Bethlehem, PA
Architect: Artefact Inc.
Products used: GPL size S06 roof windows
This
c.1802 house has been altered very little since it was built, and has
never had dormers as many did from the same time period in this part of
eastern Pennsylvania. The choice to install VELUX skylights was inspired
by a desire to be environmentally responsible and historically
appropriate when renovating the third floor of the house into an office.
The low profile of the skylights allowed the roof of the house to
remain flat and uninterrupted by projections, just as it had been for
over 200 years.
During the winter the skylights encourage
significant solar heat gain. Even without heat, the space never dipped
below 57 degrees on the coldest nights (approximately 5 degrees F)
during the winter of 2005. During the summer, solar heat gain is reduced
by the solar screens on the outside of the skylights. Opening the
skylights in the summer creates a chimney effect drawing air through the
house and pulling cooler air in on the lower levels.