The Bay de Noc Community College installed fourteen light pipes in its Extension Center Building in July 1996 as part of the Energy Office s light pipe pilot program. This program was funded by the Department of Energy s State Energy Program. The objective was to promote new energy efficient technologies in commercial applications. Light pipes are a lower cost, more efficient means to provide natural daylight to a building.
Light pipes take both direct and diffused sunlight and guide it in a reflective tube to a diffuser.
Because daylight is free, day lighting systems can significantly reduce lighting costs. Work and learning environments are improved by having natural daylight. The light pipes were installed after a complete lighting retrofit on the building. The lighting retrofit replaced the existing standard fluorescent fixtures with energy efficient T-8 bulbs and electronic ballasts. Motion sensors were installed at this time as well.