Thursday, March 28

Let there be light: how the right windows can transform a space and brighten your mood | Sustainable home improvement


For many of us, home working – or at least hybrid working – appears to be here to stay. Our increased time at home means that, quite naturally, we’re more aware of the functionality of our environment there. While we probably can’t alter our offices at work in any significant way, homeowners are free to make the changes they need to transform their space and create the most beneficial setting for their mental health and wellbeing. One way to do this is by investing in solutions that give you access to as much natural light and ventilation as possible.

Jens Christoffersen, who works at Velux as a senior researcher in the Daylight, Energy and Indoor Climate group (DEIC), says that daylighting (the use of openings, such as roof windows, to bring sunlight into your home) and air quality are vital when considering health and comfort in building design.

Velux

“We know that sitting close to a window increases satisfaction because you have the possibility of seeing a view outside, and if you are satisfied, you might also be more productive,” Christoffersen says. This is backed by a study on office workers and is linked to the innate human need to have a regular connection to the natural environment.

“We also know that access to daylight in an indoor environment like a classroom at a school can help nurture learning abilities.” in to study of 2,000 classroomsit was found that students in classrooms with the highest window surface area produced 7% to 18% higher scores on tests than those with the least window area or daylight.

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Appropriate light signals during the day and darkness at night have been shown to be important when it comes to the alignment of our body clock. As Christoffersen says: “One of the things we have learned over the past 20 years is that the light that comes through our eyes influences different elements within our body and brain. It controls different hormones, so if you get enough and proper light at the right time, it can have an impact on alertness. This can train your body to follow a 24-hour cycle and improve your circadian rhythms.

“Some of us are also more affected by the shorter daytime light and the longer night-time light in winter,” he says. “A significant portion of the population does have challenges with seasonal changes, and these kinds of things can knock your mental health.”

In fact, 0.4% to 9.7% of the world’s population are estimated to suffer from seasonal affective disorder (Sad), which is largely associated with how much outside light is available to us in the winter. In addition, two to three times as many are somewhat mildly (sub-Sad) affected by seasonal changes. It has been shown that exposure to daylight can reduce Sad symptoms, and since S-Sad is relatively widespread, the impact of daylight on performance may be high. TO WHO surveywhich looked at eight cities across Europe, demonstrated that individuals reporting inadequate natural daylight in their homes had a greater risk of depression and falls.

Since 2010, Christoffersen’s role at Velux has involved using research to develop innovative products that provide daylighting solutions for architects, designers and builders to use in their projects, for example specially designed sun tunnels, flat-roof windows and programmable roof windows. He points to good air circulation, fresh air and a less humid environment created by the opening of windows.

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Triple-glazed roof windows are energy efficient and reduce the need for artificial light

The additional benefits of making an investment in daylighting solutions include energy efficiency, which equates to potentially lower bills. “Changing your single-glazed window to a triple-glazed window, for example, can make a difference. Our products are getting more and more energy efficient and that of course will affect your energy bill,” he says. This is not just about reducing heating loss – one study showed that increased daylight is estimated to reduce the need for artificial lighting by 16-20%, depending on the location and orientation of the house.

Christoffersen believes that homeowners are much more aware of the benefits of having a pleasant space from which to work, especially as a result of lockdown. Over the past two years, he says, people have been “adding windows and getting a good indoor environment with a good flow of daylight that can totally transform a space”.

Aside from the clear physical and psychological advantages, natural daylight and ventilation can reduce condensation and the possibility of damp and mould, which, for Christoffersen, is another reason to continue finding new ways to factor daylight into future building design.

“It’s very important that we are always boosting our buildings,” he says, “and that we are learning more and more from our research. We can see that bringing in plenty of daylight has an obvious impact and that in itself will change the buildings of the future.”

Learn more about Velux’s sustainability journey


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