People have been worshiping the sun for thousands of years.  The ancient Egyptians and Mayans built temples dedicated to the sun.  The Native Americans and Australian Aborigines revered the sun and held festivals in its honor.  Now, people from all over the world flock to Bondi Beach and the Gold Coast to bask in the glory of the sun, soaking up the rays of natural light.

The sun plays a integral part in our lives, but the effects of natural light in our architectural spaces can be even more positive than you might be aware.  Did you know that:

• Natural light can help to reduce electricity costs?
• Using natural light instead of electricity can reduce your carbon footprint?
• Lighting your home with natural light can help prevent depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder?
• Placing work areas such as desks near a source of natural light such as a sliding window or door can help cut down on eye strain and headaches while working?
• Lots of natural light can make a room look larger, more welcoming and ambient?
• Natural light can bring out the subtleties in color and contrast of furnishings in a way that artificial light cannot?
• Using natural light in place of artificial light is one of the basic components of LEED certification for a building?

Looks like all those ancient civilizations were on to something.

Daylighting: What It is and How You Can Use It in Your Home

Daylighting is a sustainable design term that refers to using the natural light from the sun to light a space in a building.  It is much more than just having a window with a view and is a method that anyone can use when designing or renovating a building that can cut down on the amount of electricity used on a daily basis. 

This is a method that many green buildings are already using to reduce their carbon footprint.  Daylighting is such an effective method of saving energy that it is recognized as a basic component of LEED certification.  However, anyone who wants to save money on their energy bills and do some good for the environment can take advantage of this highly effective lighting strategy.

You can increase the amount of daylight in your home by installing larger or additional windows and glass doors into the envelope of a building.  Aluminium sliding windows and stacker doors are a great choice when undertaking a project such as this. 

Introducing Daylighting Into Your Home with Aluminium Windows and Doors

There are many options for bringing natural light into your home.  While introducing natural light begins with installing high quality aluminium windows and doors, there are plenty of ways to bring that light even further into your home.  Here are a few ideas:

Install a Skylight

Skylights are efficient solutions for rooms that don’t have much surface area for traditional windows.  The amount of light that you’ll receive depends on the size and angle of the light and can dramatically enhance the quality and well being of life in a room that would otherwise be dark and gloomy 

Install More Windows and Enlarge Existing Window Openings

Additional windows can be an excellent way to achieve your daylighting goals.  Try installing louvre and awning windows that allow you to also directly adjust the amount of light and air circulation in the room. 

Install Sliding Doors

Sliding doors are a great solution for people who want to get maximum light exposure in a room.  They allow the most light to enter because they have the largest surface area and also offer the opportunity to create a more seamless transition to the outdoors.

Use Adjustable Blinds Instead of Shades or Heavy Curtains

Adjustable blinds can help you maximize the natural light in your home while managing glare.  This allows you to adjust the amount of light that comes into the room depending on the time of day and your particular needs.

Even More Tips for Making the Most of the Natural Light in Your Home

Use Mirrors

Mirrors can add the illusion of making a room look larger than it is.  They can also be used to reflect natural light from openings like windows and doors to make your room brighter and bring light deeper into your space.

Use a Light Colored Paint

We all know that painting a room in a light color will make it look larger and that painting it in a dark color will make it look smaller.  Using a light color on the walls can also help reflect natural light, whereas dark colors will simply absorb it.

Create an Open Floor Plan

If you are designing your home or planning on renovating, consider taking out a few walls and creating an open floor plan in your home.  Opening up your floor plan will increase the amount of natural light that penetrates your space.  Doing so can also help eliminate dark areas that have no access to natural light at all such as enclosed hallways

Now that you have a few ideas in mind for how you can increase the amount of natural light in your home, it’s time to put these principles to work.  Whether you are planning on replacing those old windows and doors or working on a new construction project, Betaview’s highly trained consultants can help you choose the right aluminium windows and doors that will help you save money and energy for years to come.