Venting skylights create exhaust effect while providing natural light
United States of America (Press Release) March 17, 2008 --
Natural ventilation is becoming an increasingly attractive method for reducing energy costs while improving indoor air quality, according to green building advocates.
“Natural ventilation created by venting skylights is much more effective than opening a window,” says John Carmody, director of the Center for Sustainable Building Research at the College of Design at the University of Minnesota. “A venting skylight can reduce the need for air conditioning, especially in northeastern climates,” says Carmody, the author of several books on building design, “and most green building guidelines encourage homeowners to provide more natural ventilation, primarily because it reduces energy consumption.”
Joe Patrick, senior product manager with VELUX America, explains that
the chimney effect created by an open skylight exhausts volatile organic compounds (VOCs) along with humid, moist, stale air while admitting healthful, natural light. “Homes that can’t ‘breathe’ can be unhealthy,” Patrick says. “as VOCs can build up in tightly sealed spaces and cause health problems.”
Kitchens and bathrooms are areas of the home that venting skylights are particularly effective in for removing heated, moist air.
Kirsten Ritchie, a civil engineer and regional director for sustainable design for Gensler, a global architectural, design, planning, and consulting firm, says in an article at greenhomeguide.com, that among her favorite innovations or design ideas for a green kitchen are “lots of operable windows for natural daylight and free ventilation.”
Patrick points out that operable skylights serve the same function and offer as many, if not more, accessories to adjust and control light and ventilation, as do vertical windows. Plus, skylights offer sensors to close them in case of rain.
“Venetian blinds are available to adjust light, cellular shades to diffuse, light, lightblock shades to block light from the inside, and exterior heatblock awnings block heat before it enters the home,” Patrick says. Electrochromic glass is also available in skylights that can be darkened or lightened by remote control without cutting off the view to the sky.
“And ENERGY STAR® qualified skylights with energy efficient, insulated, low-E glazings offer protection against solar heat gain, resist condensation twice as long as clear glass, and protect interiors by reflecting the vast majority of the sun’s fade-causing rays,” he says.
For free information on the benefits of natural light and skylight selection, or for free house plans incorporating skylights, call 1-800-283-2831 or visit veluxusa.com. For government information on window and skylight energy efficiency visit energystar.gov, and for independent agency information visit nfrc.org or efficientwindows.org.
Media Contact:
Keith Hobbs - Business Services Associates, Inc. - 9413 Greenfield Drive -
Raleigh, NC 27615-2306 - Phone – 919.844.0064 - E-mail – khobbs@nc.rr.com
For quick access to natural light feature material, daylighting case histories and background information, news releases, press kits and high-resolution images visit www.veluxusa.com and, from the Home page, go to the News Media section under “Professionals.”
“Natural ventilation created by venting skylights is much more effective than opening a window,” says John Carmody, director of the Center for Sustainable Building Research at the College of Design at the University of Minnesota. “A venting skylight can reduce the need for air conditioning, especially in northeastern climates,” says Carmody, the author of several books on building design, “and most green building guidelines encourage homeowners to provide more natural ventilation, primarily because it reduces energy consumption.”
Joe Patrick, senior product manager with VELUX America, explains that
the chimney effect created by an open skylight exhausts volatile organic compounds (VOCs) along with humid, moist, stale air while admitting healthful, natural light. “Homes that can’t ‘breathe’ can be unhealthy,” Patrick says. “as VOCs can build up in tightly sealed spaces and cause health problems.”
Kitchens and bathrooms are areas of the home that venting skylights are particularly effective in for removing heated, moist air.
Kirsten Ritchie, a civil engineer and regional director for sustainable design for Gensler, a global architectural, design, planning, and consulting firm, says in an article at greenhomeguide.com, that among her favorite innovations or design ideas for a green kitchen are “lots of operable windows for natural daylight and free ventilation.”
Patrick points out that operable skylights serve the same function and offer as many, if not more, accessories to adjust and control light and ventilation, as do vertical windows. Plus, skylights offer sensors to close them in case of rain.
“Venetian blinds are available to adjust light, cellular shades to diffuse, light, lightblock shades to block light from the inside, and exterior heatblock awnings block heat before it enters the home,” Patrick says. Electrochromic glass is also available in skylights that can be darkened or lightened by remote control without cutting off the view to the sky.
“And ENERGY STAR® qualified skylights with energy efficient, insulated, low-E glazings offer protection against solar heat gain, resist condensation twice as long as clear glass, and protect interiors by reflecting the vast majority of the sun’s fade-causing rays,” he says.
For free information on the benefits of natural light and skylight selection, or for free house plans incorporating skylights, call 1-800-283-2831 or visit veluxusa.com. For government information on window and skylight energy efficiency visit energystar.gov, and for independent agency information visit nfrc.org or efficientwindows.org.
Media Contact:
Keith Hobbs - Business Services Associates, Inc. - 9413 Greenfield Drive -
Raleigh, NC 27615-2306 - Phone – 919.844.0064 - E-mail – khobbs@nc.rr.com
For quick access to natural light feature material, daylighting case histories and background information, news releases, press kits and high-resolution images visit www.veluxusa.com and, from the Home page, go to the News Media section under “Professionals.”
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