Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

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

  • 03/28/19

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

  • University of Washington Opens New Broadcast Studio

    The University of Washington in Seattle, Wash., recently announced the opening of Sundodger Studios, a new broadcast, production, and content facility, according to a news release. The university partnered with Anthony James Partners for the design and development of the studio, which will host about 100 live broadcasts and 120 live videoboard shows per year.

  • Longwood University Hits Construction Milestone on New Music Education Facility

    Longwood University in Farmville, Va., recently celebrated the topping out of its new music education and performance facility, according to a news release. The university partnered with development and construction firm Skanska on the 63,800-square-foot facility, which began construction in August 2025 and has an estimated completion date of fall 2028.

  • University of Pennsylvania Releases Design of Future Physical Sciences Building

    The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) in Philadelphia, Penn., recently released renderings of an upcoming 350,000-square-foot Physical Sciences Building, according to news release. The facility was designed by CO Architects and will unite the university’s departments of Physics and Astronomy, Mathematics, and Earth and Environmental Science.

  • Designing the Bridge Between Inclusivity and Independence in K–12 Schools

    Fostering independence is fundamental to learning and development for K–12 students. It offers many proven benefits, such as enhanced confidence, problem-solving, decision-making, and social skills. However, this foundational objective loses its impact if it’s not accessible and adaptable to all students. Inclusivity plays a critical role in cultivating independence and healthy autonomy for students, fostering positive student learning outcomes by uniting pedagogy with the physical learning environment.