Daylight specifications deliver natural light to benefit patients and staff


Sophie Amalie Gaarden with glass panel installation
Sophie Amalie Gaarden with glass panel installation

Incorporating daylighting into healthcare building design has several benefits. Good daylighting canassist with patient recovery and connects people with the outdoors. This is particularly important for patients spending long periods of time recovering from treatment or operations. But it also helps employees to feel more comfortable in demanding roles. In the winter months, people suffering from (SAD) can improve mood by maximizing natural light exposure. Windows and roof glazing can play an important role in positivity, health and productivity.

Daylight is continually being studied for its benefits in science and medicine. The University of Oregon is researching its impact on indoor microbiomes, and the potential daylight has to impact the survival rate of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and viruses.

Improving healthcare environments with natural light

The positive impact sunlight has on our health is important to us all in our day-to-day lives. But it also has an important role to play in helping patients to recover. Maintaining the body’s circadian rhythms in a healthcare environment aids recuperation. Humans respond well to balanced levels of natural light during the day, and darkness at night.

Over exposure to artificial light can also make it harder for the bodies biological clock to function. This can result in sleep disruption during periods of rest and recovery, and patient unrest.

An atrium rooflight installation in a healthcare building with spiral staircase

A daylight installation in a modern hospital building

Supporting healthcare workers with better daylight solutions

Sufficient daylight for healthcare professionals improves job satisfaction and reduces work stress. In high pressure and demanding roles such as nurse or doctor; creating a pleasant environment can play an important role on well-being. A window with a view has a significantly positive impact on productivity and happiness.

Reducing energy consumption in healthcare buildings

Roof glazing helps penetrate buildings with natural light and can reduce energy consumption. Well-distributed light also reduces artificial usage and can be cost-effective.

Specifying healthcare buildings

Whether a refurbishment or rebuild, VELUX Commercial provides a range of flexible rooflight solutions. Our product range includes dome and flat glass rooflights, continuous rooflights, glass roof systems as well as options to include comfort and smoke ventilation. We are here to help you meet the specific needs of your individual projects.

Learn more about HQ research facility DZNE in Bonne, Germany, and why they chose two atriums with 138 modular skylights as the centrepiece of this impressive building. Flooding the premises with natural daylight and fresh air offers an inspirational framework for researchers to work in.

From product selection to after-sales service and maintenance; we provide support beyond project completion. VELUX Commercial - our expertise makes us your preferred partner for daylight and ventilation solutions.

Contact us for more information about specifying daylighting solutions in healthcare environments.

DZNE, the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases

DZNE, the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases

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.