Natural Light can boost energy up to 24 percent, according to scientific experts. This has been shown to decrease absenteeism and increase productivity. The National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research estimates that, in the United States alone, businesses lose more than $150 billion a year in productivity as a result of employee fatigue due to lack of daylight.
Lockheed Martin reports that after daylighting its facility in Sunnyvale, California, the company achieved 15% higher worker productivity. Additionally, the company won a $1.5 billion defense contract based on increased productivity, profits which paid for the entire building. As an added bonus, the company saved $300,000 to $400,000 a year on energy bills.
The use of daylight as primary lighting in commercial buildings greatly reduces the risk of business disruption during power outages. This greatly increases public health and safety during any emergency which may involve disruptions of the electricity supply.