There is nothing more sensible than using natural lighting to improve the spatial quality and energy efficiency of buildings. The fact that natural resources are not infinite and the demands for reducing energy consumption have increasingly reduced the importance of artificial lighting systems. For this reason, architects are forced to look for more efficient construction solutions. For this purpose, various measures have been taken to help capture sunlight better when designing rooms.
Exposure to natural light has a number of benefits. These should be viewed both from a psychological point of view with regard to the mood and generally to reduce electrical costs. You can plan windows and doors in such a way that they allow sufficient energy and light into your home.
What exactly is natural lighting?
Daylighting is the strategic placement of windows to allow as much natural light into the home as possible. Natural lighting can also be achieved by installing skylights or other openings in your home. Introducing outdoor light indoors is becoming a priority for most homeowners when looking for or building a new home due to its numerous benefits. The systems for this can also guarantee excellent spatial properties if you plan them correctly. In the following guide we have put together some essential ideas and useful tips for your future construction projects. Include this in your construction plans to achieve optimal space in your living area.
The windows are the connection between the built environment and the outside world. They let in natural light, provide outdoor views, improve energy efficiency, and can truly transform the indoor experience. However, an abundance of windows brings with it many challenges. Most of you will agree that you can never have too many windows in a building. But we also have to admit that sun protection can be affected. ConventionalGlass controls heat developmentor glare is not complete and thus creates an unpleasant ambience for the residents. The usual solution to this problem is usually bulky blinds and shades, which create a barrier to the outside world and affect the aesthetics of a room. So how can you incorporate more natural light to create comfortable, healthy environments and beautiful interiors?
Using sunholes in room planning – advantages
Much has been said about the benefits of natural sunlight or daylight. It is important for our immune system, increases our vitamin D intake and ensures healthy bones. Proper use of daylight can create healthier and more pleasant living and working environments. It also reduces the demand for artificial light, which can reduce operating costs. You don't have to be an expert to see that we don't use daylight fully and correctly, especially in big cities.
Natural light allows you to illuminate your house or apartment during the day without using artificial light sources. Natural lighting also helps protect the environment. Daylight is therefore better suited for general physical condition and health. According to a study from Northwestern Medicine and the University of Illinois, people who are regularly exposed to sunlight are more optimistic, sleep better at night and feel better during the day than others. Using outside light can also help save on energy costs. You can use the position of the sun to naturally warm your home in winter or keep your home cool and comfortable in summer.
Some disadvantages of night lighting
Although natural light offers many benefits, there can be potential downsides to not introducing natural light into your home. Without properly insulated windows, natural lighting can lead to an increase in heat and glare in the summer months, and heat loss in the winter. TheSelection of glass doors and windowsHomes that are well sealed and insulated can make the difference between a dream home that is well lit and a dark, poorly planned space.
We have two negative extreme conditions as some buildings do not allow enough daylight into the offices or residential units. These have a lot of dark rooms andHallways without enough daylightand natural ventilation. There are even some private and government buildings with air conditioning units that vent hot exhaust fumes into public corridors. On the other hand, some facades allow so much direct sunlight into the buildings through wide ordinary glass openings that it creates thermal problems for residents. Inevitably, residents cover their windows with improvised sun protection such as curtains, large posters, etc. to minimize heat build-up.
Integrating daylight into buildings or homes is not as difficult as it first seems when considered in the early design phase of a project. Today, there are various design strategies and devices to capture sunlight and direct it deep into buildings to minimize or eliminate electric light during the day. One option is to incorporate atriums or courtyards and clerestory windows to bring natural light into the home or building. Courtyards located centrally in a building diffuse natural light with the potential to cool adjacent spaces.
How do you incorporate natural lighting?
Instead of changing the location of your windows, we recommend optimizing your current configuration to bring as much natural light and energy into your home as possible during the appropriate seasons. Consider the following tips when planning the lighting conditions in the room:
- If your windows or glass doors face east and west, they can provide good natural light in the morning and evening.
- South-facing windows provide more sunlight in your living spaces in winter, but little direct sun in summer, especially if they are properly shaded.
- Glass windows positioned to the north allow relatively even, natural light to pass through, creating little glare and almost no unwanted summer heat.
By taking this practical advice into account when starting to plan your space, you will be able to correctly integrate natural lighting into your home. This allows you to achieve optimal future room illumination.
Looking beyond the traditional horizon
Traditional glass panels cannot compensate for the heat gain or glare associated with daylight, and an uncontrolled amount of natural light can have a negative impact on residents. Buildings that are unable to accommodate the maximum intensity of daylight may not be able to achieve the necessary certification. In the current architectural landscape, this is more of a requirement than just a convenient addition.
Dynamic glass, which allows the sun's rays to tint at any time of the day or night, allows building users to experience the natural effects of the outdoor space. You can also achieve energy efficiency goals by limiting the need for energy-intensive heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. In addition, the ability of dynamic glass to adapt to the sun helps combat the negative effects of solar radiation.
Control artificial light in real time
Thanks to modern sensors that sense daylight, you can allow more light to flow into your home. When the right amount of light is available, these sensors dim the electric lights so that rooms can only be illuminated if and when it is truly necessary. This ensures that you do not rely too heavily on electrical lighting. Additionally, by optimizing and enhancing a building's natural lighting, light sensors help minimize glare, thereby increasing overall productivity at work or at home and improving occupant well-being.
Install skylights
As horizontal openings strategically positioned on the roofs of buildings,Skylights allow direct entry of outside light. These light sources usually contain an application of translucent glass on their top, allowing a higher percentage of light into the room. However, you should use skylights with caution as they tend to increase the thermal load in the building and increase the internal temperature. Therefore, you need to strategically place and project such windows and doors in terms of dimensions and sealing materials.
As an alternative to top sealing, you can add a layer of laminated glass or polycarbonate to skylights. This means that daylight penetrates indirectly and the proportion of light can be reduced. As one of the most commonly used lighting systems, roof windows are more recommended for rooms that are less habitable, such as traffic areas, halls or bathrooms. In addition, these systems are available in a large number of models and vary in their design, dimensions and material.
This type of light sources, frequently used in industrial buildings and warehouses with metal roofs, are configured as devices based on the sawtooth geometry of the roofs. The slopes are strategically arranged to receive a specific amount of light. They are usually positioned relative to the facade with less sunlight. This allows you to provide natural lighting without direct sunlight. In some cases, they also consider openings for ventilation. The variations in dimensions and inclinations are designed based on the percentage of light in the interior that allows more or less light to enter. This lighting system requires a glass frame closure to prevent rain from entering.
Natural lighting through roofing
You can use such roofing to cover the garden, for example, through openings that protrude from the roof. Use them to form small glassy protrusions that receive the entrance of natural light through their two sides. In addition to letting in light, the system allows for continuous air renewal when you use mobile window frames. These provide constant daylight and ventilation as hot air tends to rise.
Domed roof
Dome roofs offer a more extensive lighting effect compared to previous proposals. However, due to the assumed large dimensions, these tend to generate large heat loads within the buildings in most cases. For this reason, you can use a domed roof in access areas, courtyards or central areas.
Atrium
Skylights open directly onto roofs, usually with pyramid or gable geometries, with metal profiles and glass shutters. Unlike the examples above, this typology is recommended for buildings with a larger number of floors. These also enable access to greater light power without generating high thermal loads.
Lichtröhre
In addition to skylights, you can install light tubes flat or inclined in various types of roofing. With a variety of lengths and widths, you can mount natural lighting of this type either flexibly or without blurring. The difference is that these transport daylight through reflections in such interiors and roofs. Especially where it is not possible to install other lighting systems such as those described above.
Inside, the light tubes are coated and equipped with reflective materials. Due to their dimensions and material, these produce different light intensities and represent an optimal solution for industrial and commercial projects. There are also fiberglass models that are specifically for construction projects with short distances between sky and ceiling such as apartments or smaller buildings on the market.
