Smart learning spaces designed for well-being and student performance

From nurseries and primary schools through to colleges and universities, the buildings in which we choose to teach, learn, play and socialise should be welcoming, comfortable and designed with well-being and productivity at their core.

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Reducing glare but balancing daylight has a positive influence on students’ productivity and performance.

According to research, when assessing the overall impact of natural light, ventilation, air quality, acoustics and scenery, it is found that visual comfort has a direct impact on students’ performance throughout the day.

A recent study focussed on students in educational buildings throughout the US, assessing the overall impact of natural light, ventilation, air quality, acoustics and scenery. They found that visual comfort has a direct impact on students’ performance throughout the day. Specifically:

Natural light has a very noticeable positive influence on students’ productivity and performance.
Screen glare and reflections on whiteboards, however, had a negative impact.

The same study concluded that solar shading that cannot be controlled by teachers, students and other occupants has an overall negative impact on performance, despite being better than having no shading in place at all. Dynamic solar shading that can be automated or controlled by occupants can therefore have a huge positive impact on student learning and teachers’ ability to teach.

A smart, sustainable approach to daylight management

As well as benefiting teachers, students and other staff members, dynamic shading can also contribute to the overall greening of a building, making it a more desirable location for new talent and aspiring learners. Factoring dynamic shading solutions into the early stages of building development, or even retrofitting them to existing buildings, is an excellent way to futureproof a school, college or university, ensuring it remains a comfortable, attractive and sustainable proposition for decades to come.

Did you know?

In a study performed over the course of an academic year in California, students who benefited from more natural lighting in their classrooms achieved scores that were 20% higher in maths tests, and 26% higher in reading tests, than students whose classrooms had less natural light.

Controlling the natural lightscape

Smart shading is one of the most effective daylight management solutions because it is programmed based on the needs of an individual building and its occupants. Additionally it offers another level of control , so not only mitigating against the negative effects of intrusive light, such as screen glare or unwelcome warming, ’local’ controls allows occupants to harness light and use it to their advantage; from darkening a room when presenting, to guarding against the sun’s rays on one side of the room while embracing natural light from the other.