For one family in Illinois, having two members with allergy-induced asthma, meant rethinking home design when they decided to build a new home for their growing family.
Focusing on energy efficiency and health lead them to incorporate eight VELUX No Leak Solar Powered “Fresh Air” Skylights that not only brighten bedrooms, bathrooms, bonus rooms and the living room, but also open to create natural air flow inside.
“We want to have fresh air in a home like this because we have a tight building envelope, so we have to find the best ways to bring in that fresh air,” said Jeff Day, the architect who designed the home. “In this case we’re talking about two people living in the home, a daughter and the mother, have allergies, so we have to balance all that out.”
Day’s solution was to create an option for natural ventilation that would help clear out stale, polluted air that stagnates at the ceiling. By opening the skylights and a window below, the family can easily refresh the air inside their home. The concept is known as the chimney effect: warm air naturally rises and escapes from the open skylights, while fresh air is drawn inside through the windows. This soft, inside breeze, like the natural light from the skylights, can also be a soothing mood booster.
Watch the video above to see inside the home and learn the story behind its design.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside our homes can be as or more polluted than the air outside, due to a combination of energy efficient home construction and increased use of synthetic materials in furnishings and interior finishings.Indoor air can be polluted by:
Volatile organic compounds released from cleaning solvents, paint, synthetic fabrics and wood finishes
- Dust
- Byproducts of natural gas appliances
- Mold and mildew
- Pet dander
People spend on average 90% of each day inside, and over a lifetime, the typical person spends 65% of their time in their home with the bedroom logging most of those hours. Experts cite home airing as an important element of creating healthier homes where families can thrive.
Schedule a virtual consultation with VELUX to learn about adding fresh-air skylights to your home.
