Daylight solutions for swimming pools

The architecture of swimming pools has many challenges with regards to the use of materials and design. With proper planning and installation, skylights can significantly enhance the aesthetics and functionality of your pool area.

Swimming is an inherently outdoor activity; therefore, the facility has to create a connection with the outdoors to enhance the overall ambiance and experience.

Skylights are ideal to bring in natural light and make the space feel more open to the outside, creating a more pleasant swimming environment. With the astonishingly clear views of the sky or the surrounding area through the large rooflights, and the reflection of the light indoors, the swimming pool has a strong visual appeal.

The importance of natural ventilation

Natural ventilation and air circulation in the pool area can help reduce humidity and prevent the buildup of moisture-related issues like mold and mildew. By selecting venting modules for your swimming pool, skylights can help regulate the temperature in the pool area by allowing heat to escape during hot weather and trapping warmth during cooler seasons.

How to create a comfortable and safe pool area with skylights?

It's essential to choose skylights with UV-resistant materials to protect swimmers and furnishings from harmful UV rays. This helps prevent sunburns and fading of poolside furniture and accessories.

Correct installation and compliance with safety standards should be high priority for skylights to prevent accidents and injuries of people.

What are the key factors to consider in environments with high levels of humidity?

Whether your facility is a new build, or you need rooflight replacement, longevity and durability of materials are crucial to any project to be successful in long term.

When using skylights in environments like swimming pools with high levels of humidity, salt or chloride, corrosion can be a concern. Thus, it is crucial to ensure a vapour tight installation to prevent condensation of highly corrosive substances like salt and/or chloride that can lead to corrosive attacks on metal components. Proper sealing around the edges of the skylight can help keep moisture out and reduce the risk of corrosion.

Swimming pool skylights’ installation requires specialisation to adopt to the environment with increased levels of humidity.

VELUX Commercial offers solutions to meet the high demands of swimming pool skylights and to mitigate corrosion. Our Modular Skylight is a tested solution with proven quality and functionality, for installation in swimming pool environments.

This versatile skylight system allows you to create different designs, from a single module to a highly scalable skylight solution. Modular Skylights offer a range of product features and accessories to optimise the indoor climate by controlling daylight, heat and ventilation. Furthermore, all standard glazing variants for the skylights have a UV filter.

A long-lasting solution with tested quality

The composite material under the exposed lacquer of Modular Skylights is non-corrosive, thus the material does not need additional protective coating. The lacquer has been tested with direct exposure to chloride. Over time, in environments with high temperatures and high level of condensation, the test showed slightly visible changes of gloss.   

We also specially designed a vapour barrier connection strip, vapour barrier adhesive and inner ridge cover to effectively prevent condensation. The factory-finished vapour barrier connection strip BSX developed especially for use in swimming pool environments creates the perfect connection between the Modular Skylights and the vapour barrier of the building. BSX is CE-marked in accordance with EN 13984.

BSX is made of a multilayer foil including aluminium with a very high water vapour resistance completed with a pre-fitted rubber gasket along one edge. Vapour barrier adhesive ZZZ 255 is to be used together with vapour barrier connection strip. For use of Ridgelight solutions above swimming pools, a specially designed inner ridge cover ZZZ 254 must be used which is our patented product. 

Our Modular Skylights are easy-to-install and require no additional maintenance due to its non-corrosive material. It is an ideal solution for swimming pools.

Modular Skylights for swimming pools and aquatic centres

We have already installed this beautiful daylight solution for our customers:

• Modular Skylights Step Solution creates a grand daylight design and fills up the space with natural light in the Nautiland Aquatic Centre
• In Romont a total of 282 Modular Skylights in various dimensions were installed in continuous rows above the two main pools
• The Les Bains des Docks Aquatic Centre went through a complex renovation including replacement of glass roofs and tiles

Source: Daylight, Energy and Indoor Climate Basic Book