Sky well design principles not everyone knows

Skylights play an important role in improving air, especially in tube houses. When designing a skylight, homeowners need to understand the basic principles to bring nature into the home.
The skylight can be understood as the connecting part from the ground floor to the rooftop of the house. In addition to taking light, the skylight also has the function of ventilation and air convection.

With tube houses in urban areas, the interior is often dark, so many homeowners build a skylight well from the ground floor to the terrace, then cover the light with roofing panels. Light will shine through the roofing to brighten the indoor space. Size The size of the skylight depends on the area of ​​the house but should not be less than 1m2. The higher the house, the wider the well. The skylight is composed of 3 parts, including: the foot in contact with the ground, the back and the roof. Sky wells usually account for 10% of the housing construction area. (Illustration) Sky-wells can arrange plants, flowers, rockery in combination with living space or dining room. The back section is the lighting for the upper floors. The roof is for lighting and ventilation. According to construction codes, the area of ​​the skylight usually accounts for 10% of the housing construction area. If the house is more than 100m2 of construction space, the ventilation should be 20%. However, this ratio depends on the shape as well as the height of the house to create a corresponding empty area for air circulation. Material Currently, architects often use glass roof materials or smart plastic roofs with iron frames to protect the skylight. If the house is too narrow, you can use clear glass or plastic to increase the light into the house. Or you can reduce the intensity of the light of the skylight by using color materials for the roof, creating enough brightness while cooling the interior of the house. The current trend is to use glass roof materials or smart plastic roofs with iron frames to protect the skylights. (Illustration) To bring nature into the home, homeowners can use hanging pots or green vines on the wall. Under the floor, mixed with ornamental plants, homeowners can create small lakes, drop fish or flowers to create a balance in terms of feng-shui. If a small skylight space can be graveled, put a few more ceramic pots or decorations, to bring a cool highlight to the house. On the wall of the skylight, homeowners can clad rocks as highlights, decorative patterns vividly for the wall. Location The trend of clearance to get light and wind from the roof is widely used in tubular houses with only one open side. To maximize the effect of the sky well, the homeowner should only place the skylight in the back or middle of the house. The back part of the house is always dark and mysterious, so the “exchange” with the air and light is very necessary. Wind circulation direction has way in and out. It is the vent that creates the suction force to let air go from the front doors into the house or vice versa. Skylights are usually located in the center or back of the house. (Illustration) The most common is the skylight located on the staircase area. This is the most suitable place because the stairs are usually located in the middle of the house and adjacent to the kitchen. If the house is too long, it is necessary to have more holes in the back of the house to circulate the air. Therefore, the number of skylights can be more than 1, depending on the design, it can be 2-3 sky wells. Solution against sun, rain Skylights play an important role in improving air, especially in tube homes. However, if the sky well design is not properly designed, it will become the place to transfer heat into the house when it is hot or the courtyard is the culprit pouring water into the house every time it rains. If improperly designed, the skylight can become a place to transfer heat into the home. (Illustration) To bring into play the effect of preventing heat and avoiding rain in the courtyard, it is necessary to combine the following solutions at the same time: Avoid organizing the corridor inside the house because it will make the spaces more pressing; use open partitions to divide the indoor space; Cover direct sunlight or paint brightly on courtyard walls; planting trees; to limit the use of dark cement and stone bricks; use heat-resistant paint for skylights; using automatic misting system … Safe Skylights are most likely unsafe to use, especially with young children. Therefore, if there are no flowers or safety nets between floors in the sky well, it is necessary to pay attention to the system of adjacent windows and handrails to ensure a safe height. The spokes in the railing should not be too wide to prevent children from passing through. Phuong Anh (synthetic)