Have you ever heard of a product called optical duct? It is still not well-known, but it is an ecological product that may be in the spotlight in the future. It might be worth your while to find out about it now.

The commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol starts in 2008 and clean energies and the technologies that create them are the focal points. Throughout the world, manufacturers in many different fields are doing their best to create clean energy related technologies, such as solar power generation, wind power generation and other natural sources, fuel cells for hybrid cars, recycling systems that use the surplus energy produced by water heaters, etc.

The common phrase in all of these are, “Reduction of CO₂.” Use of fuel oil leads to CO₂ emissions and ozone depletion, which in turn lead to global warming. It can be said that, “Reduction of CO₂” has become a catch phrase to stop the countdown to our own destruction.

Which leads us to optical ducts. Why is this eco product so great? As the Japanese trademark (pending), “DOKODEMO HIKARIMADO” (that means “skylight window can be installed anywhere you like”) indicates, optical ducts will provide light to any place in the home simply be “existing.” Furthermore, it does not produce any surplus heat or CO₂. Hence, the optical duct, “DOKODEMO HIKARIMADO” (skylight window anywhere you like) is really the ultimate eco product. Bright sunlight passes through ducts that have 95% reflectance and goes from the roof to each room. This works on sunny days, of course, but it will also provide natural light on cloudy days.

• The Optical Duct System is a product developed by Nikken Sekkei Ltd.
• Mirror Coat K is Japan's first optical duct material that was developed by Toyo Kohan Co., Ltd. It is also the world's first silver mirror finish plated steel sheet. (According to our research.)
• The optical duct “DOKODEMO HIKARIMADO” that uses Mirror Coat K is a pending trademark of Toyo Kohan Co., Ltd. in Japan.