VELUX Commercial ventilating modular skylights provide thermal comfort and natural light at Wicklow Hospice in Ireland

Buildings.

140 modules of the VELUX Modular Skylight system have been installed at the new Wicklow Hospice at Magheramore, Ireland, providing ventilation, thermal comfort and natural light. Wicklow Hospice Foundation appointed Martin Noone Architects, from Dún Laoghaire, to undertake the design of this section 38 facility, which was completed in January 2020 and accommodates 15 in-patient bedrooms, a number of treatment rooms, café, shop and an oratory, plus management and office suites.

Critical to the design of this healthcare facility was the need to harness the positive benefits of natural daylight and create an environment that would be sensitive to the needs of patients, nursing staff and visitors alike.

Modular skylights to maximise the positive effects of daylight upon patient welfare
VELUX Modular Skylights were identified by Noone Architects as providing the most appropriate rooflight system for the Wicklow Hospice project, one which would maximise natural daylight, and create an ambience conducive to the well-being of those people living and working there. The ease with which the operable skylights could be opened and closed by both patients and staff to ensure that spaces were well-ventilated and thermally comfortable was a key consideration in the design.

Intelligent regulation of daylight and ventilation within the hospice
All the VELUX Modular Skylights for Wicklow were manufactured from triple glazing to reduce the effects of solar glare and heat gain. VELUX Commercial was instrumental in helping the architect to configure the modular skylights to provide an optimal daylight and ventilation solution for the hospice. Included in the installation was the VELUX INTEGRA® control system, which allows the patient (or nurse) personal control over the operation of the skylights, whilst smoke-venting modules were also incorporated, where necessary, to fulfil the requirements of the Fire Strategy.

To find out more about the importance of daylight in the healthcare sector, please read the full case study here