Skylights allow natural light to enter the home during the day and give residents a view of the skies at night. These attributes make skylights effective in saving energy costs while providing households a chance to get closer with nature within the confines of their homes. If you think this is cool enough, the future has more in store.
The Lighting Research Center (LRC) in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, with funding assistance from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), has recently released a new skylight design called the light scoop. The light scoop is a skylight that faces south. It manages the entry of light into a building throughout seasonal changes and fluctuating weather conditions to balance the supply of sunlight with the demand for it.
The Science Daily reports:
“The LRC’s new light scoops design balances out these daily and seasonal fluctuations in light level and temperature by providing less light in summer and more light in winter, while accounting for the natural pattern of the sun as it travels across the sky.”
The light scoop was tested last year to a select group of people, with very positive results. Indeed, skylight installations have been benefiting a lot of homeowners, who have seen the wisdom of incorporating these fixtures in their roofing system. Those who haven’t yet will do well to consider the benefits of skylight roofing in Wilmington, DE or West Chester, PA.
In addition to generating energy savings and providing a great view of nature, skylights can actually help in promoting good health by allowing natural sunlight and fresh air in. The latter are known to have a more positive effect on the eyes, mind, and body of humans than electrical lights and ventilation, resulting in improved well-beings and better productivity. Likewise, skylights help improve the lighting of an entire room, minimizing dark areas and thus increasing a room’s usable space.
While the futuristic light scoop promises its own benefits, the many different kinds of skylights from Wilmington, DE or West Chester, PA roofing experts like Homecraft Inc., offer features that can harness the full advantages these roofing structures have to offer. Homeowners can choose from the many skylight types and models from the most reputable manufacturers in the country like Velux, including the fixed and ventilating styles, and Velux sun tunnel tubular skylights. These models offer homeowners the right type of skylight to provide their lighting and ventilation needs, and go with their homes’ architecture.
[Article information and image from New Skylight Scoops Up Daylight, Save Energy, Science Daily]
