Bringing the outdoors inside in a controlled fashion is a major challenge for interior designers. Natural lighting can reconnect interiors with the outside world, reducing heavy daytime reliance on on-grid electrical lighting.
It is easy to forget that natural lighting channels do not need to be limited to windows. In fact, by moving the focus upward, not only can natural lighting systems be far more effective and efficient, they can open buildings up to surprising ‘green’ potential.
According to Consumer Energy Center online, skylights can drastically change the look of a room by allowing in light that is more far-reaching than the conventional light penetration allowed through windows.
“Skylights enliven a house dramatically while cutting down the need for artificial light,” says the clean energy forum. “They brighten up dark corners and let in lots of warmth.”
However, skylighting is about more than just the aesthetic possibilities. It holds a very functional purpose that offers strong green potential.
“They can also provide much-needed ventilation,” explains the Consumer Energy Center.
Due to their prime ceiling position, venting skylights allow indoor air to be purified with zero running costs. Humidity, fumes and VOCs can all escape through these vented channels, drastically improving indoor air quality. In the same vein, they can also naturally cool a space, allowing rising hot air a way out.
Any kind of reliance taken off on-grid energy is going to make an environmental and economic difference to those who implement these strategies, but green skylights such as Solatube take this even further. With their dome-like heads and simple channel system, skylights of this nature allow for the direct, spotlighted natural sunlight but cut out excess solar gain thanks to their high-performance protective coatings.
Skylights can be a highly green solution to lighting and ventilation needs. Removing as much reliance on electrical climate control and lighting as possible will be a key to economical living and practising under the carbon tax, so it only makes sense to explore the notion of altnerative lighting methods that comes with such an all-encompassing range of positive attributes.
