Smart skylights that breathe

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Find out how automated skylight systems are changing indoor air quality and occupant wellness for the better. 

For commercial contractors eyeing the next frontier of building innovation, skylights may not seem like an obvious place to look. But according to Joan Schaefer of VELUX Commercial, smart skylight technology is quietly transforming indoor environments, not just with natural light, but with fresh air. Joan joined host Heidi J. Ellsworth on an episode of the Roofing Road Trips® podcast to share the role automated venting skylights are playing in improving indoor air quality. One standout example came from a high school in Oregon, where a VELUX Modular Skylight (VMS) system is doing more than lighting hallways; it’s helping manage air quality. 

“They’re monitoring CO2 in a primary hallway,” Joan said, referencing a high school in Oregon. “There are stairwells below the skylight, so you’re getting the benefit of multiple levels of light. In addition with monitoring the CO2, allowing those few modules to open for a few minutes and then close to have a healthy air environment in the main corridor.” 

The system’s built-in intelligence, including wind and rain sensors, ensures it operates with minimal intervention. Joan explained, “Should there be a gust of wind or any sense of moisture, it’s going to automatically close if it was programmed to open.” 

Beyond including smart automation functions, the VMS design focuses on material performance. “It is essentially watertight,” said Joan. “The material is a protruded fiberglass, soaked in resin, you have to pull it through, so they call it pull-treated fiberglass.” 

This level of detail represents VELUX’s dual focus: occupant wellness and installer practicality. And while these skylights help control light and ventilation, they’re also designed to handle tough climates. “I’ve been in Bozeman, Montana where it reached only five degrees during the first week of December,” Joan recalled “We were on a project that was going to be installed in July.” 

As Joan pointed out, these are not legacy skylights. They’re high-performance, sensor-enabled systems that actively manage indoor conditions. In an age where wellness and sustainability are top priorities for property owners, these systems offer roofing contractors a serious value proposition. 

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about how VELUX smart skylights are transforming indoor environments with automated ventilation and advanced materials!