A Liter Of Light: Too Good For Only The Slums

Upon learning of the Liter of Light concept in July of 2011, I realized that this idea was so good that it could be applied well beyond the slum settings where it was introduced.  The concept is simple: fill a 1 liter clear plastic bottle with water (and a small amount of ammonia to prevent bacteria build up), then place the up-right bottle into a hole in the roof – allowing light to diffract through the water.   This not only prevents hot “sun spots” from occurring throughout the day, but it also distributes enough light to be compared to a 55 watt light bulb.

This simple method can be applied to larger buildings and is particularly useful for libraries and classrooms. In this project in Loita, Kenya, we installed a series of these “sky bulbs” throughout the building.  Since completing the structure, the community has collected more plastic bottles for installation in other spaces of the learning center and in their neighboring classrooms.