Form always follows function and never the other way around. This is the fundamental principle of design and architecture since time immemorial. The essence of this doctrine iterates that the function of a building should decide its composition. Recognising the true purpose behind any construction is the primary condition for its design. A physical place of work, therefore, should motivate an employee to feel productive, and the infrastructure of that place has a huge role to play in the psyche of an individual.
Productivity at Work Is Higher Under the Gleaming Sun
Countless studies have proven that humans have an unrelenting need to experience ample daylight routinely to stay productive. The reason behind this is our body’s circadian rhythm.
The human circadian rhythm is our body’s natural clock which makes us feel and do certain things during certain times of the day. There is a reason why most of us do not feel like going to work at night or sleeping during the day. There exists insurmountable evidence that daylight keeps the circadian rhythm in check. Messing up this rhythm pushes humans into feelings of depression, disruptive sleep patterns, lethargy, dysfunctionality, etc. Exposing your body to natural light during the day and darkness during the night ensures a healthy circadian rhythm which elevates functionality.
Therefore, efficiency at work is closely linked with daylight. Studies conducted by the Lighting Research Centre at the Rensselaer Institute in New York have concluded that employees in offices with little or no natural light spend lesser time on their work stations as compared to employees working in windowed offices with ample daylight. The positive impacts of natural light on productivity make a compelling case to incorporate daylight while designing buildings, both residential and commercial.
It can be comfortably said that daylight ensures efficiency and productivity by improving employee alertness, improving the indoor experience (employees find it more comfortable to sit on their desks for longer), and leading to feelings of higher positivity and energy.
How Do You Achieve Optimal Daylight Management in Offices?
You achieve it through the right kind of glass. It is as simple as that! Modern-day architects understand the need for gargantuan glass windows in offices, through which pure daylight can enter. Moreover, modern-day glass solutions come with energy-efficiency and optimal glare management features, ensuring that while optimum natural light enters into a space, it does not disrupt work by bringing in unnecessary heat and glare with it.
Factors to Consider While Choosing Glass for the Workplace
Be Wary of Energy Inefficiency
The standard glass absorbs a lot more heat compared to most materials. Therefore, it makes economic sense to choose a glass that does not absorb much heat and saves energy required to heat up or cool down an office building. Glass with high energy-efficiency clubbed with aesthetics will complete the utility spectrum for commercial buildings.
Define Your Visual Needs
Identify the window direction, the glare possible and the amount of privacy required. If you have an east-facing office overlooking the street, get a tinted double-glazed window glass. The tint is for added privacy. The double glazing is to increase the strength and reduce the solar potency and the subsequent glare which is the highest during the day. You can also opt for switchable or smart glass that offers you the freedom to control its opacity levels with a hand-held remote device. Moreover, you get the added benefit of having privacy on demand.
Adjust Artificial Lighting to Suit Daylighting, Not the Other Way Around
This is a no-brainer. If artificial lighting is required during the day along with the natural light, reduce the former’s potency. Bright artificial lighting during the day culls the efficacy of natural light that ushers in through ginormous glazed windows.
Consider Ultraviolet (UV) Protection
Sunlight that reaches us is made up of UV-A and UV-B rays. While glass filters out UV-B rays, the UV-A rays are deeper and get through the glass. This may cause skin damage and irritation. If your building’s direction eats up too much sunlight, then consider investing in glass solutions that offer UV protection.
Which Glass Works Best for Daylight Inclusion?
The solution is a high-performance and energy-efficient glass which allows for day light inclusion, but absorbs and reflects away UV rays and near-range infrared heat. A good example would be the Ecosense Exceed Solar Control Low-E glass manufactured by AIS Glass. This range provides a complete solution by keeping indoor spaces brighter and cooler while allowing a good amount of natural light to seep through.
Investing and procuring the best quality glass is critical for not just the design of your commercial complex, but also for the productivity of the employees working within that structure. The experts at AIS Glass understand this, which is why we are a leading player manufacturing high-performance, heat-reflective, energy-efficient glass solutions. The Ecosense Exceed Solar Control Low-E glass by AIS provides the perfect blend of energy efficiency and daylighting coupled with the benefits of visual and thermal comforts. Gift your employees the workspace they deserve with AIS Ecosense glass range.