In Letter to States Education Executives, Eneref Institute Implores Schools to Include Interior Daylight in Classroom Lighting

Philadelphia – As part of the Eneref Institute #WellnessFriendlySchools Campaign, Eneref sent a letter to all 50 state education executives, urging them to act on the findings of a recent Eneref Report on classroom lighting. The Eneref Report examined the biological impact of Natural Interior Daylight in classrooms on improved student performance.  

Link to campaign: https://eneref.org/impact/wellnessfriendlyschools/

Eneref has reached out to school executives in order to place this report in the hands of authorities responsible for student performance. The bottom line of the Eneref Report is this: The right daylight in classrooms alone can improve student test scores.

Eneref Institute is a research and advocacy organization for sustainable development. The Eneref campaign aims to achieve a healthy school environment through an earth-friendly and wellness-friendly approach to building schools. 

As presented in the letter to school executives, the Eneref Report’s key conclusions describe:

  • A high correlation between schools that reported improvements in student test scores and those that reported greater amounts of daylight in the classroom.
  • A possible disruption of the molecular clocks that regulate the temporal dynamics of cellular activities caused by poorly designed artificial electric lighting.
  • The importance of illuminating schools with natural daylight to help students’ bodies regulate melatonin, reinforcing circadian wellness and improving performance. ­

The Eneref Report, titled “Classrooms Optimized with Natural Daylight Increase Student Performance,” can be downloaded here: http://bit.ly/eneref-skylightled.

As the Eneref Report states, careful architectural planning and utilization of daylight to illuminate rooms, in conjunction with LED electrical lighting, is not only efficient for buildings but also healthy for occupants, both students and faculty alike.

 

Featured

  • California School District Completes Elementary School Modernization

    The San Diego Unified School District in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting for a whole-site modernization of Pacific Beach Elementary School, according to local news. The school first opened with one building in 1930 and added six more between 1938 and 1957.

  • Texas District Breaks Ground on Second High School

    The Waller Independent School District in Waller, Texas, recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for what will become its second high school, according to a news release.

  • Wold Architects & Engineers Announces Acquisition of JJCA

    Wold Architects & Engineers, based in Minneapolis, Minn., recently announced that it has acquired JJCA, an architecture firm based in Nashville, Tenn., according to a press release. JJCA specializes in healthcare and education design; the partnership allows both firms to expand their presence across the country while building on existing strengths.

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.