You may not know it, but light impacts everything from how you feel to how well you work. Good natural lighting can boost your mood, increase your energy, and even make you more productive. But while many buildings were designed to make the most of natural lighting, you’ll often find that levels decrease over time. Generally, outdated skylights are to blame.
Like most things, skylights lose their effectiveness over time. They can become cloudy and dull and less able to filter sunlight into your building. What was once a bright, vibrant environment can turn into a dim and uninspiring space. That’s where FHS Roofing can help.
As commercial roofers in Christchurch, we replace outdated, clouded or leaking skylights with modern upgrades. By installing new skylights, we bring natural light back into your building and transform your workplace.
Whether you want to create a more positive atmosphere over the darker winter months, reduce your energy bills, or simply brighten up the office, this article will show you why skylight replacement is a great place to start.
The Importance of Natural Lighting
We’ve already hinted that natural lighting plays a role in creating a healthy, productive work environment, but let’s explore that claim in a bit more detail.
Health Benefits of Natural Lighting
Natural light has been shown to improve mood and reduce stress. Exposure to sunlight triggers the release of serotonin, a hormone that boosts mood and helps you feel calm and focused. This means that workplaces with plenty of natural light generally report having a more positive workforce and happier employees.
Additionally, natural light helps regulate our body’s internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm, which is essential for good sleep. Better sleep plays an important role in overall health, reducing illness and helping your team be their best, both in and out of work.
Productivity Benefits of Natural Lighting
When it comes to productivity, natural light is a powerful tool. Studies have shown that employees working in environments with ample natural light are more focused, less likely to experience fatigue, and tend to take fewer breaks. The knock-on effect to your business is a more efficient workday and, ultimately, better outcomes for your bottom line.
As you can see, ensuring your skylight is fit for purpose goes beyond just letting in more light - it supports an environment where employees can feel and perform at their best.
Why Skylight Replacement Matters
Over time, skylights become less effective at doing what they were designed for - letting in natural light. Old, outdated skylights often turn opaque, develop leaks, blocking out the sunlight that once filled your premises, not to mention they become more brittle, affecting roof safety. Instead of brightening the office, they can cast a dim, grey glow that leaves employees feeling sluggish and unmotivated.
Replacing these old skylights with modern, high-performance options, you can maximise the natural light that enters your building and add extra safety with our Topglass GC Ultra-Safe which is manufactured with heavy-duty woven roving enclosed within the resin matrix which in turn provides a structural capability not normally available with traditional translucent roofing materials.
Topglass® GC Ultra-Safe meets the impact strength tests of AS/NZS 4040.4 and satisfies the requirements of AS 4256.3 alleviating the need for safety mesh to be installed under the sheeting.
Roof Safety = Peace of mind for owner/occupier, particularly when roofs are accessed often for aircon servicing, gutter cleaning, maintenance or repairing.
To see the impact of a skylight replacement, take a look at these before and after images. These examples demonstrate just how much brighter and more inviting a work or study space can become with the right upgrades.
Benefits of Upgrading Skylights
New commercial skylights offer a range of benefits that go beyond just brightness, making them an investment well worth considering, whatever your business.
1. Improve Your Space
New skylights can modernize the look of your building, giving it a fresh and updated feel. Whether you’re welcoming clients, hosting meetings, or just creating a pleasant environment for your team, the lighting can make a big difference. Modern skylights are designed to be clearer and more effective at capturing and diffusing sunlight throughout your space. This means that even on cloudy days, your workspace can still feel bright and welcoming. More natural light can help create a more vibrant and positive atmosphere, making the property a place where people actually enjoy spending their time.
2. Happier Staff & Higher Retention
As we discussed earlier, the benefits of natural lighting can’t be overstated. From sleep and mood to productivity and overall health, light has a huge impact. By investing in new or replacement skylights, you support a more efficient and resilient business, with staff more likely to remain with the company, for longer. Whether you’re a landlord or own the building for your own business, the result is more stability and certainty over your investment.
3. Cost Savings
While replacing skylights has an upfront cost, the savings can be substantial in the long run. By relying more on sunlight during the day, you can significantly reduce the use of artificial lighting, which translates to lower energy bills and a smaller carbon footprint. Over time, these savings can make skylight replacement a great financial decision.
4. Asset Improvement
Modern skylights are built to last, with durable materials and advanced features that reduce maintenance needs and extend their lifespan. It not only serves a purpose today, but also benefits future owners or tenants, providing a great long-term return on investment.
If you’re looking for ways to improve your workspace, skylight replacement should be top of the list. Still have reservations? Read on to explore common myths and misconceptions.
Busting Myths About Skylight Replacement
Despite how far skylights have come in the past few decades, there are still some common misconceptions that could make you hesitant to take the plunge. Let’s tackle the main rumours.
Myth 1. All Skylights Leak
If you’ve been battling with a leaking skylight, you might be tempted to do away with it altogether and roof over the space. Not only does this mean you’ll miss out on all the benefits of natural light, but it also fails to take into account how far roofing materials have come. When properly installed by professionals, modern skylights are designed to be watertight and durable, ensuring that your workplace stays dry and comfortable.
Myth 2. Skylights Cause Excessive Heat
Another common concern is that a new skylight will let in too much light, making your building too hot and increasing your cooling bill. In reality, today’s skylights often come with protective UV coatings and energy-efficient glazing that helps stabilise heat. These features allow you to enjoy the benefits of natural light while keeping your workspace comfortable throughout the year.
Myth 3. Skylight Replacement is Too Expensive
Many business owners worry that replacing skylights will be out of the budget. While it’s true that there is an upfront investment, it’s generally offset by the cost-saving and productivity benefits.
Don’t let misconceptions hold you back from making an upgrade that can improve your workplace.
Skylight Replacements with FHS Roofing
Natural lighting has a profound impact on the workplace, influencing everything from employee wellbeing to energy efficiency. Upgrading your skylights can support a brighter, more inviting, and more productive work environment, whether for your own business, or your tenants.
Contact our team today to arrange a free consultation and learn more about the process. We’re confident the upgrade will be one of the best decisions you make this year.
