Monodraught natural lighting systems deliver real patient benefits for hospitals and heathcare facilities
publication date: Jul 16, 2008
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author/source: David Harris
In the past ten years natural lighting specialist Monodraught has installed its Sunpipes in almost 400 hospitals. In this article managing director Professor Terry Payne examines the health benefits and the equally important cost benefits of natural lighting technologies.
Many scientific studies conducted in the healthcare sector now support the conclusion that natural daylight shortens patient recovery times, improves their mood and generally promotes well being. Results have shown that the health of patients close to windows improves more quickly, and the babies of mothers exposed to higher daylight illumination grow quicker and are released earlier. It is a well known fact that SAD and S-SAD, which are said to affect 20% of the population due to a lack of natural daylight, are known to respond to the hormone serotonin, whose production is triggered by natural daylight. It is accepted that older people, and particularly the old and infirm, suffer the greatest from SAD, mainly because they have difficulty getting out into the open air, especially in winter. The ability to pipe in natural light, particularly to areas where it is needed most, will therefore greatly benefit older people.
So it’s no surprise that architects involved with hospitals, housing for the elderly and other healthcare buildings are constantly adjusting and updating their designs to reflect the importance of introducing daylight and, more specifically, natural sunlight. Not only is there increasing evidence of the health benefits, but in this energy conscious age, it is increasingly important to recognise, that the increasing use of natural daylight reduces the need for electric lighting, and therefore the energy costs associated with its usage.
Among the most innovative solutions available for the provision of natural lighting is the Monodraught SunPipe, which is increasingly specified for hospital wards to assist in patient recovery by increasing the awareness of changes in the daylight entering their rooms. Sunpipes achieve a much more effective solution than traditional rooflights because their super reflective tube intensifies and reflects natural daylight to deliver free outdoor light to the wards below. Also, unlike the ‘shaft effect’ experienced with rooflights, the natural daylight from SunPipes is evenly diffused by a translucent ceiling fixture, usually with less than 5% light loss from rooftop to diffuser.
This compares favourably with a typical rooflight shaft where as much as 50% of the light captured at rooftop level is absorbed by the white painted walls of shafts, resulting in a relatively narrow area of natural daylight below ceiling level. Furthermore, the omni-directional Monodraught SunPipe Diamond domes capture light from all directions, and the resulting diffused light bounces down into the wards or rooms below.
To quote an example, a 300mm diameter SunPipe provides reading-quality diffused light over a 3 metre distance from the ceiling and to an area of approximately 9 square metres.
Besides their proven contribution to patient recovery, SunPipe natural lighting systems are also a most innovative solution to the problem of our growing energy consumption, since they eliminate the need to use electric lighting during daylight hours. With government committed to reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions by 20% over the next five years, and the cost of electricity expected to increase by up to 20%, it’s no surprise that natural and sustainable alternatives such as SunPipes are being specified as an alternative to energy-hungry electric lighting in almost every area of our daily lives.
At least 75% of electricity costs used for lighting can be saved during daytime where SunPipes are used to replace electric lighting during daylight hours. Monodraught estimates that cost savings can result in a 5 to 6 year pay-back period in addition to the considerable health benefits experienced due to the much improved patient environment.
As well as the on-going cost savings from their energy-free operation, SunPipes also require little or no maintenance outside the building, thus saving even more on costs. The unbreakable diamond shaped dome is made of 4mm UVprotected polycarbonate and is designed to ensure that dust and dirt is washed off naturally by rainwater. Internal ceiling diffusers require no maintenance. The SunPipes’ highly effective sealing system prevents dust, dirt, rain, condensation and heat loss, and the units are guaranteed for 10 years with an expected lifetime of 35 years.
The installation and application of SunPipes is extremely flexible as there is virtually no limit to the length or size of SunPipe that can be installed. Using a combination of elbows and connections, natural daylight can be reflected horizontally or vertically with an incremental loss of intensity of approximately 3% per metre length.
This enables SunPipes to take light wherever it is required, even into basements. The range of ten different size models is fully supported by the Monodraught design and installation service.
