The Benefits Of Using Daylight In Steel Buildings
Using skylights, show windows, and other reflective surfaces have environmental and health benefits.
What Is Daylighting?
First thing’s first, what is daylighting? Daylighting is the controlled admission of natural light into a building. This can be as simple as the installation of skylights and windows to make use of the direct sunlight, or it can be coupled with a responsive shading system to help let in (or keep out) the perfect amount of light.
Industrial companies are constantly trying to find new ways to operate more efficiently and be more environmentally friendly. When it comes to new pre-engineered buildings, owners are tapping into new technology to incorporate enhanced daylighting features into their design.
Not only does daylighting help offset a business’s carbon footprint and allow them to become a more ‘green’ company, but it can also:
- Save them money
- Improve workplace conditions and productivity
- Promote sustainability
Energy Savings
Even today with green energy being such an active conversation, we oftentimes forget to look at the different ways we can harness the power of the sun.
Industrial pre-fabricated buildings with daylighting capabilities harness this free energy to provide daytime illumination for the building interiors. When installed correctly, these openings reduce the need for electric lighting during daylight hours. And with the right products, you won’t be sacrificing efficiency in terms of heat loss or heat gain.
Workplace Benefits Of Natural Day Light
A company starts with its people, and ensuring that your people are happy and supported is vital to staff retention and a positive work environment. Studies have shown that the availability of natural light in the work environment has a positive effect on:
- Employee morale
- Employee health
- Productivity
When you choose a custom steel building, you’re able to ensure that the building you construct meets the needs of you and your employees; everyone wins!
Ways To Do It
Some of the ways designers incorporate daylighting into steel buildings include:
- Replacing part of the glazing on windows with translucent panels to diffuse the light
- Placing windows high up on walls, which casts the light farther into the space without causing direct eye glare
- Opening the roof to add translucent skylights, which diffuse the light while taming the intensity of the sun’s glare and heat
If you are to be truly committed to this concept, prefabricated buildings need to be fitted with two other things:
- Energy-efficient lighting: to make electrical lighting as efficient as possible
- Lighting controls: to integrate the daylighting and electrical lighting systems
The latter is especially valuable as the system is capable of detecting when the daylight begins to fade and will automatically switch over to the electrical light source to continue to produce optimal lighting conditions.
All in all, daylighting not only provides an incredible value to you and the operations of your business but when your building is built using conventional steel the ability to easily customize it to your needs makes the decision an obvious one for many.
The team at MSC has been providing high-quality customer service in the metal building industry since the 1960s. If you’re looking to learn more about all the benefits that a steel building can provide you then contact us today to explore the opportunities available.