Rooflights provide up to three times more light than the same area of vertical glazing, to provide a highly efficient means of reducing the demand for supplementary artificial lighting during daylight hours.
Research commissioned by NARM and carried out by the De Montfort University’s Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development, showed that where rooflights are installed, minimal losses in thermal insulation are greatly offset by energy savings resulting from reduced demand for electric lighting and that generally speaking, the greater the rooflight area the greater the potential energy savings and corresponding reductions in CO2 emissions from power generation.
Further studies commissioned by NARM have highlighted means by which solar overheating in buildings can be controlled, and the potential for greater energy savings through the integration of automatically controlled electric lighting, with natural daylighting.
Rooflights can also provide opportunities for ventilation, which as well as improving internal environments, can further reduce energy requirements by minimising dependence on powered climate control systems.
Our Technical Committee was instrumental in collecting, analysing and interpreting rooflighting data upon which the regulations pertaining to rooflighting in The Building Regulations Approved Document L (Conservation of fuel & power), have been based.
Using rooflights delivers cost savings, improved health & well-being for building occupants and a tangible contribution to achieving the government’s Net Zero target.
Further reading
Sustainability has been a key driver in NARM’s work, since its inception in 1998. As such, we have published many documents and guides covering different aspects of the topic.
Key examples are listed here: