ECOBuilder-Specifiers Journal spring2018

The Benefits of Maximising Natural
Daylight and Ventilation in Buildings
Building design can have a
huge impact on our health.
Throughout our lives we all
spend a large amount of time
indoors, away from natural
sunlight and a natural air supply.
Studio Designer neo rooflights specified for
Steven Myhill’s ‘Summerhouse’.
Health and Wellbeing is defined
by the World Health Organisation
(WHO) as a “state of complete
physical, mental and social
wellbeing”. The UK Green
Building Council (UKGBC) also
includes social, psychological
and physical factors into their
definition.
A recent research study
carried out by research agency
Cadvantage surveyed 150
architects and found that of their
sample only 11% (17 architects)
could correctly define what
Health and Wellbeing means in
building design.
The research has identified that
Health and Wellbeing is taken
into account in all sectors of
building design, however not
by all architects, with only 59%
of the architects working on
designing education buildings,
57% in healthcare, 48% in office
spaces, 44% in retail and most
92 SPECIFIERS JOURNAL - SPRING 2018
worrying of all 35% in residential.
In construction it is widely
accepted that natural light and
ventilation can vastly improve
health, concentration levels and
performance so these findings
will not be well received
by the UKGBC or other
organisations such as
NARM (the National
Association of Rooflight
Manufacturers), who
regularly promote the
health and wellbeing
benefits of light from
above in building
design.
The UKGBC believe
that generous access
to daylight as well as
a supply of natural
ventilation should be
part of the design
considerations for
Health and Wellbeing.
However, Cadvantage
have further revealed
that 43% of the
architects surveyed
felt that the support
they receive from
manufacturers is
inadequate when
they are specifying
products that meet
Health and Wellbeing
needs.
According to NARM, daylight is
an essential natural asset. There
is a growing body of evidence to
suggest that buildings enjoying
high levels of natural light are
literally more successful than
those more reliant on artificial
light. In all environments the
eye and brain functions respond
better to natural light, so people
perform better, while passive
solar gain can reduce energy
costs.
It’s clear from the UKGBC, WHO
and NARM that introducing
maximum natural daylight and
ventilation to buildings is key
to improving the Health and
Wellbeing of the UK population.
One solution to this is to specify
rooflights on a design scheme.
Rooflights can flood up to three
times more natural light into a
space than a vertical window of
an equivalent size, and rooflights
such as the Studio Designer
Range from the Rooflight
Company provide almost
unlimited arrays of glazing to
truly maximise natural light from
above.
Studio Designer Conservation Rooflights Mews,
London.
To find out more about Health and
Wellbeing in rooflighting and how
the Rooflight Company can help
you integrate light and natural
ventilation into your projects
call us on 01993 833108 or visit
www.therooflightcompany.co.uk
With thanks to Cadvantage and
NARM for their statistics in this
article.