particularly where the system is visible from ground level, or is fitted to a sloping roof.''

The diamond dome has already been ordered for villa projects in Bahrain.

The traditional hemispheric top dome, which is made in varying profiles to suit all roof types, is also still available as part of Monodraught's growing range of components.

''The SunPipe, which is wholly made in the UK, is an environmental product which is effectively making use of one of the Middle East's greatest natural resources - abundant natural daylight!" he remarks.