Natural daylight, and the pivotal role it plays in promoting human health, wellbeing and productivity when designing our built environment is the subject of a new professional learning module approved by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

Using recent scientific research and neurological discoveries, Indeglås, the innovative, internal glass specialist, demonstrates the importance of prioritising contact with variations of natural light and has launched a new Continuing Professional Development (CPD) module, ‘Daylight Transfer – a Guide to the Design Approach, Installation and Maintenance of Internal Glass’.

“This new module is pivotal for architects, designers, engineers and those who procure buildings,” said Indeglås’s Managing Director, Jeanette MacIntyre. “We bring evidence-based data to support the notion that human performance, mental health and wellbeing should be placed at the heart of building design.

“We need to stop planning and procuring our buildings based on using cost models which only reflect construction stage rates; instead, the whole life value of the building, how well it supports human productivity and long-term health, are of far greater relevance to the creation of a net zero carbon environment and a sustainable circular economy.

“As we build to protect mankind from the elements and to create environments which support a range of activities and collaboration, we can now use also evidence-based scientific data to design interiors which ensure occupants remain connected to daylight, an essential component in human health and productivity.”

The CPD module, which carries one hour of professional accreditation, makes references to neurological research from institutions including Harvard Medical School and discloses new data on how the human brain reacts to daylight.

“It has been proven scientifically that humans have an in-built requirement to experience the continually shifting patterns of daylight from morning to night”, said Ms MacIntyre.

“Part of our brain controls the circadian rhythm, an internal biological clock which amongst other subconscious functions, regulates our sleep-wake cycle.  This neural function is reliant on receiving coded messages from the eyes, linked to daylight patterns.

“Disrupting or confusing the biological clock – for example, by working in an environment devoid of exposure to the variations of natural light, can now be directly linked to chronic health conditions, such as sleep disorders, obesity, diabetes and depression.”

Modern technology and advanced production techniques continue to produce an increasing variety of intelligent and sophisticated glass types suitable for safe use within buildings. The module demonstrates how the application of considered design methodology and engagement with experienced specialists can ensure the journey from procurement, planning, building design and engineering through to construction and on-going maintenance of future buildings can be fully supported to ensure the delivery of imaginative, stimulating, and compliant solutions which underpin human wellbeing and productivity.

Ms MacIntyre, who rebranded her business as Indeglås in 2017 after completing a management buyout, has been working with the considered application of glass for more than 30 years and is a passionate advocate of engineering daylight from the external face of a building all the way through to its core.

Indeglås – Danish for ‘internal glass’ – is the sole distributor in the UK and Ireland for the product range of award-winning glass manufacturer DEKO of Denmark. A family firm established in 1970, DEKO was one of the first companies in the world to secure the European ‘Conformité Européene’ (CE) mark for glazed partition systems. Its products are highly valued for their quality, fire resistance, sound insulation, stability and environmental protection.

Indeglås has already delivered its CPD sessions to more than 50 management team members at City of Glasgow College, who opened a next generation ‘super campus’ in Glasgow in 2016, and are currently investigating further development.

Indeglås designed, engineered, and installed the internal glass screens in both the Riverside and City Campus developments at a combined contract value of £1.5M. Included in the latter is a bespoke two-hour fire-rated atrium screen, the first of its type in the UK.

The CPD seminar was also delivered to the estates team at University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, where Indeglås has completed numerous projects throughout the University estate and more recently secured a contract to inspect and maintain the internal glazed screens across three of the largest campus buildings.  Further delivery dates are confirmed throughout 2021 with procurement, design and engineering professionals.

Post COVID-19 and its effects on traditional learning environments, Indeglås is in discussion with a provider which can deliver the session online, information on which will be available shortly to book the learning as a webinar.

To find out more about the Indeglås Continuing Professional Development module, visit

https://www.ribacpd.com/deko-scotland/26922/overview/