Anyone who has ever seen a cat stretching in a sunbeam knows how primal our love of natural light is. “Daylighting” a house means using windows, skylights and other reflective surfaces to manifest sunlight in your home.
Daylighting is especially effective if a home is properly east-west oriented, so that it gets the most light as the sun traces its daily arc across the sky, no matter what the season.
However not every home is positioned perfectly, due to poor planning, siting issues or land development constraints. Still, with careful thought and clever floor plans and products, you can brighten any space.
Learn more about how daylighting can make your home brighter, cozier and more energy-efficient in the Best in American Living article, Daylighting: Bright, Warm and Green by John Ritterpusch, NAHB Assistant Vice President of Energy and Green Building.
Additional resources:
- Daylight America
- U.S. Department of Energy’s guide to window orientation vs. lighting/heat
- Lighting Research Center: Daylighting
