For more than 75 years, VELUX has worked to create better living environments by bringing daylight and fresh air into people's homes all over the world. Our products help create bright, healthy, energy-efficient places where we can live, work, learn, and play.
But exactly how did it all begin?
In 1941, the young engineer Villum Kann Rasmussen established his company V. Kann Rasmussen & Co. in Copenhagen, Denmark. One of his first commissions was to supply roof windows to a number of school buildings where loft space was to be converted to classrooms.
Despite materials being in short supply in wartime Denmark, Rasmussen ended up developing the first VELUX roof window that would transform dark attics into domestic spaces. Patented in 1942, this first roof window would be called VELUX - 'VE' from the word "ventilation" and 'LUX' from the Latin word for "light."
VELUX roof windows proved to be an effective way of putting many square feet of wasted roof space to good use. And post-war demand for them increased significantly! In other words, a quality product combined with Rasmussen's belief in a fair deal, high quality standards, and ongoing technological innovations and improvements became the key to VELUX's success and continued growth.
In the years following World War II, VELUX saw great profit through the building boom in Europe. But all that changed in 1973 when oil prices skyrocketed following the conflict in the Middle East.
But rather than hinder VELUX, this energy crisis drove new focus and stronger performances. By reorganizing the business and focusing on new and innovative energy-efficient solutions, the crippling economic circumstances of the 1970s ended up presenting opportunities for growth and international expansion.
One such expansion was the addition of a sales company and, later, a production facility in the USA in 1975.
Not only did VELUX continue to grow around the world in the 1970s, but these turbulent years also saw our product portfolio expand from a single product type to a full range of products, including top-hung roof windows for lower roof pitches, roller shutters, electric-powered windows, and an extensive range of accessories and sunscreening products.
So, like in the 1970s when challenging market conditions inspired us to restructure the organization and increase focus on good service, reliable products, and innovation, we've continued to evolve to address more modern issues as they arise.
One of those issues of late has been energy efficiency. Not only can electric power get expensive, but it's also not as renewable as other resources. Our solution? Solar power!
Skylights sit directly on the roof, so they're perfect for putting to use our most abundant natural resource: light from above. Today, VELUX offers skylights, blinds, and other accessories that are solar-powered to allow you to utilize the sun to operate our daylighting products rather than electricity.
On a more personal level, daylight matters very much to our overall health. Regular exposure to daylight helps with everything from boosting immunity to lowering blood pressure to improving our mood and sleep.
For more than 75 years, we've heard the question, "Why skylights?" But with everything we've learned and created here at VELUX, we're looking to change that to, "Why not skylights?"
Skylights reduce dependency on electric lights and air conditioning while increasing exposure to daylight and fresh air, two key ingredients for healthy living. And VELUX Skylights are easy to install, maintain, operate, and update (when needed).
So, really, why not skylights?