LAMILUX: Skylights for Every Climate

Extreme weather events are growing in magnitude and frequency as a result of climate change. With longer heat waves, stronger storms, and heavier snow, buildings and their components—including roofing and skylights—must be designed to withstand these evolving loads.

This is one of the many reasons that 475 partners with LAMILUX, whose skylights and glass roof systems are the best on the market. Not only are they energy efficient but they are carefully designed to meet the needs of just about every climate and building standard, including Passive House.

In order to achieve this exceptional performance, LAMILUX conducts functional safety tests in their laboratory for the following categories:

• Airtightness

• Water tightness & wind load

• Snow load

Airtightness

Airtightness is always job number one for 475. The best thermal insulation of exterior walls is only as effective as the glazing to which it is connected. A high air permeability can result in warm air escaping to the outside in the wintertime—and worse, cold air coming in. To combat this, the LAMILUX FE has been tested in accordance with AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440-17 and CSA A440S1-17, and meets all the performance requirements therein.

Watertightness: Driving rain and wind

Heavy rainfall can approach a near vertical and when aided by strong winds, can be extremely hazardous. Also known as “driving rain”, this weather condition necessitates skylights that can take a beating. Standards AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440-17 and CSA A440S1-17 similarly test the LAMILUX FE for watertightness. Testing involves sucking water in on weak seals or on profiles deformed under wind loads to simulate driving rain conditions.

Snow load

Geographical location and altitude play an important role in snow load. In the United States, mountainous regions like the Rockies experience significantly higher snow loads than other regions. In these snowy areas, it is critical that skylights remain operable under heavy snow masses so that natural ventilation is still possible. LAMILUX skylights are built with robust profiles and are certified according to the European snow load standard DIN-1055-5. During their own laboratory testing, LAMILUX uses powerful motors to open heavily loaded skylight frames.

Skylights for indoor comfort

Aside from being able to withstand extreme weather events, skylights should optimize indoor comfort for occupants. LAMILUX considers the following criteria for all of its designs:

Ventilation

Operable skylights greatly improve ventilation due to their ideal location on the roof. In areas with large temperature differences between day and night, allowing cool, fresh nighttime air to replace warmer, stale air accumulated over the course of the day creates natural ventilation in a process called night-time flushing. Natural ventilation can be implemented in almost any type of building with ventable skylights or glass roofs from LAMILUX.

Thermal insulation

When walls or floors absorb solar energy, they heat up the building and its indoor air. This can be desirable in the wintertime, but can lead to overheating in the summer. With the climate trending towards colder winters and warmer summers, good insulation scores major points. Depending on the project, LAMILUX skylights can be outfitted with solar protection insulation glazing, as well as interior shading. Learn more about the thermally insulative properties of skylights here.

LAMILUX Wins Out!

LAMILUX skylights are engineered to provide exceptional energy efficiency and climate resilience while still offering unparalleled design flexibility. With various levels of thermal and sun protection, an assembly that offers best-in-class air/water-tightness, plus various accessories to maximize utility, LAMILUX skylights ensure that the envelope is optimized not just for the present, but also for the ever-changing climate of the future!

Check out our product offerings and consider the highly customizable LAMILUX FE for your next skylight job. Or, get in touch with our team directly to help you get started: [email protected].