Natural Daylighting for Health and Energy Efficiency

More and more studies are touting the benefits of natural daylighting in residential, academic and commercial settings. Designs that let the sunshine do the work reduce the need for artificial light taking a load off energy consumption and utility bills. Perhaps even more motivating, natural daylighting is just more pleasant.

When we talk about green building and sustainable design, we’re usually talking about building performance – its energy-efficiency. Integrate natural daylighting and a whole new performance is boosted, the performance of the residents.

Schools which maximize natural daylighting have been shown to increase student performance in quantifiable ways like improved test scores and long-term retention. Surveys among teachers have revealed that they noticed improved moods among their students allowing calmer classrooms and better attention spans.

The same benefits are seen in commercial settings. In fact, in some European cities building ordinances require that work spaces provide natural daylighting and views to the outdoors, thus the prevalence of courtyards and atriums.

Offices that integrate natural daylighting with proper solar gain control are shown to be more productive with less employee absenteeism. It’s not surprising that if the office offers an inviting atmosphere with pleasant views your employees are more likely to enjoy being there.

The focus on natural daylighting is rooted in scientific study. Many of us are familiar, if not affected, by seasonal affective disorder or SAD. SAD occurs during the darker months of the year when people have less time in the sun. Less hours in the day when you’re stuffed inside a cubicle is enough to put anyone in a less optimistic mood but there’s a chemical deficiency behind the disorder. Exposure to daylight increases the production of vitamin D in the body.

Vitamins, schmitamins you say? Well vitamin D is not only a building block of bones and teeth, it’s also crucial to maintaining hormonal balance and a healthy immune system. In other words, vitamin D helps keep you well. Studies have shown links between vitamin D deficiency and obesity, heart disease, cancers and, you guessed it, depression. The only way to make vitamin D is through exposure to the sun.

So your mind and body benefit with natural daylighting in buildings. Of course, it doesn’t end there. According to the US Department of Energy, artificial lighting consumes almost 15% of a household’s electricity use. Maximizing natural daylighting allows less energy consumption for artificial light. Properly chosen windows that allow for daylit spaces while preventing solar heat gain help keep buildings cooler, providing further energy savings on air conditioning.

It’s no surprise that natural daylighting is part of the US Green Build Council’s LEED certification guidelines. It’s free, pleasant and saves energy.

*Note: The information in this article is general advice and not meant as a substitute for personal guidance from a financial advisor, real estate professional, general contractor or legal counsel. Although the author is a licensed realtor, the advice given in this article does not constitute any client contract or agreement between the author and the user. The author is not responsible for any losses, damages or claims that may result from your decisions.