Exposure to natural light throughout the day is critical for the health and well-being of not only patients, but hospital staff, according to an article on the HCO News website.
Despite a consensus throughout the medical community confirming the importance of natural light, people don’t get nearly enough. The limited amount of natural light most people do get shines through traditional windows, which do little to manage heat and glare throughout the day.
Light-depleted patients and staff can only endure a few minutes of the day near them before they start to get uncomfortable, the article said.
"Smart" windows, however, are made from glass that intelligently changes its tint based on cloud cover and the angle of the sun, maximizing healthy daylight throughout the day while reducing uncomfortable heat and glare.