Lighting accounts for 40 to 50% of the energy consumed in commercial and institutional buildings and 10 to 20% of energy used in industry, so by using the natural light provided by skylights and solar tubes, businesses can save money on energy costs.

A standard skylight consists of a self-flashing aluminium frame, designed to fit onto any type of roof.  The aluminium frame is powder coated or anodised for coastal conditions. The barrel, pyramid and rectangular type skylights are available in various tinted shades.

Skylights increase light, make rooms more comfortable and bigger feeling, and offer an unusual view. Manufacturers have improved flashing kits and controls, making today’s skylights more reliable. When they’re well placed, few building products offer greater value to homeowners.

Skylights range from utilitarian to high-tech, and from strictly functional to solely decorative. However, in the ever-increasing effort to save money for clients in energy costs, especially in such high-use applications as lighting, architects and designers are using skylights to bring daylight into their buildings. Skylights work especially well in older homes. Skylights illuminate a dark room without taking up wall space, and the added light can make a small area look larger.

Standard Skylights:
A standard skylight consists of a self-flashing aluminium frame which is designed to fit onto any type of roof. The aluminium frame is powder coated or anodised for coastal conditions. Glazing is either 4 mm toughened glass or 6.38 mm laminated glass, and is available in clear or tinted glass in various shades.

Barrel Vault Skylights:
These types of skylights work well to open up hallways and corridors. They offer vaulted transparent or translucent space above and a range of arched rafters from low vaults to hemispherical skylights with glazed vertical ends. They cover building-connecting walkways and can attach to vertical walls at either or both ends.

A guide to Skylight selection: