A window installed in a roof or ceiling to allow natural light to enter a building from above, providing illumination and visual connection to the sky.

A skylight is a window installed in a roof or ceiling to allow natural light to enter a building from above, providing illumination and visual connection to the sky while enhancing interior spaces with daylight and reducing dependence on artificial lighting. This essential architectural feature consists of a glazed opening in the roof structure that is designed to admit natural light while maintaining weather protection, often incorporating features such as ventilation, solar control, and energy efficiency to optimize performance and occupant comfort. Skylights are fundamental elements in sustainable design where they contribute to energy savings, improved indoor environmental quality, and enhanced architectural aesthetics, making them valuable additions to residential, commercial, and institutional buildings where natural lighting and connection to the outdoors are desired for occupant well-being and energy efficiency.

Skylights are utilized in various architectural and building applications including residential homes where they provide natural lighting for kitchens, bathrooms, living areas, and hallways while creating dramatic interior effects, commercial buildings where they illuminate retail spaces, offices, and atriums while reducing lighting energy costs, industrial facilities where they provide natural lighting for manufacturing areas and warehouses while improving working conditions, institutional buildings including schools, hospitals, and libraries where they enhance learning and healing environments with natural light, religious buildings where they create inspiring spaces and highlight architectural features, and specialty applications including greenhouses, swimming pool enclosures, and art studios where abundant natural light is essential for function and aesthetics. Each application requires appropriate skylight design, sizing, and placement based on lighting needs and building requirements.

The types and designs of skylights include fixed skylights that provide light only without ventilation capability, operable skylights that can be opened for ventilation and natural cooling, tubular skylights that use reflective tubes to bring light to interior spaces without direct roof access, pyramid skylights that provide multi-directional light and architectural interest, barrel vault skylights that create continuous lighting along linear spaces, custom skylights designed for specific architectural requirements and unusual roof configurations, and specialty skylights including those with integrated blinds, solar panels, or smart glass technology. Skylight selection depends on lighting objectives, ventilation needs, architectural design, and performance requirements.

Fun Fact: The ancient Romans used skylights in their buildings, including the famous oculus in the Pantheon, and modern skylights evolved significantly during the 20th century with advances in glazing technology and energy efficiency.

• Operable Skylight