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White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group, Kansas City, MO, USA

Let the Sun Shine In

Over the years, our enewsletter has extolled the benefits of daylighting for young children. Studies by Kuller and Lindsten (1992) and the Heschong Mahone Group (1999) demonstrate a positive correlation between day lighting and academic performance. Daylighting gives off a continuous spectrum of all light wavelengths, including blue, red and green, appearing as a bright white. Daylight is the standard of color quality in lighting with a color rendering (CRI) of 100. Natural light can lift our spirits, make our classrooms seem larger and connect children with the outside world. If you are thinking about building or renovating classrooms, one way to achieve daylighting - another term for natural light - is to install skylights, which come in the conventional or square design and in the new tubular design. Both types provide interiors with natural lighting, reduce the need for electricity and offer a host of other benefits. Tubular skylights were developed in response to problems posed by the conventional ones.

Conventional skylights are typically constructed of two panes of glass mounted to a wooden frame, while tubular skylights capture daylight through a small, durable plastic lens mounted on the roof. Light is directed down a reflective tubular shaft and can provide a high level of illumination even on cloudy days. In small classrooms, one tube light might provide uniform natural lighting, while in larger classrooms you would need several tubes to achieve the standard of 30 to 50 foot candles at children's work and play areas.

Advantages of sky tubes are that they are easier to install, permit less heat loss and tend to leak less than conventional skylights. Installation costs vary, but the costs may be able to be recouped in energy savings.

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