User:Hjk321/Pavement light

On top, people could walk on the sidewalk, but pavement lights let light go into the room below.

Colored pavement lights from above.

Pavement lights are usually put into sidewalks or floors to let sunlight into a room below it. They are sometimes called vault lights or sidewalk prisms. They were used in many places when electric lighting was very expensive. Some cities are removing these lights, but others are keeping and restoring them.

Uses

Pavement lights give sunlight to basements below it during the day, and the basement gives light to the sidewalk from below during the night. These lights are meant to make basements more useful in cities and places where there isn't a lot of space. In places with high rent, these lights may make an area look better, which helps landlords make more money. People with these lights can also save on electricity during the day, because the lights are clear like a window, where sunlight can go through.

Many years ago, pavement lights were advertised as a way of saving on electricity costs and making places look better. Today's science has proven that they were right.

Pavement lights are also used in floors with glass roofs. They could be put in a floor below another floor with more pavement lights, letting sunlight go through more than one floor. Manhole covers were also made with pavement lights.

Most old cities have pavement lights, or at least, they have had them in the past. These lights are about 100 years old. However, some pavement lights are being used even today.

Pictures

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  An example of pavement lights.
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  The same lights at night, used to shine light from below.
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  Pavement lights from below.
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  Colorful pavement lights.
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  A drawing of pavement lights.