Building considerations for commercial rooflight refurbishment
Introduction
Shelter is the primary function of a roof, placing significant demands on the roof structure and its components. As part of a roof, any rooflight solution must be capable of withstanding the elements. Seasonal weather cycles, combined with extreme weather events (which are becoming increasingly frequent), put a lot of strain on components as they age.
Even with regular maintenance and careful repair, roof coverings and rooflight systems eventually need replacing. Rooflight refurbishment can be carried out in isolation, or as part of a wider package of works involving other components like the waterproofing.
Our understanding of the benefits that well-designed rooflight solutions deliver has developed over time. Today, as part of the roof structure, rooflight solutions must contribute to a variety of performance and comfort measures that require a more balanced approach than simply providing functional shelter.
A roof must be considered as part of the whole building design, meaning commercial rooflight refurbishment offers a rare opportunity. It is a chance to significantly enhance the experience of using a building that may have stood for decades, or more than a century in some cases.
With 75% of the buildings in use today forecast to still be in use in 2050, there will be an increasing need for refurbishment design and specification solutions.
VELUX Commercial have produced the white paper 'Building considerations for commercial rooflight refurbishment' to help designers, specifiers, installers and building owners through the refurbishment process and to appreciate the opportunities to enhance daylighting and ventilation through the specification and installation of new rooflight solutions.
Contents
The full white paper contents headings are:
- Introduction
- Factors that influence commercial building refurbishment
- Commercial building types and refurbishment objectives
- Summary
- VELUX Commercial solutions and support
Related articles:
- A guide to daylight design within commercial buildings using bespoke structural glazing solutions
- EN 17037 Daylight in buildings
- Aspects of daylighting design covered by EN 17037
- Types of building EN 17037 applies to
- Designing daylight solutions for commercial buildings
- How to predict daylight conditions in buildings during the design phase
For more information about the specification and installation of new rooflight solutions, please visit the VELUX Commercial website.
--VELUX Commercial 16:39, 06 May 2021 (BST)
Featured articles and news
Skills gap and investment returns on apprenticeships
ECA welcomes new reports from JTL Training and The Electrotechnical Skills Partnership.
Committee report criticises UK retrofit schemes
CIOB responds to UK’s Energy Security and Net Zero Committee report.
Design and construction industry podcasts
Professional development, practice, the pandemic, platforms and podcasts. Have we missed anything?
C20 Society; Buildings at Risk List 2025
10 more buildings published with updates on the past decade of buildings featured.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme and certifications consultation
Summary of government consultation, closing 11 June 2025.
Deputy editor of AT, Tim Fraser, discusses the newly formed society with its current chair, Chris Halligan MCIAT.
Barratt Lo-E passivhaus standard homes planned enmasse
With an initial 728 Lo-E homes across two sites and many more planned for the future.
Government urged to uphold Warm Homes commitment
ECA and industry bodies write to Government concerning its 13.2 billion Warm Homes manifesto commitment.
From project managers to rising stars, sustainability pioneers and more.
Places of Worship in Britain and Ireland, 1929-1990. Book review.
The emancipation of women in art.
Call for independent National Grenfell oversight mechanism
MHCLG share findings of Building Safety Inquiry in letter to Secretary of State and Minister for Building Safety.
The Architectural Technology Awards
AT Awards now open for this the sixth decade of CIAT.
50th Golden anniversary ECA Edmundson awards
Deadline for submissions Friday 30 May 2025.
The benefits of precast, off-site foundation systems
Top ten benefits of this notable innovation.
Encouraging individuals to take action saving water at home, work, and in their communities.
Takes a community to support mental health and wellbeing
The why of becoming a Mental Health Instructor explained.
Comments
[edit] To make a comment about this article, or to suggest changes, click 'Add a comment' above. Separate your comments from any existing comments by inserting a horizontal line.