Daylight solutions for airports and railway stations


Daylight solutions for airports and railway stations represent a challenge to designers. But it is one that has excellent rewards for people who often use these crowded spaces. In airports or train stations commuters often feel frustrated or overwhelmed. But these emotions can be positively affected by good daylight design.

Factoring in the well-being of staff and travelers commuting can be transformative. By implementing daylight solutions into concourse designs means more light can be spread over communal spaces, improving well-being, employee productivity and increasing building energy efficiency. Good daylighting can also increase the amount of time people spend in your building.   

Changes in light requirements for travel infrastructure 

Commuters and passengers require comfort and stimulation when spending time in communal spaces. And these needs have by noticed by builders and authorities. When it comes to refurbishment and new builds, innovation can lead design.

Retail spaces and hotel entries are increasingly reflective of a shift in consumer need. Natural light creates a welcoming and airy space that is inviting for consumers. This has potential revenue benefits for businesses and improves the well-being of people. Good daylighting also helps with security in busy locations where CCTV is not present. 

Artificial light reduction in concourses

Good daylighting reduces the use of electricity. Diffuse daylighting solutions can also minimize glare. This enables businesses to operate more without artificial lighting.

VELUX Commercial delivers sustainable, innovative daylighting solutions for airports and railway station projects. At Almere Centrum railway station in the Netherlands, an ambitious project goal includes having the greenest train station in the country. Over 1,200 solar roof panel installations utilized integrated solar cells on a project that included replacing all glass rooflights. This complete and expansive rooftop refurbishment also includes 126 dome rooflight replacements.

Specified daylight and ventilation solutions for high-traffic public areas 

VELUX Commercial has a range of solutions available. These include dome and flat glass rooflights, continuous rooflights, and glass roof systems. We provide flexibility in design and offer a range of accessories to meet your needs, including smoke and heat exhaust ventilation (SHEV). 

With us, you'll receive support for the entirety of a building project. Support ranges from product selection to technical advice, installation and post-sales service. We help ensure your construction project stays on track. Our expert knowledge and continued support make VELUX Commercial your preferred partner for daylight and ventilation solutions.

eBook - Designing Daylight Solutions for Commercial Buildings, VELUX Commercial

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Daylight & Architecture

While the science of well-being is relatively nascent, the UK Government’s ‘Foresight’ project sheds a great deal of light on five factors that have a proven effect on well-being¹, leading to the definition of the Five Ways to Well-Being (connect, keep active, take notice, keep learning, give).² The question remains, though, how do we design buildings that can positively influence these five factors?

By Koen Steemers, Professor of Sustainable Design and has been Head of the Department of Architecture at the University of Cambridge.

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There are several factors that influence the success of commercial rooflight refurbishment projects. From choosing the correct daylight solution and getting the right technical advice through to installation support and ongoing service and maintenance. Schedules are often tight, so it helps to have the involvement of a rooflight manufacturer who can offer support, knowledge and technical expertise that can deliver a renovation project within a set time frame.

Three Nordhavn terminals with rooflight installations

Daylight solutions help to create quality, attractive, and comfortable spaces to spend time in. A range of rooflight solutions are available to maximize natural light exposure in public buildings. Public buildings are freely available to the public and accessible for use by all citizens. Community spaces such as town halls are also considered to be public buildings.