Homeowners have the same desire for bringing added daylight into their homes. As a result, when it comes time to replace their windows, they’re making conscious decisions to seek out products that maximize the amount of natural daylight that enters the house. To help homeowners achieve that goal, Simonton Windows has launched the new line of Asure™ replacement windows and patio doors.
“Input from both consumers and remodelers helped us design this new product line that includes a larger viewing area and sightline,” says Gary Pember, vice president of marketing for Simonton Windows. “The newly-designed frame and modified sash on these units permit more light into the home. This allows homeowners to connect more with nature and ‘bring the outdoors inside’ their homes.”
What Daylight Does for Us
The desire for adding more daylight in our lives has several powerful results. A 2003 study of commercial settings by Capturing the Daylight Dividend Program entitled “The Benefits of Daylight through Windows”* reports that “windows that provide a view out as well as daylight, can reduce stress and hence reduce the demand for health services. Daylight reduces the incidence of health problems caused by the rapid fluctuations in light output typical of electric lighting.”
The National Institute of Building Sciences (WBDG)** reports that a variety of elements should be incorporated into a daylighting system to be effective, including:
• Daylight-optimized building footprint
• Climate-responsive window-to-wall area ratio
• High-performance glazing
• Daylighting-optimized fenestration design
• Skylights (passive or active)
• Tubular daylight devices
• Solar shading devices
• Daylight-responsive electric lighting controls
• Daylight-optimized interior design (such as furniture design, space planning and room surface finishes)
“While most homeowners probably won’t incorporate every aspect of a daylighting system identified by the WBDG, it’s important to note that homeowners can increase the natural light flow through their homes by simply installing energy-efficient windows that are designed to maximize natural daylight,” says Theresa Clement, designer and host of MyFixItUpLife. “The key for homeowners is to do your homework. Research the energy-efficiency features of the replacement window you’re considering and look at the construction of the frame. Make sure it’s solidly built and allows in as much natural light as possible.