Health & Wellness Benefits of Daylighting
The resources below are intended to act as a library of published information, including summaries and research papers, on the human impact (non-visual) of daylight and exterior views.
Note: these resources are intended for information purposes only and do not reflect the entirety of information available on the subject of daylighting; they further do not reflect the views or opinions of the NGA.
Webinars on Daylighting, Biophilia and Health
Hear about the psychological and physiological benefits associated with daylight and view, and how glass can contribute to health and well-being, from speaker Helen Sanders, Technoform
Sponsored by the National Glass Association, Glass & Glazing Design Academy. In partnership with Architectural Record
This session discusses the relationship between the built environment and human health, and glass options that address current occupant health considerations.
Learn about the widespread technological, decorative and practical uses of glass.
Daylighting Downloads and Articles
- Biophilia and Glass: Supporting a Connection to Nature (Vitro Architectural Glass)
- Increase Daylight and Reduce Energy Consumption with Acid-etched Glass (Walker Glass Company, 2019)
- High Performance Building Facade Solutions (Berkeley Lab, 2018)
- Daylighting (WBDG, 2016)
- IES-Approved Daylight Metrics AIA presentation (2014)
- Tips for Daylighting with Windows (Berkeley Lab, 2013)
- Daylighting Glass Technical Paper (NGA, 2019)
- What you need to know to build with light (SunGuard, Guardian Glass, 2008)
- A Literature Review of the Effects of Natural Light on Building Occupants (LBNL, 2002)
- Daylight in Buildings (LBNL and IEA, 2000)
- The Impact of a View from a Window on Thermal Comfort, Emotion and Cognitive Performance (Elsevier, 2020)
- Why Windows are Critical to Human Health (Walker Glass Company, 2019)
- Light and the circadian rhythm: The key to a good night's sleep? (BBC.com News, 2019)
- Thermal Comfort: Why Windows Matter (Technoform, 2019)
- Health Benefits of Urban Nature (American Institute of Biological Sciences, 2015)
- Wood as Restorative Material (2015)
- The Housing Well-Being Inventory (VELUX Group, 2015)
- Daylighting: the Benefits of Illuminating Buildings with Natural Light (Bendheim, 2014)
- Impact of Windows and Daylight Exposure on Overall Health and Sleep Quality of Office Workers
(Mohamed Boubekri, Ph.D, 2014) - Health, Wellbeing and Productivity in Offices (WorldGBC, 2014)
- Benefits of Glass: a Literature Review on the Qualitative Benefits of Glass on Building Occupants (Univ. of Michigan, 2012)
- The Distinctive Benefits of Daylighting (David Strong Consulting, 2012)
- ASHRAE Daylighting and Human Performance summary (2002)
- Applying the Benefits of Biophilic Theory to Hospital Design (2018)
- Climate-Based Daylight Modeling
- HMG Studies website + Daylighting in Schools report (2003)
- The Economics of Biophilia (2012)
- Sunshine Helps Kill Germs Indoors (2018)
- Daylight Exposure Modulates Bacterial Communities Associated with Household Dust (2018)
- Visual Delight in Architecture: Daylight, Vision, and View (Lisa Heschong, 2021)
- Chasing Daylight (Window + Door, 2019)
- The Green Building Maze (Glass Magazine, 2019)
- Looking Beyond Thermal Efficiency (Glass Magazine, 2019)
- Evolution of Green (Glass Magazine, 2018)
- Built for People: Interior glass maximizes health and performance (Glass Magazine, 2018)
- Glass for Healing (Glass Magazine, 2018)
- Many Offices Are Not Built to Benefit Employees (Glass Magazine, 2016)
- Let There Be Daylight (Glass Magazine, 2016)
- Looking at Nature... (Washington Post, 2015)
- The Benefits of Natural Light (Architectural Lighting Magazine, 2014)
- Healthy Buildings (The Guardian, 2014)
- Windows Add to Well-being (Health Day, 2013)
- The New Era (Glass Magazine, 2013)