Aging in Place with Skylights and Sun Tunnels
It's no secret that as we age, our wants and needs change — especially around the home. As the older generation ages, building for active adults has become an important, profitable segment of the housing market. But what do active adults want? According to the Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) program, it's more daylight.
In addition to more natural light, active adults want unique homes that have appealing options. They seek out homes that have living space that is more flexible. We want to help you deliver this and more to your customers.
At VELUX, we're about more than just delivering a product. We want to be your daylight consultants. Every day, we work with architects and builders to support well-balanced light in the buildings they create. And we believe that active adults can benefit from adding our skylights to their homes.
Benefits of Daylighting for Active Adult Customers
Skylights and Sun Tunnel Skylights are ideal daylighting products in homes for active adults. They provide abundant natural light throughout the day, helping visual acuity while offering energy efficiency.
- 60-year-olds need 3x more light to see as well as 20-year-olds
- Better lighting helps prevent falls
- Natural lighting is clearer and causes fewer shadows than artificial light
- Skylight blinds and Sun Tunnel accessories allow the ability to control light any time of day
- Venting skylights provide access to fresh air for an enhanced outdoor feeling inside
VELUX Products Relevant to Active Adults
For 80 years, VELUX has been refining our product line to make the best skylights, roof windows, and sun tunnels available. Over time, it's become apparent that some of our products are more beneficial for certain clients than others. Below is a list of skylights we feel would benefit active adults and retirees most.
Sun tunnels are great for bringing light into small, closed spaces like laundry rooms, closets, and second baths. And unlike electric lighting, they provide natural daylight, which has shown to help aging eyes see more clearly and without glare.
Sun tunnels are made of a light-collecting dome on top, a light diffuser at the bottom, and a highly reflective tunnel in the middle. The tunnel can be flexible or rigid to fit within any attic space. With installation averaging around two hours, sun tunnels are easy to install and virtually maintenance-free.
For visibility day or night, the rigid sun tunnel can be installed with the Solar Night Light. Attaching discreetly to the inside of the tunnel, the Solar Night Light provides a soft, moon-light glow to help homeowners see when no daylight is available. It also makes the homeowner eligible for a federal solar tax credit on their entire sun tunnel project.
VELUX Solar Powered "Fresh Air" Skylights
With all of the daylighting benefits of traditional skylights, our Solar Powered "Fresh Air" Skylights are energy-efficient venting skylights that provide fresh air at the touch of a button. Solar-powered so they don't require wiring, these skylights are simple to install and look great in any room.
Each solar-powered skylight features a solar panel to capture the sun's energy even on cloudy days, as well as a rain sensor to automatically close the unit even if nobody's home.
Because this skylight is solar-powered, it's also eligible for a federal solar tax credit based on the total cost of product and installation. And when paired with solar-powered blinds and VELUX ACTIVE, this skylight becomes our most energy-efficient product, helping homeowners save big on energy costs.
And speaking of VELUX ACTIVE...
VELUX ACTIVE takes the place of a remote control by connecting skylights to a homeowner's smartphone. With VELUX ACTIVE, homeowners can open and close any skylights and skylight blinds right from their phone, whether they're standing underneath the skylight or away from home.
VELUX ACTIVE also has a home climate automation feature. Homeowners set their climate preferences, like temperature and humidity levels, in the app then VELUX ACTIVE automatically opens or closes the skylights and blinds accordingly.
Even if homeowners opt not to use the automation feature, VELUX ACTIVE uses Wi-Fi and local weather updates to monitor temperature, humidity, and CO2 levels inside to ensure healthy home air. If any of these levels become unsafe or unhealthy, VELUX ACTIVE alerts the homeowner to make adjustments.
Builder Support
Active adults are America's fastest-growing customer segment. And we want to help you deliver the perfect home to your active adult customers. Check out our VELUX training specifically for building for active adults to learn more.
