Architect for New Library Selected | New Central Library Will be Green | Green Roof Will Crown New Library

ABUNDANT GLASS in NEW LIBRARY DESIGN OFFERS MULTIPLE BENEFITS

MILFORD PA: March 5, 2007 --   One of the many exceptional features proposed by Frederic Schwartz Architects in its plan for the new central library for Pike County is extensive use of windows that capture daylight and warmth and will provide significant energy cost savings. With the sizeable increases in the cost of electricity in the Milford area, an interior library environment that is well lit by daylight will provide significant annual savings in electrical costs.

In addition to the practical, economic benefits provided by natural light, there is a host of health and psychological benefits, as well. Studies conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory reveal that humans prefer a day lit environment because sunlight consists of a balanced spectrum of color not provided by electrical light. Research also has demonstrated how important natural light is to enhancing psychological well-being and performance and contributing to good health.

A focal point of the new library design is a central, sky-lit atrium that will serve as the “hub” of library activity. Researchers have demonstrated that skylights are a particularly effective source of daylight because they admit light from the brightest part of the sky (the zenith), but seldom cause glare because they are above the typical visual field of occupants. Skylights are complementary to windows, since windows illuminate the perimeter of a space, whereas skylights can illuminate its center. In some cases, the use of skylights can reduce the electric lighting requirement of an entire space during daylight hours to almost zero.

Light and Performance

Students perform significantly better in environments that are lit with natural rather than artificial light. A study directed by Heschong Mahone Group in California tracked test scores for 21,000 students in California, Colorado and Washington and found that learning rates were 26 percent higher in reading and 20 percent higher in math in rooms with the most natural light.

Light and Health

Aside from the aesthetic benefits of natural light, there are significant health-related aspects to maximizing natural light in buildings. The study of the impact of light on mood has long been a favorite of researchers. Studies show that 20 percent of our population suffers varying degrees of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is directly linked to insufficient exposure to daylight. Symptoms of SAD range from depression and lower energy to increased appetite and a need for more sleep. SAD is directly linked to insufficient daylight. Similar symptoms have been observed in office workers who toil long hours in buildings without natural light.

Psychological studies also have shown that the restorative effect of a natural view holds the viewers' attention, diverts their awareness away from themselves and from worrisome thoughts, producing mental health benefits.

Natural light also provides other significant health benefits. Researchers McFarland and Fisher report that to accommodate the adaptation of the aging eye, the amount of light required for visual acuity doubles for each 13 years after the age of 20. Thus, more exposure to natural light leads to better eyesight.

Sunlight is also a major source of Vitamin D. In healthy human bodies, 80 percent of vitamin D is produced in the skin when it is exposed to natural light. In addition, many older adults and even teens who do not spend a significant amount of time outdoors, fail to get enough vitamin D, which is necessary for calcium absorption for strong teeth and bones.

Aware of the many economic and significant health benefits of natural light, contemporary architects are finding new, creative ways to maximize the use of glass in public buildings.

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