Monodraught says it continues to light up interiors in a wide variety of commercial and residential projects across the Gulf with its innovative SunPipes.

It says that since their introduction in the UAE in December 1999, it has installed more than 500 SunPipes in a variety of applications and thousands more have been specified for prestigious projects in the UAE and elsewhere in the region.

"SunPipes have become widely accepted as a recognised alternative to conventional skylights and rooflights," says a spokesman for the company. "They provide daylight without the associated heat gain or glare. In addition to being an energy-saving replacement to electrical lighting during daylight hours in schools, offices, retail environments and villas, SunPipes also can reduce the need for extensive air-conditioning by reducing solar gain."

He says the design flexibility, privacy and security provided by the SunPipes allow them to be used in areas where windows or skylights would not normally be considered.

"Bathrooms and dressing rooms are a particular case in point, where not only is maximum privacy necessary but the addition of natural daylight to such areas is considered a great benefit," he says.

Recent design developments provide further options for end-users and specifiers of the system, the spokesman points out.

These include coloured ceiling trims to match with any interior decor, fireproof light diffusers, motorised 'black out' dampers, which 'switch off' or adjust the light if and when it is required.

"The new 'Diamond' top dome to the SunPipe is not only visually stunning and highly attractive for sloping roofs, but its revolutionary design increases the system's already impressive light output, particularly during early dawn and pre-dusk times, when the sun is at a low angle in the sky," he says.

"Customer feedback and project specification in the Middle East has been very encouraging," says Justin Carter of Edison Lighting (Middle East) Limited, which has promoted and designed the layout and specification requirements of the systems in the region for the last two years. "We have had a considerable number of repeat orders from clients who have used SunPipes for one project and then can't wait to use more of them for another."

Available in 10 sizes ranging from 200 mm to 1,500 mm diameter, SunPipes can be fitted to any roof type and the silverised mirror-finish aluminium pipework reflects and intensifies daylight deep into interior spaces, says the company.

SunPipes can even be up to 25 m in length, making the system suitable for multi-storey applications, he says. Horizontal runs and adjustable bends can also be used to circumvent roof void obstructions with little effect on the amount of light provided.

"The SunPipes system is proving its durability in the harsh Middle East climate, with the UV-protected, high-impact top domes standing up to the sun and sand abrasion," says the Monodraught spokesman.

He continues: "As with all rooflights and skylights in Dubai and the UAE, SunPipe Tubular Skylights need to be washed at regular intervals to maintain the external lens in a clear condition.

"The SunPipes domes are specially designed to prevent any crevices or areas where dust can lodged and so, superficial maintenance and cleaning is relatively easy.

"However, on some buildings in Dubai, where the early SunPipes were installed more than two years ago, the difficulty in accessing the roof has meant that the SunPipes have not been cleaned in more than two years and although covered with a thick layer of sand and dust, the performance of the SunPipes internally is still considered by the occupants as extremely good.

"Therefore, the SunPipe system has yet another advantage over conventional skylights, which require regular cleaning."

The company says SunPipes are also able to offer a high level of security, since not only is the 300 mm diameter SunPipe, which is the most popular size for most private dwellings and offices, very small and, therefore, difficult to permit entry into the building, but polished stainless steel bars can also be easily incorporated into the tubular SunPipe body, so as to provide a high level of security without reducing sunlight transmittance.

"It is for this reason that many SunPipes have been specified on military establishments, as well as police stations, schools and other secure buildings," says the spokesman.

"A 300-mm-diameter SunPipe will light up an area of up to 20 sq m to a normal daylight level and a 300-mm-diameter SunPipe can provide up to 12 times more light than a conventional window of the same area.

"Since SunPipes are generally sited at ceiling level, however, with a semi-recessed ceiling diffuser, the glare that would normally be associated with conventional windows is eliminated, providing extremely pleasant working or living conditions."

Apart from using no energy whatsoever, SunPipes also require little maintenance since the top dome is easily cleaned and the internal mirror finish is fitted with a ceiling diffuser, which effectively seals the pipe against the ingress of dust, says the company.

Monodraught SunPipes will be on show at the Big 5 in Hall 6 on Stand number 6F294 with technical staff from the UK on hand to answer any questions.