It’s common knowledge that natural light is good for our wellbeing, but in urban areas accessing natural light without compromising privacy and security can be difficult to achieve. The latest in daylighting technology can literally shed some light on this problem.

Many of the benefits of natural light are well known and the connection between mood and exposure to daylight has been validated by numerous research reports. Daylight can be extremely effective in warding off Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), and in maintaining circadian rhythms, which promote sleep and decrease stress.

These feelings of wellbeing are heightened when daylight lights up the kitchen space, a traditionally dark area of the house. Light and airy kitchens can also lead the householders to make healthier choices in the kitchen as they are encouraged to stay and dine in a well-lit space, rather than grabbing their ‘fast food’ and disappearing into other areas of the house. All without compromising privacy.

With a Solatube skylight, inhabitants can start the day in the privacy of drawn curtains and on moonlit nights it’s easy to pop out to the kitchen for a glass of water, without being exposed to the sleep-disrupting artificial lighting. This approach to lighting is also eco-friendly, often significantly decreasing energy consumption.

In our often-warm summers, Solatube is a popular choice for the kitchen as it uses INFRAREDuction Technology to disperse heat through the tube, plus the dome filters infrared wavelengths stopping them from entering the house, resulting in minimised solar heat gain and stopping the pantry or kitchen from over heating.

Lighting up retirement

How to light the kitchen was top-of-mind when architects were designing the Whitby Lakes Retirement Village in Wellington. They wanted an attractive way to get natural light and ventilation to dark areas in the villas, such as the entry foyers and kitchens. Retired people tend to spend much of day in their home environment so it made sense to light spaces with daylight, reduce the need for artificial lighting and reap the benefits of enhanced well-being that daylight achieves.

The solution

A Solatube Daylighting System with a Ventilation Add-On Kit & Light Kit was installed in each ensuite, bathroom and kitchen. These provide natural light during the day, standard lighting at night, and ventilation to extract moisture; all without exposing the inhabitants to a lack of privacy.

Solatube Daylighting Systems with Light Kits were also used in other dull areas of the villas to flood the area with natural light during the day. A standard light was also included for night-time lighting however an alternative option also available is the Solatube night-light accessory. This uses a solar powered LED light that charges up during the day to provide a soft moonlight effect every night, great for those night time snack runs without costing anything to run.