Materials Matter: Velux Sun Tunnel™ Skylights
At RIC design build, we are discerning - otherwise known as picky.
We are picky about who we work with, the tools we use and the materials we put into the homes on which we work. We take time to find the perfect materials that are visually pleasing as well as energy efficient. In the past year, we have used Velux Sun Tunnel™ Skylights on about six renovation projects.
Sun tunnels are reflective tubes that tunnel light from the roof of your home into a dark space where a new window may not be possible. Here are several reasons why we continue to use this material in our projects:
Energy Efficiency: Sun tunnels can cut down on the amount of electricity you need to use in a darker room by providing natural light throughout the day. They also do not allow any heat or cool air to escape like some inefficient windows or skylights may.
More Leak Proof: Because of the way the sun tunnels are installed, they are much less likely to leak than a skylight or even a traditional window. Velux even makes high-impact sun tunnel domes for hurricane prone areas.
Less Design Interference: Sun tunnels can be used in nearly any room or space in a home because they can be installed around attic interferences and the ceiling does not need to come up to the roof line of the home. Additionally, on the outside of a home, the sun tunnels are low-profile and can blend right into a roofline. Velux even makes extremely low profile domes for homeowners in neighborhoods where property associations may prohibit skylight domes. Inside a home, the sun tunnels look just like high-end recessed lighting. Velux also offers the option to install a decorative fixture over the sun tunnels so they appear just like any other fixture in your home.
Night-time options: If you have a space where the sun tunnel will be the primary source of light, you’ll want an electrical light option during the night when sunlight is not available. Velux provides a kit where each sun tunnel can be wired to an efficient CFL bulb so that you can just flip a switch and use your sun tunnel as a regular overhead light at night or on a darker day.
From the roof, sun tunnels are less noticeable than a skylight and are much less likely to experience leaks over time. One of the projects we used this material on this past year was this covered porch. The porch roof covered a corner window of the house, so we added the sun tunnel to bring in some natural light to the room as well as the window and inside of the house.
Here, the sun tunnels are being installed in an attic. Notice the spray insulation all around the tunnel, ensuring an efficient attic space.
The sun tunnels are being installed into this Patterson Avenue home. The flexible, reflective tubes mean that a light can be installed just about anywhere - even when there are attic interferences and no straight shot to the roof.
When the room is complete, the sun tunnels (the two larger lights in the center of the ceiling) bring in great natural light, so that the additional electrical lights may not even need to be used during the day. They also blend into the ceiling along with the other recessed lights.
Despite our pickiness, this materials passes all of our tests with flying colors: beautiful, efficient, and easy to work into a variety of projects and spaces.