Photo Credit: Courtesy of Advanced Glazings Limited
City officials in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, had wanted to build a new 43,500-square-foot facility because the Kirkwood Community Recreation Center was dark and underused. Instead, new glazing on the windows removed glare from the basketball courts and virtually eliminated any need for overhead lights. “The basketball players love it,” says Josh Toutman, Kirkwood’s Recreation Director. “Even on cloudy days, there’s enough natural light to play, and there’s no problem with shadows. The big payoff has been that usage rates by students have increased ten-fold.”
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Most people like the idea of daylight pouring in through windows and skylights because it changes the ambience of the interior. And, it is good for you--it changes people’s circadian rhythms and improves their well-being.
The problem is that uncontrolled daylight can be distracting and dangerous. It also can cost a lot of money. Recognition of daylight’s shortcomings and figuring out ways to save energy are the reasons the science of building design--and specifically the design of sports halls, gymnasiums and natatoriums--is changing.