Trends affect the design of doors and windows, just like anything else. One of the most significant trends in door and window design is daylighting – that is, quite simply, allowing daylight in the interior of a building or home. The impetus behind this trend is to boost energy efficiency by increasing natural light so that less artificial light is used.
But more daylight can also make workers more productive, and boost your crew’s workplace satisfaction. Many workers say the absence of natural light makes them feel more tired; some say lack of light makes them feel gloomy or sad. Studies have shown that adding daylight makes students more productive in the classroom; retail stores also report increased sales in stores with ample natural light. Further, burning electric lights can heat up a building, so that more air conditioning is needed to maintain comfort. That means your HVAC system is working harder than it needs to.
How to Increase Natural Light at Your Business
Adding windows in garage doors or other exterior doors can help fulfill this need for natural light. Other options to consider:
- Install commercial sliding glass doors inside the building so that light shines from room to room.
- Skylights can allow more light, but also allow glare and excessive heating from direct solar penetration. Generally, skylights incorporate glazing to diffuse solar transmittance.
- Incorporate a glass storefront into the building design.
Care must be taken that the right amount of light is allowed in, regardless of the option. If you are planning to build a new facility or working on a renovation, you should discuss with your consultant the intensity, distribution and penetration of daylight in your building. Your consultant should also address glare, which impedes visual comfort and work performance.
When natural light measures 2.5 times or more than an average electric light, it will make occupants uncomfortable, creating glare or conditions that are too warm. You can mitigate these conditions with interior and exterior shading devices, glazed or tinted windows, or combinations of these.
What About Frameless Commercial Glass Doors?
Another part of this daylighting trend we’re seeing are “frameless” glass doors, both exterior glass doors as well as interior. The great thing about frameless glass doors in commercial settings is the clean, open, modern aesthetic, not to mention the increased energy efficiency and endless lines of sight throughout the interior of a commercial space. Business glass doors without framing allow even more uninterrupted transfer of light from space to space and really elevate the look of a business.
Adding door glass to your facility’s exterior and/or interior doors is simple with the right door installers, as often, doors can either be retrofitted or replaced, or you can even add large storefront windows on either side of a windowless door. As energy efficiency becomes an ever larger factor in the operation of both homes and businesses, “daylighting” isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Your Garage Door Can Also Let in Light with Glass Frames
Incorporating glass panels into your business’s garage doors as well can be a transformative upgrade. Glass panels exude modernity and sophistication, for your external look. They instantly elevating the appearance of your business’s overhead doors. A sleek and contemporary touch, making your establishment stand out and leaving a lasting impression.
If you have a showroom or a display area in the garage, glass door panels provide the perfect opportunity to showcase your products. It shows your business to potential customers even when the garage doors are closed. This visible presentation can entice people passing by and pique their interest.
If your garage serves as a workspace, glass panels can create a sense of division without compromising the open feel. It can provide visual separation while maintaining an interconnected and collaborative environment.
Glass panels also act as an additional advertising medium during the day. You can use your garage door surface to display promotional messages, business hours, or seasonal offers while letting light in. You can efficiently use your garage doors as an eye-catching marketing tool.