Daylight Systems

Bring the Sun to Work, Naturally

Alphaspan’s integrated daylight systems reduce artificial lighting energy consumption by up to 70% in industrial buildings, delivering better working conditions, lower electricity bills, and greener buildings.

Why Invest in Daylighting?

In a typical industrial warehouse or factory, artificial lighting can account for 30–40% of total electricity costs. Studies consistently show that natural light improves worker productivity, reduces fatigue, and lowers absenteeism. For projects targeting green building ratings, GRIHA, IGBC, or LEED, daylighting is a significant credit category.

At Alphaspan, daylight systems are not an afterthought. They are engineered into the building design from the outset, integrated with the roof structure and the cladding system so there are no weak points in the weatherproof envelope.

Our Daylight System Range

Polycarbonate Roof Sheets (Corrugated / Trapezoidal Profile)

The most economical daylight solution. Polycarbonate sheets in the same profile as the adjacent metal roofing panels are simply substituted at regular intervals, allowing diffused natural light to flood the building without altering the structural design.

Light transmission: up to 82% (clear) to 50% (opal / diffused)
UV protection: co-extruded UV-stabilised outer layer for 10+ year life
Profile: manufactured to match Alphaspan standard roof profiles for seamless integration
Thickness: 0.8mm to 2.0mm, single and twin-wall options
Best for: warehouses, factories, logistics centres, agricultural buildings

Multiwall Polycarbonate Panels (Structured Sheets)

Twin-wall and triplewall polycarbonate panels provide higher thermal insulation than single-skin corrugated sheets, making them the right choice for air-conditioned buildings, cold climates, or any application where solar heat gain is a concern.

Twin-wall: U-value ~3.3 W/m²K; Triple-wall: U-value ~2.5 W/m²K
Available in clear, opal, bronze, and blue-grey tints for solar control
Framed in aluminium extrusion for clean, architectural finish
Best for: food processing facilities, institutional buildings, commercial rooflight strips

FRP (Fibre Reinforced Plastic) Translucent Sheets

FRP sheets are the workhorse daylighting solution for heavy industrial environments. More impact-resistant than polycarbonate, FRP is favoured in plants where forklift or overhead crane operations risk accidental contact with roofing, and in coastal or chemical environments where enhanced corrosion resistance is required.

Light transmission: 70–85% depending on glass content and colour
Fire-rated grades available: Class A (spread of flame tested per BS 476)
Impact resistance: significantly higher than polycarbonate
Best for: chemical plants, heavy manufacturing, coastal factories, food processing

Ridge Monitors & Sawtooth Glazing

For buildings where both natural light and natural ventilation are required, Alphaspan designs ridge monitors, raised sections of the roof with vertical glazed faces oriented north or away from prevailing sun to admit diffused light without glare or heat gain. Sawtooth roof profiles integrate this principle across the full length of the building.

Provides uniform, glare-free daylighting across the entire floor plan
Ventilation function eliminates hot-air stratification at the ridge
Ideal for textile mills, garment factories, light assembly operations
Can be designed into new buildings or retrofitted to existing PEB structures

Tubular Daylighting Devices (TDDs)

Tubular daylight devices capture sunlight at roof level through a highly reflective tube and distribute it through a diffuser at ceiling level, allowing natural light to reach areas below mezzanines, internal rooms, or deep-plan buildings where skylights are not directly above the occupied space.

Daylighting Design Service

Alphaspan’s engineering team provides full daylighting simulation as part of the building design process for projects where optimising natural light is a priority. Using industry-standard software, we model the building’s interior illuminance levels across different times of year and recommend the optimal position, density, and specification of daylight elements to achieve target lux levels with minimum solar heat gain.