Building the Case for Light Shelves

The integration of light shelves to create high-performance building design requires a team approach since, not only are the building aesthetics a consideration, the visual and thermal environments are major design factors as well. The design and application of light shelves requires some common sense and careful analysis. Light shelves are most effective with south-facing glass. Matte is the recommended finish for the top of the light shelf to diffuse the direct sunlight. It is critical to balance the uniformity of illumination at the work plane and in the immediate visual environment. Uniformity allows to focus on visual tasks and reduces eye strain.