Key Benefits of Designing Workplaces with Natural Light

Workplace design has evolved, but access to daylight in those workplaces has not always followed. As offices, factories, and distribution centers have grown bigger, many work areas are now out of reach of natural light.

In these areas, electric lighting usually does most of the work. While it is needed, it cannot fully match the quality, comfort, or sense of connection that daylight offers. Daylighting brings natural light into spaces where people work, move, and focus. This creates brighter, more comfortable environments that help boost productivity and reduce the need for artificial lighting during the day.

Daylighting helps bridge this gap by bringing natural light from above into places where people work, move, and gather. This supports a better and more positive work environment for everyone.

Why It Matters

Recent studies have found that access to natural light throughout the day can boost a person's energy by up to 24%. And in similar studies, decreased absenteeism and increased productivity were observed in workplaces with abundant daylight.

In the U.S. alone, businesses lose more than $150 billion annually in productivity due to employee fatigue from lack of daylight, according to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research.

In other words, it's time to start incorporating skylights into your commercial designs.

Benefits of Natural Light In Offices and Industrial Workplaces

Office Spaces

For office projects, daylighting can be especially valuable in areas with limited windows or in interior spaces that need additional light from above.

Natural light in office spaces can help:

• Create brighter, more inviting work environments
• Support occupant comfort and well-being
• Improve the quality of shared spaces, meeting rooms, and circulation areas
• Reduce the need for artificial lighting during daylight hours
• Help building owners and design teams create spaces that feel more open, modern, and connected to the outdoors

View Daylighting in Offices eBook

Warehouses and Manufacturing Facilities

For industrial buildings, daylighting is not just about brightness. It is about helping the space work better for the people and operations inside.

Natural light in industrial applications can help:

• Improve overall visibility in large open spaces
• Support safer, more comfortable working conditions
• Reduce dependence on electric lighting during daytime operations
• Help create a better environment for employees working long shifts indoors
• Bring consistent daylight into spaces where traditional windows may not be practical

View Daylighting in Industrial Applications eBook

A Daylit Commercial Success Story

Using daylight as primary lighting in office and commercial buildings greatly reduces the risk of business disruption during power outages. Not only does this greatly improve public health and safety during emergencies that may involve power disruptions, but it can also help reduce overall costs for the business.

Take, for example, the Lockheed Martin facility in Sunnyvale, California. After incorporating daylighting, the company achieved 15% higher worker productivity, winning it a $1.5 billion defense contract that paid for the entire building. As an added bonus, the company saves $300,000 to $400,000 a year on energy bills.

Not convinced? Check out these other commercial daylighting case studies

Best Performing VELUX Commercial Skylights for Workspaces

The right daylighting solution depends on the building type, roof design, interior layout, and performance goals. VELUX Commercial offers several options to help bring natural light deeper into offices, warehouses, and industrial facilities.

Dynamic Dome Skylights

Dynamic Dome Skylights are a high-performing and cost-effective solution for bringing more natural light into workplaces. Architecturally striking and engineered with a prismatic outerdome to match the angles of the sun, these unit skylights capture more early-morning and late-afternoon daylight. This technology allows a building's lights to remain off for nearly an hour longer per day, improving the building’s overall performance.

View Dynamic Dome Sales Sheet

Metal-Framed Skylights

For offices seeking larger daylight openings and more architectural flexibility, our Structural Skylights provide expansive daylighting solutions that enhance lobbies, atriums, collaboration spaces, and multi-story office environments. These systems help create visually striking interiors while supporting occupant wellness and energy efficiency goals.

Explore all Commercial Metal-Framed Skylights

Commercial Sun Tunnel® Skylights

Interior offices, hallways, restrooms, and support spaces often lack access to natural light. Our Commercial Sun Tunnel Skylights are tubular skylights that channel daylight from the roof into enclosed areas, helping brighten interior spaces that would otherwise rely entirely on artificial lighting.

View Sun Tunnel Brochure

Add More Natural Light to Your Next Project

Whether designing a new office building or upgrading an existing workspace, VELUX Commercial daylighting solutions can help create healthier, more productive environments for employees and visitors alike. For more specific information regarding your project or to request a quote, contact us via our online form.