With over 2,400 online searches for ‘natural light’ per month in the UK,¹ many architects and interior designers are incorporating it into their designs with the intention to increase energy efficiency, profitability and the value of the building.
Integrating features such as skylights, glass conservatories, large windows, and french doors are just a few of the favoured ways to incorporate natural light into a property using glass.
How does natural light help reduce energy bills?
Enhanced natural light in a property decreases the reliance on electrical forms of lighting during the day. This is especially beneficial for commercial buildings and office spaces, where reducing costs on energy bills directly creates higher profit margins within the business.
There are many applications of glass available to create new areas of natural light, such as glass flooring, glass stair treads or glass skylights. For instance, for this particular media centre and library in South Shields, we supplied curved low iron glass to blend seamlessly into the curved structure of the building, enhancing the amount of natural light coming in. You can see that there is no need to touch that light switch!
Utilising energy-efficient glass, in particular, is a great way to reduce energy bills as it keeps heat in during the winter months, and keeps heat out during summer.
How does natural light make a space feel bigger?
Natural light gives the illusion of a bigger space. Some of the best glass features to achieve this are large windows, skylights and indoor glass balustrades which flood the space with daylight.
For example, in some instances, the look of a larger space may be a vital asset for landlords to create the feel of an inviting home for potential tenants. Business owners can also benefit from utilising natural light. Choosing to increase the space of an office building or a meeting room can enhance the spacial aspects of the design of a room, thus, increasing productivity.
How does natural light increase property value?
A huge deciding point for the property value of both domestic and commercial buildings is the amount of natural light that comes in. Adding glass features can help property developers amplify this. A brighter space feels more open, inviting and warm; studies have found that 84% of Brits value natural light as one of the most important factors behind buying a property.²
More natural light gives a better view of the surrounding area, ideally if the building has beautiful surroundings. In addition, glass is an extremely versatile material, and can be used alongside other materials to create a showstopping glass feature to increase the amount of natural light.
For example, for this domestic project by Anglezarke Designs Ltd we supplied toughened, flat glass for a bespoke aluminium window design. The floor-to-ceiling windows enhance the greenery of the outside space and hugely increase the amount of natural light coming into the dining area.
How does natural light increase the profitability of commercial spaces?
Many business models rely on customers enjoying bright and pleasant surroundings; such as shopping centres, restaurants, hotels and spas.
Natural light can improve the general mood of commercial spaces, especially shops, creating happier customers who are more likely to spend more time and money in the building. Studies have found that in retail stores, introducing more natural light (or light therapy) can increase sales by up to 40%.³
Using glass features to increase the natural light within commercial spaces, such as restaurants, bars, hotels and shopping centres, also helps to keep the building at a comfortable temperature. For instance, in summer, the glass allows the sunlight to come into the building without the full heat intensity you would get from standing outdoors.
Additionally, using our toughened or structural glass for commercial applications creates an added layer of safety as it is specially formulated to offer increased properties of protection and strength – making it harder for break-ins and thefts to occur.
How can you use glass to increase the natural light in a property?
Glass is a sustainable material and brings in lots of natural light, which is why it is a perfect building material for many commercial projects. You can use skylights or glass flooring to brighten up dark spaces, where a window is not always possible.
Glass balustrading on the side of a property encourages people to open windows and doors, letting in natural light while being safe for children or pets. Indoor glass balustrading on staircases opens up the space, perfect for hotel entrances, restaurants or office spaces.
Conservatories and Juliet balconies can also be used to encourage more natural light to flow into a home, and property developers can use tinted glass to maintain privacy for those living there.
How can Specialist Glass Products help?
At SGP, we can offer bespoke curved glass units and jumbo glass units to suit every specification. We are also one of the only suppliers in the country to bend glass up to 3200mm x 5000mm, providing flexibility for larger jumbo glass units.
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Sources
- Search volume data from Wordstream, correct as of the 13th of September 2022.
- https://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/household/ow-much-extra-would-you-pay-for-a-home-with-good-natural-lig.html
- https://www.retailbiz.com.au/latest-news/how-natural-light-can-lift-retail-sales/
