Exposure to natural daylight—or the lack of it—has an enormous impact on our well-being that we often fail to recognize. The need to be connected with the earth and its beauty is inherent in all of us, but the push for corporate work environments to be economical and industrious has consigned many people to fluorescent-lighted, windowless work spaces. On top of that, most of our needs are can easily be met indoors now: a connection with others, access to food, and even fitness can be attained inside a building.
But the need to spend hours of time each day indoors doesn’t have to mean a lack of access to daylight. Skylights offer that connection to natural light that we all need to function and our best. Home Improvement Leads is here to explain how they help us reap the following benefits:
Productivity and Comfort
Research has proven that daylight environments increase productivity and comfort. A connection to nature and the outside world decreases a feeling of isolation and enhances contentment. Natural light is also easier on the eyes, whereas artificial lighting—especially the type found in many work environments—can cause headaches and eye strain.
Natural light is also essential for a healthy sleep-wake cycle. The sun regulates this cycle, so not having access to it for blocks of hours at a time can throw off our natural rhythm, resulting in poor sleep and ultimately poor health.
Increasingly, psychologists, architects, and business owners are recognizing the importance of day-lighting buildings and its positive effect on productivity. Daylighting is an architectural term that refers to designing an indoor area to receive ample sunlight. Skylights and retractable roofs play an important role in designing beautiful daylight buildings that make occupants feel at ease and connected to nature. A retractable roof provides access to the outdoors during nice weather but also stands up to unfriendly weather thanks to its insulated glass and thermally braked profiles that provide heat insulation. Occupants get to experience the peace of being bathed in sunlight even when it’s too cold to enjoy the outdoors.
Energy Savings
If you’re using the sun to light a large building during the daylight hours that means you’re not using as much energy to keep light bulbs running. Insulated skylights allow the light to pass through without glare or excessive thermal transfer, so comfort and energy savings are unaffected by these factors. Not every daylighting feature reduces a building’s energy usage, but the right product integrated well can greatly contribute to energy efficiency.
Residential Home Value
While “man caves” and home theaters may be sought-after features for potential home buyers, they’re just about the only rooms in a home where daylight is unwelcome. Most people are looking for a home lit by natural daylight since it is so much more pleasing to the eye than artificial light. Glass Skylights are the perfect solution for interior rooms and areas like bathrooms where you want natural light without sacrificing privacy. Additionally, retractable pool enclosures can increase the value of your investment by keeping it clean and allowing you to use it more days out of the year.
Whether in a restaurant, corporate workplace, shopping center, or residential structure,Glass skylights are wonderful tools for improving energy efficiency and morale. And a beautiful view certainly doesn’t hurt!
- by Hannah West
