Situated on the Gulf of Mexico in Naples, Florida, the HGTV® Smart Home 2021 is designed for an active, healthy lifestyle fueled by sunshine, sea spray and coastal breezes. With over a dozen skylights, the home boasts a solid connection to the beautiful outdoors.
Here are five ways the skylights with blinds contribute to this being the smartest HGTV® Smart Home home yet.
Natural light for the win
There are 14 VELUX No Leak Solar Powered “Fresh Air” Skylights in the HGTV® Smart Home 2021, including five in the main suite (main bedroom, main bedroom hallway, main bathroom), two in the guest bedroom, two in the children’s bunk bedroom and five outside on the lanai. That means the home is filled with natural light from above, providing a proven mood boost as well as enhancing the interior decor.
Natural ventilation
Every single one of the skylights in the home opens to bring in fresh air, allowing you to use natural ventilation to keep the air inside the home fresh and clean. The air inside our homes can be just as or more polluted than the air outside. Sources of indoor air pollutants include pets, cleaning solvents, cooking and bathing.
Opening skylights along with a window below is a highly efficient way of creating natural airflow to flush out old, polluted air and draw in fresh air. Known as the chimney effect, warm air naturally rises and escapes from the skylights, while cool air is pulled in through the window. The result is a refreshing, gentle breeze inside.
Light control
Did you know that skylights can be equipped with blinds? Just like with windows, sometimes you’ll want to control the amount of light coming into the home. With light filtering or room darkening blinds, you can do just that.
Because the home is located in Naples, Florida, a hot climate, all of the skylights have room darkening blinds. This feature enables the homeowner to block the light on hot, sunny days for better temperature control.
Skylight automation
Each of the 14 skylights is connected to the VELUX ACTIVE with NETATMO system, an automation system that opens and closes the skylights and extends and retracts the blinds to create a healthy indoor climate.
Here’s how it works: VELUX ACTIVE is connected to an online weather station to receive weather forecasts. Indoor climate sensors monitor temperature, humidity and CO2 levels. The homeowner sets their ideal temperature and preferred level of humidity. The system compares the indoor data with that coming from the online weather station.
If opening the skylights will improve the indoor temperature, they will open automatically to release stale indoor air and bring in cool outside air.
If the weather forecast shows a very hot day forecast for the next day, the system will automatically extend the blinds to block the sun.
The skylight’s rain sensor overrides any command if it’s raining.
VELUX ACTIVE does the thinking for you!
Get a good night sleep
Skylights in three of the home’s bedrooms can be used to set the stage for sleeping soundly. Exposure to natural light helps synchronize the body’s circadian rhythm. Having a bright, naturally lit bedroom connects you with the sun’s movements throughout the day, helping to keep you in tune with the natural day/night cycle.
The bedroom skylights can be opened with a remote control or smartphone app, providing natural airflow inside that can help cool down the bedroom. Studies have shown a bedroom temperature around 65 degrees Fahrenheit is optimal for good sleep. And these skylights can be automated with the VELUX ACTIVE system, so by setting your target temperature at 65 degrees, the skylights will open automatically to release warm inside air throughout the night.
As previously noted, the bedroom skylights are equipped with room darkening blinds, which are also remote or smartphone controlled. They block out the light, so you can sleep in when you want.
Ready to live smarter in your home? Find out more by scheduling a virtual consultation with a VELUX daylight designer. And don’t forget to sign up today for daily email reminders to enter for a chance to win the HGTV® Smart Home 2021, starting on April 21.
HGTV, HGTV Smart Home, HGTV Smart Home Giveaway and their associated logos are trademarks of Discovery or its subsidiaries and affiliates. All rights reserved. Photos © 2021 Discovery or its subsidiaries and affiliates. All rights reserved. No purchase necessary. Open to legal residents of the U.S., age 21 or older. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends at 5 p.m. ET on 6/11/21. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. For full official rules, prize disclosures, and to enter, visit www.HGTV.com. Main Sponsor: Discovery Communications, LLC , 8403 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910.
