Daylighting Myth #4 – Daylighting Causes Glare

• The harsh glare of the skylights installed in the by well-intentioned businesses and homeowners of the 80’s are a thing of the past. Properly implemented daylighting design utilizes redirected light, filtered by products designed to cut the harsh glare associated with old style sky lights. Gone are the glaring bright spots of direct light that blinded so many while trying to find their way through a building, or the pain of trying to work in an office that certain times of the day was as bright as the surface of the sun.

   

  The products available to daylighting designers are varied from special glazes on light allowing surfaces to high-tech remote controlled marvels, with more innovations appearing constantly. Further, daylighting designed buildings utilize environmental features such as limiting the window area on north or south facing walls and natural light blockers such as trees and surrounding mountains to reduce glare.

   

  When utilized in the initial building design daylighting actually drastically lowers window surface area, and will incorporate reduced window areas in buildings redesigned to incorporate daylighting. Occupants repeatedly report up to 95% less glare than is associated with conventionally designed exterior walls equipped with common commercial windows, even when tinted.

   

  Daylighting design intentionally reduces clear window surface areas, cutting glare immensely and limits bright light areas to rooms that need it such as break rooms, recreation rooms and entry portals. All areas in a daylighted building can easily be manually darkened by the occupants, reducing glare quickly and efficiently.  The light that enters through specially equipped and photo sensitive glazed windows utilized by daylighting designs produce a pleasing glow, not a harsh glare.

   

  Additionally, sensors automatically adjust ambient lighting according to the brightness desired for each room, area or office. The products are designed and placed to convert harsh sun light into pleasing ambient light. This pleasant light allows building occupants and visitors to work and meet in pleasantly lighted spaces without the headaches and eye strain caused by most commercially available lighting.

   

  For more information about “Going Green” with daylighting, please contact Ken Petersen, America’s Daylighting Specialist, at www.innovativeskylightsofca.com, or  661-940-0981