The Benefits of Skylights: How They Support The Environment
The benefits of skylights are plentiful. The often overlooked aspects of skylights are how they can vastly improve the eco-efficiency of your home and tackle bigger environmental issues. You may be wondering how such a small product can inspire such a large change. The truth is that skylights have a wealth of benefits for you as a property owner.
Today we are unpacking the benefits of a skylight installation, taking a closer look at how these systems can minimise your property’s carbon footprint.
The Benefits of a Skylight For The Environment
So, how exactly can a product as simple as a skylight create such a substantial difference to you and the environment?
As well as providing a huge amount of aesthetic value and driving up the resale price of any property, they can make a substantial difference in mood regulation and sleep quality through the added availability of natural light. Additionally, and most impressively, they help to improve the eco-efficiency of the home, which is hugely important to many of us in 2023.
With a greater collective push to reduce carbon emissions, and pledges being made worldwide to do more to tackle the climate crisis, environmentally friendly products are now high in demand.
But what are the benefits of skylights in relation to the environment? They are as follows:
- Reduced Reliance on Artificial Lighting
Two distinct problems with artificial lighting pose a problem to the environment. Firstly, they are powered by electricity that, ultimately, increases our collective carbon footprint.
The generation of electricity places a huge strain on the environment, with some reports speculating that 40% of CO2 emissions can be traced back to the burning of fossil fuels for electricity generation.
Secondly, any waste that is derived from artificial lighting takes an extremely long time to break down. If it is not recycled, it will end up in a landfill. This creates a potential hazard for wildlife and can ultimately disrupt ecosystems. And often landfill waste finds its way into our water systems and oceans.
So, as you can see, we should aim to reduce our reliance on artificial lighting where possible. By doing so collectively, we will leave a positive impact on environments around the world and the planet.
Skylights are fantastic for this, as they provide ample natural light. This is even the case during the evening, as moonlight can provide some natural light. This has another benefit in that it can help to reduce household energy consumption and bills, as rooms are well-lit, for the majority of the day, in a natural way.
- Alternative Heating / Cool Solution
For most people, the generation of cool air in the summer, and heating in the winter, comes with a cost. Traditional boiler systems and air conditioning units tend to create emissions and subsequently contribute to the climate crisis. This is even true for electrical systems. Although they provide a cleaner form of energy creation, they still run on electricity which, as established, contributes to the wider issue.
The vast majority of boilers are gas-powered, whilst air conditioning systems require a large amount of energy to function. Subsequently, a greater demand is placed on electricity generation.
This is where skylights shine, as they allow ample sunlight through, which warms the space below and improves the property’s insulation value. They are also beneficial in the summer, as vented systems can allow a steady stream of air through. This helps to cool the property.
All in all, a skylight can function as a temperature control system in both seasons. This minimises the reliance you have on your heating or cooling systems, which ultimately improves your eco-efficiency.
- Improved Energy Efficiency
Some people are under the impression that skylights create drafts and decrease energy efficiency, as heat can escape more successfully. But a system that is installed correctly, using the correct glass and sealing, actually does the opposite.
Carefully selected skylights can minimise heat loss, which simultaneously minimises the amount of energy required to consistently heat the home. As we know from elsewhere in the article, this is good news for the environment.
- (Bonus Benefit) Improved Mental Wellbeing
The benefits of skylights extend beyond aesthetics and the wider environment. They can, for example, offer lasting value to the mental well-being of property owners.
Some of the benefits that can be enjoyed by installing skylights include decreased stress, reduced eye strain, improved sleep and a reduction in symptoms of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).
As you can see, the introduction of skylights into the home can create a healthy wider environment as well as a personal one.
Helping You Reap the Benefits of Skylights
As industry leaders, we take pride in helping people reap the benefits of a skylight installation on their property. If you are concerned about the eco-efficiency of your home and are interested in the other innumerable benefits of skylights, we encourage you to contact us today.
Products like our ThermGard TG50 Aluminium Rooflight System are available today and can allow you to enjoy the benefits mentioned in this article.