Passive daylighting is using natural sunlight to minimize the need to turn on artificial lighting. There are tricks to reflecting light deeper into a home -- and into some other spaces. Here's some of the techniques we plan to use:
In our plan, most rooms have at least one window. The kitchen and dining area are on the south wall with an open floor plan. The sun porch will bask in natural light. The screen porch was placed in front of the master bedroom - most of the hours in this room will be after dark.
Here's some additional daylighting techniques we plan to use:
1. Window screens will be minimized
2. Bathrooms are interior rooms - they each will have a high transom window facing south to let in some natural light.
3. Ceilings will be painted bright white.
4. The master closet has no doors.
5. Walls will be painted a light color.
Here's a photo using a transom window to push daylight into a bathroom - ours will be interior windows, but with the same results:
In our plan, most rooms have at least one window. The kitchen and dining area are on the south wall with an open floor plan. The sun porch will bask in natural light. The screen porch was placed in front of the master bedroom - most of the hours in this room will be after dark.
Here's some additional daylighting techniques we plan to use:
1. Window screens will be minimized
2. Bathrooms are interior rooms - they each will have a high transom window facing south to let in some natural light.
3. Ceilings will be painted bright white.
4. The master closet has no doors.
5. Walls will be painted a light color.
Here's a photo using a transom window to push daylight into a bathroom - ours will be interior windows, but with the same results: