The North London Nuffield Hospital is a private hospital with 45 bedrooms offering a range of services and special clinics from acupuncture and bone densitometry through to vasectomies and X-Rays. While it’s primary focus is on providing excellence in the clinical and medical care if offers, the hospital is keen to make its patients stay in the hospital as pleasant as possible too and careful consideration is given to the design and ambiance of patients rooms.
When it was decided to turn an internal space into four additional daycare rooms at the hospital, managers were keen to explore how natural light could be brought into this otherwise gloomy area formerly illuminated by fluorescent lighting.
Initially, managers considered using traditional skylights but had concerns for potential security and safety in having an expanse of glass immediately above patients’ beds. Furthermore, their installation would be quite expensive, time consuming and disruptive. They then explored the possibility of using tubular skylights and were quickly convinced that these were the ideal products for their projects.
Ten Solatube Ø 53 cm daylighting systems were installed, each fitted with a remote-controlled daylight dimmer to allow patients to control the light during the day if they wished.
As soon as I spoke to Solatube it was obvious that they were much better informed than other companies in this field. They listened to the issues we were trying to address and were keen to help us find the right solution. We are very pleased with the effect the Solatubes have had in the day rooms in which they have been installed and are considering how we could use them at other Nuffield Hospitals to gain similar benefits.
