For some of us, the loft is the best part of the house: the quietness, the bright light and the comfort. Having a well set up loft is like having our ideal sanctuary. And when speaking of a well designed loft, windows do more than 50% of the job. So, let’s take a closer look at the roof windows, their benefits and how they contribute to the quality of lofts and of our lives.
Roof windows provide that bright daylight we enjoy so much. Actually, not only it is enjoyable, but it turns out it’s so important to our overall health!
“Daylight has been used for centuries as the primary source of light in interiors and has been an implicit part of architecture for as long as buildings have existed. Not only does it replace electric light during daytime, reducing energy use for lighting, it also influences both heating and cooling loads, which makes it an important parameter of an energy efficient design. Additionally, recent research has proved that daylight provides an array of health and comfort benefits that make it essential for buildings’ occupants.” DEIC Book, Velux
Velux has done intensive research and actually launched a book providing information and recommendations, tools, metrics and codes for topics like daylighting, ventilation, thermal comfort, acoustics, energy and environment. The Basic Book on Daylight, Energy and Indoor Climate is a useful tool for those of us who are planning to have a house built or are working in the constructions and architecture industry.
The purpose of ventilation is to freshen up the air inside buildings in order to achieve and maintain good air quality and thermal comfort. Ventilation also has important psychological aspects, which can be illustrated by the feeling of being in control, having odour management and creating a link to nature.
Most of us spend 90% of our time indoors, so it’s very important to create the proper context for fresh, healthy air to exist. The air we breathe indoors has a considerable impact on our health and com fort.
Thermal comfort is more than just cosy conditions. It’s vital. And with so much energy and money used to obtain it, it’s wiser to choose some intelligent designs. No matter if we speak about warming a room (during winter) or cooling it down (summer), windows can help us do that.
Thermal comfort has some impacts on our health, as well. It directly influences our sleep quality and work productivity and learning.
“Sound insulation is an important parameter of building components, as outdoor noise can have negative effects on health, mood and learning capabilities.” DEIC
It is common knowledge that noise can affect our well-being, but scientists specifically found that it can: lower productivity, cause metal fatigue, trigger stress and result in extra sick leave.