Daylighting Tips and Strategies for Existing Buildings by Buildings.com

Saving on energy usage in buildings has become a major focus and will continue to be for some time. One strategy that is often used in New construction is turning to daylighting.

According to the Whole Building Design Guide, “Daylighting is the controlled admission of natural light, direct sunlight, and diffused-skylight into a building to reduce electric lighting and saving energy.”

That is great for new construction, but what about for existing facilities? Can this strategy be retrofitted into existing spaces with minimal disruption? An article by Buildings.com written by Janelle Penny outlined some strategies that we think are very smart, and align well with our real-world experience with window film for daylighting in new builds and remodels.

How Daylighting Benefits Buildings, Homes, and Their Occupants

First, the article starts by discussing some of the challenges by saying “Increasing the use of natural light in an existing building can be difficult—you can’t exactly cut new windows into the side of an occupied building without disrupting operations and incurring major costs, and some spaces are simply too far from the windows to benefit.” It then goes on to explain why you want to maximize daylighting when possible. “The benefits of daylighting are well-documented. In addition to reducing your need for artificial light, thus lowering your energy costs, the use of natural light has been associated with reduced eye strain, improved mood and lower fatigue for occupants.”

6 Daylighting Tips and Strategies for Existing Buildings

1. Make sure your ceiling and walls are reflective enough – You want the light coming in to be able to be reflected. The article states that you should “target a relatively high reflectivity on the ceiling—85% or greater” and “On the walls, we’re looking for a mid-level reflectivity of about 60%.”
2. Do your own daylighting audit – The article explains that you will need to do an audit of the space to determine if daylighting is a viable option.
3. Taper light levels depending on how much light is coming into the space – The article suggests to “Zone your lighting appropriately so you can scale back the artificial lighting in spaces that are receiving adequate natural light.”
4. Consider occupant needs – Some people may prefer more light on their workspaces than standards for light levels require and this should be taken into account.
5. Try window films – Here is where Clearview Tinting comes in. We can utilize properly specified window films to cut heat and glare and enable the window blinds or shades to be left open allowing for more natural light in the space without the drawbacks. The article also mentions speciality window films that can be used to “bounce daylighting deeper into a space”.
6. Mimic natural light in spaces that can’t get any daylight – The article mentions that “subterranean spaces and core areas far from windows will never be able to get enough natural light despite your best efforts.” The suggestion was to invest in “dynamic skylights that change color, temperature and light intensity depending on the time of day. These can help employees reap some of the benefits of natural light in spaces where real daylight never reaches.”

Clearview Tinting Experience With Daylighting Window Film

We’ve found the benefits of daylighting on energy usage and occupants’ comfort and welfare warrant taking a closer look at ways you can retrofit these technologies into your existing space.

If you would like to know if daylighting is the right strategy for your remodel, new building, or building upgrade, reach out to our window film experts today. You can also call (800) 975-8183 or get a free property assessment and estimate on retrofitting a daylighting window film solution in your Toledo, Cleveland, Northern Ohio and Southeastern Michigan area facility.