GLASS & GLAZING
emerge from the pandemic A sandweprepare for the workforce to
HOW TO CHANNEL LIGHT THROUGH AN OFFICE SPACE Peter Daniel, Product Innovation Director at The Rooflight Company, discusses the importance of natural light in office spaces and how to channel light through a workplace environment.
return to the office, it’s important that workspaces are safe, suitable and inviting. Natural light is vitally important to both physical and mental health, and in our own homes that’s easy to control. After all that homeworking, staff will be keen to reap those benefits in the office too. Natural light in the workplace can have vital benefits for vision, orientation, productivity, alertness and general health. Those who work near to sunlight are 6.5% less likely to take sick leave, according to a study by the University of Oregon. So, with the benefits of natural light clear as day, how can you get more of it into your office space? Here’s a quick guide. The first thing to consider is the orientation of the building and where your windows are in relation to desk space, as that will impact the amount of natural light that will reach workers. The time of day and the time of year will also have an impact. For example, if the room in question is east facing, the room will be in direct sunlight in the morning, but shady by the afternoon. A useful tool to experiment with is daylight-visualising software, which will map how light will move inside a room. There are a variety of apps available that allow you to mock up a room and track light patterns at different times. In larger buildings, where people are more likely to be further away from an exterior wall, the creative solution would be to install rooflights. They can bring daylight into central spaces, meaning light is more effectively distributed around a larger room or warehouse. Several smaller rooflights are often more effective than one single rooflight as they allow for a wider variety of glazing options, which can be used to improve the thermal efficiency of the glass panes and, therefore, of the building. In an office, maximising space is a high priority, and large windows with bulky frames can get in the way aesthetically. Choosing a window or rooflight with unobtrusive, clean lines and fixings, which appear frameless on the inside, is an effective option. They will look not only modern and professional, but also ensure that the maximum amount of light can enter a room. Our neo range is a good example of this, they’re sleek inside and out, with a tophinged opening that will further maximise space. They also come with our unique Thermoliner, which manages condensation and is important in a large open space where ventilation may be limited. Natural light improves productivity and creativity, boosts mood and performance and reduces sick leave. So, if you invest in daylight, like the Said Business School at the University of Oxford, you’ll be onto a winner.
www.therooflightcompany.co.uk
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