Bringing in the Sun: The Impact of Daylighting in Schools

From kindergarten to high school, children will spend an average of 15,000 hours learning inside school buildings, most of which were built during the mid-20th century when sun exposure in a classroom was not a design priority. Numerous studies suggest that substituting natural daylight with artificial, fluorescent lighting can adversely affect student health and academic performance.

We must reintegrate daylighting back into our aging, K-12 building designs.

CPL Architectural Project Manager, Graham Boyd, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB, deeply understands this need and how integral it is to harvest daylighting techniques during the planning phases of a school renovation or new construction project. His experiences with reincorporating daylight back into schools have yielded sustainable, modern-day learning environments that can:

  • Increase student attendance
  • Bolster math and reading scores
  • Increase cognitive performance
  • Enhance student health and behavior.

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In his role as North Carolina K-12 Practice Leader at CPL, Graham J. Boyd excels in managing complex K-12 education projects, leading master planning, renovation and new construction ventures across several impactful regions. A staunch advocate for sustainable design, his LEED AP certification underlines his dedication to creating enriching learning environments that address pressing K-12 needs while ensuring a greener and more promising future for students, educators and their communities. With a primary focus on nurturing strong connections with clients and stakeholders throughout every project, Graham epitomizes the seamless fusion of visionary leadership and sustainable innovation.

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