Darker homes are bigger energy
users – report
August 2016

Houses with a shortage of natural light are more likely to be high energy consumers, according to a new report produced for the Government by Loughborough University.

The study showed that the top 20% of households for energy consumption used over 760 kWh/year for lighting, while the lowest-consuming households used less than a fifth of that – and a major factor was that high energy users were often those with higher use of daytime lighting.

Improved physical health, psychological wellbeing, and reduced energy bills and carbon emissions are all highly desirable benefits, and together make a persuasive case for homeowners to get more natural light into their lives and properties – and as more and more consumers wake up to that fact, opportunities for builders and installers offering natural light solutions are growing fast.

One of the first to respond to the report was LB Roof Windows, whose Sales Director Adrian Cooper said: “We’ve always been able to sell roof windows and similar products based on their obvious aesthetic.

“What we’re seeing now, though, is an increasing number of other pull factors drawing people to natural light solutions – most notably, health and wellbeing, as the numerous benefits of natural light become better known and understood, and concerns about energy usage, whether that’s from an environmental standpoint, or simply motivated by the desire to cut heating and lighting bills.”

View Website