Natural light entering a home brings many benefits along. One benefit for which almost everybody today has an inclination towards is making their homes natural light friendly. Natural light consumption enables you to save big on electricity bills. More than ten percent of your electricity bill is the lighting that you use. If you start using more of natural light, then obviously you will reduce the artificial light consumption and there will be a considerable fall in your electricity bills.
Sunlight has some health benefits also, like it increases the serotonin level in your body that makes you energetic, and it also cures insomnia and some skin disorders. Natural light has so many benefits that one should try to make their home as natural light friendly as possible. Following are some tips that you can follow in order to construct a home that is natural light friendly.
Building shape and positioning
Utilization of daylight in a home very much depends on its shape and position. For instance, homes in temperate climates will be of rectangular shape with extended east-west direction. This way, the rooms and the windows can face north and south. Another thing that you could do is to plan high-traffic rooms in the north and south side that is adjacent to windows.
Location and room design
Before doing the room placing, you must consider the rooms that require maximum sunlight and which are the ones that can do without sunlight. Rooms that require enough daylight must be placed in the north and south side, living rooms, dining room, kitchen, and bedrooms are such rooms. On the other hand, media rooms, closets, and the laundry room are the ones that can do without natural light as well.
Window location and design
Windows are a great source to allow daylight into your home. You should install big windows in your home; they should be located near ceilings and wall surfaces. The idea behind this location is to reflect light into a room from the ceiling and walls. The window frame material should have a light color so that the contrast is reduced.
Room finish
The wall, ceiling, and floor works as light reflectors in a home. You can use ceiling paints and tiles that have high reflectance values. Light colors are excellent at this job. Tilting the ceiling is another way to increase the daylight reflection.
Summary
It is good to use natural light for the lighting purpose in your home, as it not only brings down your electricity bills, but it is good from the environmental point of view as well. So if you are constructing a house, make sure you follow all these instructions and make your home a natural light friendly home.
