The McLuckie house in Whitianga uses skylights to bring sunlight and fresh air into the upper story of a home that’s designed for beachside family living and maximum car storage.
“It all started when we bought an old house on the Whitianga beachfront a few years ago. We lived in the existing home for a while and loved the location, but really wanted something more family-friendly and with more garage space, because we have classic cars to accommodate. We also wanted a home that looks good - an architectural piece that fits in with the Whitianga beachfront,” explains Paul McLuckie.
From small and dark to open and airy
Local planning guidelines and a desire to build a home with maximum floor area resulted in a contemporary storey-and-a-half design with sloping upstairs ceilings. Traditionally, this style of home would have small, dark upstairs rooms, but VELUX skylights have allowed the McLuckies to create an upper storey that’s bathed in natural light.
“In the planning stages, we were introduced to VELUX skylights. We’ve had skylights before in other properties, but not on this scale. Using skylights allowed us to stay within our our 8 meter limit on the height of our home. Skylights meant our half-floor upstairs space could have a sloping roof and still be bathed in light.
“Skylights completely change the way you can build. They make spaces so much more usable. Another benefit is the views. Every room upstairs has different scenery and some have an awesome view of the mountains.”
Bathed in natural light
Save on energy consumption
In total, the McLuckie house has just seven downlights throughout the house, plus a lamp in each room. There are no ceiling lights in the upstairs hallway, because VELUX provides ample natural light. At night, the hallway has natural light from the moon and starlight.
The electrician for the project hadn’t worked on a structure that deployed natural light quite like the McLuckie’s home. He was amazed by how few artificial light sources were needed. “The light and shadow patterns up on the walls change as the light changes with the time of day. It adds another dimension to the home,” says Paul McLuckie.
Set & forget in a “smart house”
Having a ‘smart house’ means the McLuckie family can head to the beach or go hiking without closing the skylights. The skylights have rain sensors, so they shut themselves automatically when it starts to rain, even if they’re not home.
The McLuckies had always had ventilation systems in previous homes, for management of internal moisture, however the use of VELUX skylights made a purpose-built ventilation system unnecessary. The combination of solar powered skylights and center pivot roof windows provide maximum ventilation with some of the models used providing filtered background even when shut. In summer, insect screens can be fitted to keep bugs and mosquitoes out. Remote-controlled blackout blinds are fitted to the bedroom skylights for room darkening at night.
“It’s a different way to live. Instead of running around trying to close the house up at five o'clock in winter to keep the warmth, it's already done through the use of VELUX ACTIVE (sold separately) and the house is warm,” says Paul McLuckie. “We don’t have any condensation or moisture problems, because the house is really well ventilated.” Temperature censors mean the house can automatically let heat out or keep it in, by adjusting skylights accordingly.
Watch the case study video to learn more.