Back in 2014, the UK government passed legislation covering solar heat gain, natural light and CO2 emissions, giving clear guidance on the levels of natural daylight that all public spaces must adhere to. This legislation has since meant that public buildings such as hospitals, educational facilities, offices and town halls must ensure a minimum level of natural daylight throughout, as well as ensuring minimum levels of air permeability and ventilation.
But just how important is legislation such as this? What difference does fresh air circulation and access to natural daylight really make to people who spend time in these buildings? This question is particularly relevant to schools and offices, where cognitive function and mood play a vital role.
A recent infographic from UK lighting specialist Whitesales pulls together a series of recent studies that examine the impact of natural daylight and fresh air in classrooms, particularly in relation to behaviour, health, cognitive function and emotional well-being:
The results of the studies are quite striking, particularly given how much money is spent in the UK (and internationally) on a range of measures aimed at improving student performance and academic attainment. According to the above infographic, higher levels of fresh air circulation and natural daylight can result in:
- Improved levels of concentration
- Higher academic achievement
- Improved student behaviour
- Fewer sick days for pupils
- Financial savings for the schools themselves on energy bills
And this is just the tip of the iceberg, with other benefits including improved mood and emotion, lowered feelings of anxiety, improved cognitive function and a strengthened immune system. One of the most striking findings related to CO2 concentration, with a study noting that cognitive function was shown to be 15% worse when the CO2 concentration in the room was around 945ppm (parts per million), compared to outdoor-fed air. When the concentration was increased to 1,400ppm, cognitive function was shown to be a shocking 50% worse.
So it would seem that when it comes to improving performance in schools (as well as modern offices), daylight and fresh air may play a far more crucial role than you might think.