In the pursuit of creating environments that prioritize the well-being of occupants, architects and design professionals are turning to building schemes that emphasize health and sustainability. These frameworks not only advocate for healthier spaces but also integrate innovative solutions like architectural daylighting to enhance the overall quality of life within buildings. Architectural daylighting solutions play a pivotal role in these schemes. By harnessing the power of natural light, architects and designers are not only reducing energy consumption but also creating spaces that foster well-being, productivity, and environmental stewardship. Here are six building schemes you can follow when designing indoor spaces that are energy efficient, healthy for occupants, and full of natural light.
LEED
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification is a globally recognized standard for sustainable building design and construction. It provides a framework for creating highly efficient, healthy, and cost-saving green buildings. Achieving LEED certification involves meeting specific criteria across various categories, including energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor environmental quality, and sustainable site development.
One critical aspect of LEED certification is optimizing natural light through daylighting solutions. Daylighting not only reduces the need for artificial lighting but also enhances the quality of indoor environments. By strategically placing windows, skylights, and tubular daylighting devices (TDDs), architects can harness the benefits of natural light. This leads to reduced energy consumption, improved visual comfort, and enhanced occupant well-being.
In LEED certification, daylighting contributes to several key credits. The ‘Daylight’ credit focuses on providing access to natural light for building occupants. It encourages architects to design spaces that maximize the potential for daylight utilization. Additionally, the ‘Views’ credit promotes access to views of the outdoors, which often go hand-in-hand with effective daylighting strategies.
Architects and design professionals play a crucial role in achieving LEED certification by incorporating daylighting solutions into their designs. Through careful planning and implementation, they can significantly enhance the sustainability and overall performance of a building, aligning it with LEED’s rigorous standards for environmental responsibility and resource efficiency.
WELL Building Standard
The WELL Building Standard is a pioneering system for prioritizing the health and well-being of those who inhabit buildings. It meticulously addresses various facets of indoor environments, including air quality, water purity, nourishment, fitness, comfort, and mental well-being. Among these, the integration of architectural daylighting emerges as a natural and effective strategy. Daylight not only augments visual comfort, ensuring spaces are well-lit and conducive to tasks, but it also holds profound benefits for mental and emotional wellness. Studies have shown that exposure to natural light positively influences mood, enhances productivity, and regulates circadian rhythms, aligning seamlessly with the principles of the WELL Standard. By harmonizing these elements, design professionals can craft spaces that not only meet the rigorous criteria of the WELL Standard but also foster environments that promote holistic health and well-being.
Active House
Active House champions a comprehensive approach to sustainable building design, striving for equilibrium between energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and overall comfort. Architectural daylighting solutions play a pivotal role in achieving these goals. By emphasizing natural light, architects can markedly diminish the need for artificial lighting while simultaneously ensuring spaces are well-illuminated and visually pleasant. This dual benefit not only leads to reduced energy consumption but also fosters a healthier indoor environment, aligning seamlessly with the principles of Active House. Through this harmonious integration, design professionals can create spaces that exemplify the ideals of sustainable, health-conscious building design.
BREEAM
BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is a comprehensive and widely recognized system for assessing the sustainability of buildings. It evaluates various aspects, including energy and water use, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. To achieve high BREEAM ratings, it is crucial to incorporate architectural daylighting solutions. Daylighting significantly influences multiple categories within the BREEAM assessment.
One of the most notable benefits of architectural daylighting in relation to BREEAM is its positive impact on energy use. By optimizing natural light, buildings can reduce their reliance on artificial lighting, leading to lower energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. This aligns perfectly with BREEAM’s emphasis on energy efficiency and environmental performance.
Moreover, architectural daylighting enhances indoor environmental quality, a key consideration in BREEAM assessments. It improves visual comfort, supports circadian rhythms, and creates a healthier and more pleasant indoor environment for occupants. This positively affects their well-being and productivity, contributing to higher scores in the BREEAM certification process.
Incorporating daylighting solutions into building designs not only helps meet BREEAM criteria but also demonstrates a commitment to sustainable and environmentally responsible construction practices. It underscores the importance of creating spaces that prioritize both human well-being and environmental stewardship, aligning perfectly with the goals and objectives of the BREEAM certification system.
The Living Building Challenge
The Living Building Challenge stands as one of the most demanding sustainability standards, advocating for buildings to function as regenerative systems. The integration of daylighting solutions emerges as a cornerstone of this approach, effectively reducing energy consumption, elevating indoor air quality, and nurturing profound connections to the surrounding natural environment. Architectural daylighting plays a pivotal role in realizing the ambitious goals of net-positive energy and water consumption set forth by the Living Building Challenge.
Daylighting for Eco-Friendly Spaces
Designing healthy buildings is no longer a lofty aspiration, but an achievable goal with the integration of building schemes like the WELL Building Standard, Active House, The Living Building Challenge, LEED, and BREEAM. Architectural daylighting solutions stand at the forefront of this movement, offering design professionals a powerful tool to enhance indoor environmental quality, reduce energy consumption, and create spaces that prioritize the well-being of occupants. By embracing these building schemes and leveraging daylighting solutions, architects and design professionals are shaping a healthier, more sustainable future for the built environment.
As a leading provider of daylighting solutions, we specialize in designing and implementing systems that seamlessly integrate with architectural designs. Daylight Specialists’ expertise in harnessing natural light ensures that your projects not only meet but exceed the stringent requirements set forth by building schemes. With our tailored solutions, you’ll not only create visually stunning spaces but also foster environments that prioritize the health and well-being of occupants, setting a new standard for sustainable design in the industry.