According to the New Buildings Institute, Daylighting is one of a few features that are an important part of the resilient building movement. It will still be a long time before even high performance buildings can be operated effectively off the grid, but in the meantime, responsible builders are seeking and finding innovative ways to introduce natural light into working environments using daylight design.
US annual lighting expenditures are about $60 billion; a quarter of its yearly electricity budget. Additionally, traditional windows (depending on which direction they face) have disadvantages such as letting in too much heat (if they are east or west facing), or not letting in enough light (if they are facing north or south) depending on the season. This lack of light, and excessive heat in the summer months is the reason for significant electricity costs for US businesses across the country.
By introducing Daylighting features to the workplace, businesses can reduce their electricity expenditure anywhere between 20 and 80 percent. Not only that, but according to recent studies, introducing more consistent daylight through Daylighting design increases employee productivity, and decreases absenteeism.
Commercial Skylights are an important part of the Daylighting trend and Plasteco is proud to offer plenty of Daylighting systems to professional architects and remodelers alike. As we discussed in January, companies can save on energy costs with commercial daylighting and more and more contractors can and should work to maximize the advantages of Daylighting. If you need ideas on new ways of integrating daylighting strategies into your plan, contact us today!
Sources: Energy Saver: Daylighting