Health & Wellbeing Archives - SolarBright

Skylights Take off in Sydney

admin — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 13:00:42 +0000

The architectural crowds, competing for space in Sydney’s red-hot housing and urban design industries, are often used as a litmus test for what is trending with new home builders today. They are sensitive to the needs and demands of their clients, and they need to be, to reach such a position as theirs as the gatekeeper of new housing trends.

Lately, the trend has been defined quite clearly: new home builders in Sydney these days are going wild over skylights. Natural light, soft and seasonally-aware, has been given a notable vote of confidence by designers of late, and has been invited into the majority of new homes in this fine city.

Perhaps the health effects, or the pleasure of the soft quality of the lighting has convinced new builders to incorporate these skylights. Regardless of the incentive, skylights in Sydney have become intertwined with the current age, and this affiliation has bred some very interesting designs. Some Skylights, otherwise known as tube skylights, or sun tubes, even provide architects with the ability to channel light far below the roofline, bringing natural light pouring into subterranean levels or the lower levels of homes that otherwise couldn’t benefit from a traditional skylight. This, in particular, has introduced this trend to a wide audience of avant-garde home designers, intent on making a new and creative use of it.

And why not? The usage of skylights runs far back in to the annals of architecture. Monasteries in Europe, hundreds of years old, feature ‘light cannons’ in their ceilings, intended to allow light in and illuminate the residents. Luckily for a city as blessed with natural light as Sydney, these lessons were not lost back in medieval times.

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The Health Benefits of Natural Sunlight: Pt. III

admin — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 08:16:06 +0000

A healthy balance of your body’s hormone levels is clearly vital to good health, and having evolved to absorb sunlight and process it, our modern lifestyle – one which results in a large amount of time being spent indoors – has disrupted this natural process. At Solar Bright, we are experts at increasing the levels of natural sunlight in to your home, through our solar tubes, dome skylights, and roof skylights. In Part III, we wrap up the series with a discussion on some of the detriments of indoor lighting, and the positive stress-relief measures provided by natural light.

We previously reviewed the chemical balance and health benefits involved in safe increases in sunlight exposure. They are profound, and this is even more noticeable when one considers the downside of modern fluorescent lights. While it is not noticeable to the naked eye, fluorescent tube lighting actually produces a strobe effect, a situation unsuitable to those suffering from epilepsy. It also results in eye fatigue in otherwise healthy individuals. Studies have shown the difference in productivity between those sitting in the glare of indoor lighting, compared to those in environments lit with natural light.

By contrast, solar exposure is calming. It has a meditative effect on people, who in the midst of their busy lives, often need a moment to relax. It has a calming effect on high blood pressure, acting almost immediately. Bringing solar power in to your home can have a calming impact on your day-to-day life, and can increase the output of your working pursuits.

Clearly, one must exercise restraint. As we have been taught throughout our lives, and have likely experienced on a careless day, too much direct sun exposure is not healthy, and comes with its own set of health risks. Temperance is key. However, natural sunlight does not deserve to be avoided, and an adequate amount of sunlight is a key element to a healthy lifestyle.

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The Health Benefits of Natural Sunlight: Pt. II

admin — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 09:33:40 +0000

In Part One, we discussed the nature of a solar exposure deficiency among modern urbanites, and its relation to mental health, specifically, in its ability to release endorphins and aid with mental alertness. But is that all that we gain with daily exposure to the sunlight you’re exposed to through your new solar tube or skylight?

Vitamin D

Absorbed through your skin (and diet), this vitamin is actually closer to a hormone. It is biologically inactive until it is processed by your liver and kidneys. Once activated, however, it plays a vital role in bone and dental health due to its ability to aid in the absorption of calcium, strengthening your skeletal structure and the enamel on your teeth. It plays a key role in several immune qualities, as well: as counter-intuitive as it may sound, exposure to sunlight boosts the same immune function which works against the expression of cancer cells. A recent study has also suggested the hormone reduces the risk of multiple sclerosis.

Finally, the hormone itself has been repeatedly linked to higher levels of estrogen in women and testosterone in men. Levels of the latter have plummeted in the last fifty years or so, due to a variety of causes. Solar power could well be the answer to a weakening sex drive.

Considering these benefits, it is notable that recent studies have suggested that globally, fifty percent of adults are Vitamin D deficient. This has grown beyond mere vanity – it is becoming a public health issue. At Solar Bright , our solar tubes, dome skylights, and roof skylights can help you to attain healthy exposure, right in your own home. In Part III, we will discuss further the health benefits of healthy exposure.

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The Health Benefits of Natural Sunlight: Pt. I

admin — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 09:53:19 +0000

Australians, now more than ever, have busy schedules. The pace of the modern world has many of us operating at full capacity, and recent communication innovations have meant many of us find it difficult to extract ourselves and relax. There are reasons why stress-related illnesses have risen sharply in recent years.

One of the contributing factors to this decline in mental health has been attributed to a lack of sunlight. Over time, people evolved with daily exposure. We grew accustomed to it regulating our circadian rhythm and sleep cycles, among other body processes.

Our modern lack of direct exposure has become a health issue today, when we are quite often limited to artificial lighting. At Solar Bright, we are committed to using solar power to shape customer health, both indirectly through the usage and popularization of solar power, and directly, through in-home applications. Our solar tubes, dome skylights and roof skylights allow an easy and suitable method to enjoy natural light in your own home, and reap the rewards of its numerous health benefits. This three-part series will take us through some of the advantages of safe and regulated exposure to natural sunlight.

Endorphins

Endorphins are any one of a group of hormones released by your brain, with an analgesic effect upon your opiate receptors. Put plainly, they make you feel good. They are your body’s natural method of encouraging a behaviour or environment, and exposure to direct light causes a release of these little peptides.

What does that do for us? It improves our mood. More than that, it improves our bodies’ ability to regulate our sleep cycle, meaning we are better rested. It can guard against Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, a mood disorder directly related to the availability of daily sunlight. While daily sunlight exposure may seem a remarkably simple method of improving one’s health, the health effects are profound. Indeed, the notion of ‘solar power’ goes well beyond that of the solar panels. Part II will discuss further the chemical impacts of solar exposure, through your own solar tube, dome skylight, or roof skylight, and what it can do for your health.

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Why Natural Light Is So Important To Our Health, Wellbeing and Pocket!

admin — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 01:45:12 +0000

Adding free sunlight into your home and workspace has been proven to have both psychologically and physiologically benefits. Pure sunlight, rather than electric lighting, provides the full visible spectrum of light, which helps reduce eyestrain and makes colours in our belongings, decor and clothing look their true colour. This can be particularly important in retail environments where you are trying to make your goods look as attractive as possible, and at home where you want your carefully selected furniture and decor to look exactly as it did in the store or magazines.

Many people initially are concerned about harmful UV rays doing damage to their interior, but today the majority of quality skylight manufacturers ensure their domes or glazing are UV resistant and this simple is not a problem anymore. Yet the rays allowed into your indoor space still help indoor plants thrive. But our plants aren’t the only ones that benefit healthwise.

Daylight has been proven to significantly impact on productivity and health. Our eyes and brains simply function better when working, or relaxing in natural light versus artificial lighting and Vitamin D, gained from mainly from exposure to sunlight, is an essential mineral, as this vitamin has numerous benefits to our health. From a more practical standpoint, natural light also reduces the amount of mildew and mold growth inside, keeping the air in our homes and work spaces healthier, more breathable and reducing the risk of asthma and other breathing conditions.

Ultimately healthier and happier staff all equate to a more productive workforce, less prone to sickness leading to a reduced number of sick days staff are likely to take. And of course happier, healthier families live richer, fuller lives, every day.

Aside from all above advantages, Natural light is FREE and living in a country like Australia, we benefit from so many days filled with sunshine than others, so installing skylights can significantly reduce your electricity bills, because there is simply no reason to turn the lights on from dawn to dusk any more.

Creating the Greenest Home on the Block

admin — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 01:14:56 +0000

You’ll need all the energy you can get to make it through the day. When it comes to your home, it’s all about cutting back. Being a green-minded homeowner, you already know and exercise some of the basics, including keeping the thermostat a bit lower, using energy-saving light bulbs and unplugging appliances when not in use. These small fixes are great ways to start, but there are other activities that can really make a difference and ensure your home runs on less fuel.

Start with a Home Energy Audit

First things first, you need to know exactly where you can conserve energy. By getting an energy audit, you’ll get an analysis on how much energy you’re saving, where you can conserve, and how much you’ll save in the long run. If you’re thinking of a major home improvement, search for a local and certified professional who can assess your needs.

Save up to 80% of your Heating Energy Cost with Solar Hot Water

Water accounts for an estimated 35% of the energy bill if you have an electric hot water system. Save on this cost by replacing your system with an Edwards Roof Top Frost Free System. This uses the highly efficient heat transferring properties of Glycol, a special anti-freeze fluid, to transfer the absorbed energy to heat water indirectly. Not only does this save on home energy costs, but it is also made from stainless steel, making the systems virtually maintenance-free and last a lifetime.

Reduce Air Conditioning Costs with Room Ventilation

Reduce air conditioning running costs, prevent mould in winter, and cool your home in summer with Room Ventilation. It will operate to ventilate the room when the sun shines on the solar panels. This unit is ideal to ventilate any room. This also prevents stale air smell in rooms and promotes fresh air circulation. The ventilation assists room dampness and mould problems, and eliminates cooking smells and fumes in kitchen spaces.

Bring Daylight into Your Home with Skylights

Bring soft, natural daylight into any room in your house, even in small spaces, with Skylights. These high-grade product harnesses natural light, allowing you to reduce daily energy consumption. These skylights are easy to install and require little to no maintenance. We even have skylight installers who are more than glad to help.

With all these solutions available, you can be more energy efficient while helping conserve the environment. Contact us for more information on how we can assist you in refurbishing the greenest home on your block.

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