Here’s How Daylighting Saves You Money
Butler’s SunLite Strip daylighting system introduces up to three times the amount of light earlier and later in the day than translucent panels, and can reduce electrical lighting consumption by up to 70%.
Most commercial and industrial buildings are built with as few openings to the outside as possible. Yes, there are entrances, exits, and shipping dock doors; vents; and maybe a few windows in the office areas. But for a long time, the idea was to preserve both heat and privacy by severing inside operations from the outside world.
The problem? Blocking out all that natural, abundant, free sunshine wasn’t just an aesthetic fail in many ways, it was an economic one. Any company that pays a monthly electric bill for lighting that is used 24/7/365 will understand exactly where we’re headed here.
Business owners increasingly recognize the sustainability and productivity benefits of natural light in the workplace—and the bottom line value of cutting energy costs. Not long ago, the American Institute of Architects cited daylighting and lighting controls as one of the top nonresidential construction trends for the next decade.
More and more, J.A. Wagner recommends a tested and proven solution from Butler® Manufacturing, a Kansas City, Missouri-based producer of metal building systems and architectural products for the non-residential construction market. J.A. Wagner has been a Butler Builder for more than 35 years and we stand behind their building systems.
It’s called “Daylighting.”
Daylighting is the practice of strategically placing windows or other openings and/or reflective surfaces to allow daytime, natural light to provide effective internal lighting. Particular attention is given to daylighting while designing a building when the aim is to maximize visual comfort or to reduce energy use. Daylighting retrofits are also possible in existing pre-engineered steel buildings, enhancing working conditions while lowering energy costs.
J.A. Wagner has performed daylighting retrofits on many structures and hopes to help even more of the companies we serve save money on electric bills for lighting, while improving employee comfort.
Butler Manufacturing’s Vice President Harry Yeatman, knows that energy savings and improved work environments are boosting the growing popularity of daylighting.
“Lighting-related electricity is often the highest operating expense in a building, frequently exceeding heating and cooling costs,” Yeatman notes. “The SunLite Strip daylighting system paired with lighting management and control systems can reduce lighting-related electricity expenses by up to 70%.”
The SunLite system has even allowed many companies—depending on the time of year—to operate buildings for most of the day without any supplemental artificial lighting.
The patented, prismatic acrylic skylights at the heart of the system have magnifying effects, such as passing ordinary sunlight through 4,000 mirrors per square foot. Capable of providing 100% diffused light even in overcast conditions, they do so without the glare and hot spots associated with traditional fiberglass skylights.
In addition, the SunLite system allows for natural light without concerns about leaking, a common problem in older skylight installations. Unlike traditional skylights that require a high curb around a roof penetration, the frame of the SunLite Strip has a self-curbing design that eliminates risk of leaks. It incorporates seamlessly into a standing-seam metal roof system manufactured by Butler, but can also be adapted for existing steel roof structures.
The goal of every business is to keep receivables high and payables low. Daylighting is one way to become pro-active on the payables side.
Want to save on your monthly energy bills, increase employee comfort and improve the ambiance of your business? We’d love to visit your facility and show you how we can help. Contact us today…
For more than four decades, J.A. Wagner has been committed to the single goal of customer satisfaction. We have constructed millions of square feet for hundreds of satisfied customers in a multitude of states from Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky to Utah and Texas. From building it new to renovating it to look and work like new, our company aims to make sure the spaces our clients use fully support their long-term business goals.
If you have a problem you need solved, we have a solution. Call us today or email andrew@jawagner.com.
About J.A. Wagner Construction
J.A. Wagner Construction is an award-winning design-build contractor and Butler Builder®. Cost-effectiveness and ease to work with are primary reasons clients have chosen J.A. Wagner for their projects over the services of local builders in these regions.
