Innovative daylighting technology by Solatube

Reduced environmental impact of buildings is vital for a sustainable future.

Many organisations operate primarily during daylight hours; incorporating natural lighting into the design of offices, warehouses, schools as well as residential buildings would ultimately result in a reduction of carbon emissions - due to minimised power consumption for air conditioning, heating and electrical light usage during the day.

Supporting the energy saving movement globally through its daylighting systems, Solatube are the only company that now offers, for the first time, a solution that provide not only controllable, measurable and consistent light performance but also proven low glare and reduced heat gain.

"Our latest tubular daylighting device has been specifically designed to be the most energy efficient 'skylight' on the market, and is a unique way of using sunlight and its natural energy to brighten every environment naturally," says Solatube General Manager Mark Peall.

But there are more benefits to daylighting than just energy savings. Natural lighting should be a significant consideration in optimising staff efficiency, enhancing the retail sales environment and improving health and wellbeing in workplaces and homes.

Independent research has proven that businesses using Solatube's latest natural lighting technology gained in productivity of up to 16%, including decreased absenteeism and improved quality of work.

"Companies spend an average of 70 times as much money on salaries as on energy, therefore an increase of just 1% in productivity can result in savings that exceed the company's entire energy bill."

Most schools in the Netherlands have naturally lit classrooms, less for the students than for an awareness of how important it is to maintain the most productive and healthful workplace for teachers. However, even students benefit from the positive human benefits of natural lighting.

A recent study conducted by Heschong Mahone Group tested 21,000 students in three U.S. states found that those in classrooms with the most daylighting scored 20% higher on math tests and 26% higher on reading tests in one year than those with the least.

Another study of a chain with 108 retail stores showed that the 2/3 of stores that were daylit with Solatubes had 40% higher sales than the 1/3 of stores that were not.