a lighted heat dissipating panel made of sustainable renewable materials such as recycled aluminum and soy - based urethane , for use in architectural or shelving applications . the panel may be flat , rectangular , curvilinear , or of varying cross section so as to include any three - dimensional shape as desired . lightweight materials such as carbon fiber , fiberglass , resin , soy - based urethane , and similar materials are used in combination with thermally conductive structural materials , such as expanded aluminum honeycomb , preferably fabricated from recycled aluminum , to provide a stiff , lightweight , machinable , moldable , and thermally conductive panel for use with lighting elements . lighting elements are housed within the panel , providing illumination as desired . heat is transferred from the lighting elements through the panel to the supporting structure and radiated from the panel itself , providing cooling effect for the lighting elements , reducing the temperature in the immediate vicinity of the lighting elements and providing for longer lighting element life .