As people all over the world come to value healthier and more eco-conscious ways of living, the idea of achieving sustainability has gotten a lot of attention lately.
That means the natural light skylights offer have taken on an entirely new appeal for homeowners and organizations of all kinds, and so now these sustainable lighting solutions are getting a lot more consideration too.
For a Quick Definition: Achieving sustainability means fostering ongoing conditions within a lasting process or population without producing irreversible damage against its full potential, or the environment which supports it. This means sustainability can manifest in multiple forms; such as maintaining sustainable social groups, stimulating a sustainable economy, preserving a sustainable region or property, or simply leading a sustainable human life.
With this definition in mind, the shift toward skylights we’re seeing today begins to make a lot more sense. That’s because, despite the vast inherent differences between these four sustainability types, skylights are capable of positively addressing each one of them at the same time and in a significant way.
Here’s how:
1. The Human Health Benefits of Natural Light
There is a sincere difference between how artificially produced light, such as the light of an electronic lightbulb, and the natural light of the sun affects people.
More specifically, when exposed to certain frequencies on the light spectrum the human body is stimulated in predictable ways. Under the light of the sun we not only absorb D-vitamins through our skin, for instance, but the specific light frequencies which hit our eyes also help perk up our attention and elevate our reaction times. It’s elements like these given by consistent sun exposure that best helps us regulate our circadian rhythm and stay sustainably healthy.
Meanwhile, other frequencies, like the blue light that computer screens and other electronics commonly give off, have been found to suppress melatonin production and trick the body into a kind of ‘day-time’ state at any hour which can make sleep that much harder to reach.
All to say that under skylights, the need for harmful electronic light exposure is mitigated while the benefits of natural light are passively harnessed by everyone inside.
2. The Economic Appeals of Natural Light
After being installed a skylight will work for you at all times at no cost, which makes it a great way to bring down some utility charges.
It’s no secret artificial lights come with the downsides of an increased power bill, a larger carbon footprint—and with the heat that’s given off by electronic lighting—a greater air conditioning costs. But a skylight side-steps all these operational downsides and brings some additional benefits of its own.
For instance, modern skylight models are made so that they can be completely insulative, providing greater climate control while further reducing a building’s heating and cooling power costs. Combine all these factors, and they can make a major difference in annual power spending and how sustainably green a property performs.
3. The Social Returns of Natural Light
Walking through a property and picturing skylight placements often leads to thoughts of soon-to-be shared cloud watching sessions and memorable stargazing opportunities. But there’s much more than skylights do to help people maintain a sustainable social life, whether at home or in the world.
Exposure to the sun is a massive booster to both mood and mental health, and it lends a huge effect in how well people ward off depression, engage in social circles, and manage to appreciate the joys of their day. It might feel like a subtle thing but it amounts to a lot, as the higher depression rates during times of poor sky visibility and long nights show.
Skylights allow all these social-sustaining aspects and more to come in through building interiors, making them a fantastic passive aid for everyone inside.
4. The Environmental Advantages of Modern Skylight Models
The final sustainability boon of skylights here comes down to their structural performance and the way they enhance the quality of the space around them.
We mentioned that a good skylight will be completely insulative, which prevents heat from transferring when you don’t want it to and keeps moisture and rainwater from leaking inside. But manufacturing innovations in methods like reaction injection molding have introduced even more environmental advantages.
Modern fabrication materials and single-state skylight designs now produce models that require no maintenance on the user’s end while offering hurricane and bullet-proof glass protection from impacts and the elements alike. This provides new heights of security, comfortable performance—and a level of durability that allows providers to offer 20-year transferable warranties—much longer-lasting sustainability opportunities.
Embracing Skylights Sustainability
From just a few examples above it is proven undoubtedly, skylights provide an incredible amount of sustainable building benefits. Benefits that, in today’s ever conscious age, really can’t be ignored any longer.
To see what today’s cutting-edge skylight performances and designs are capable of for yourself, feel free to check out the top of the line models we offer here.