Spoiler Alert: Natural Light is the Key to Higher Rents

Want higher rents and stronger leasing capacities?

Before you dive into a huge renovation project or start investing in lux amenities, there’s one easy and markedly less expensive option that really packs a punch. Natural lighting is proving to be an incredibly powerful strategy for increasing returns, attracting new tenants, and retaining the ones you already have.

Let’s look at how changing up an asset’s lighting scheme can your boost your commercial real estate game:

Benefits of Natural Lighting

In terms of health and happiness, natural lighting out beats electric or synthetic lighting.

Studies on the effects that exposure to natural lighting has on people demonstrates the positives that come along with getting the right amount of sunlight. Here’s what we know:

Office owners, looking to boost efficiency and productivity within your team? Natural lighting has been proven to increase concentration, alertness, and focus. Exposure to natural lighting alleviates headaches and eyestrain, too – both common plights for today’s tech-centric society. Natural lighting also improves sleep, increases Vitamin D levels, increases serotonin production, and substantially reduces stress.

With all these benefits in mind, it’s no surprise that natural lighting has been named the most coveted amenity within the commercial space. Future Workplace conducted a survey on 1,600+ U.S. employees, called The Employee Experience, and found that access to natural lighting and outdoor views was the number one priority for the office space.

Capitalizing on natural lighting doesn’t only benefit commercial real estate professionals and tenants – it also generates substantial wins for sustainability. Opting for natural lighting saves energy and money, making it a great move for the environment, as well.

Natural Lighting in CRE

Natural lighting has already proven itself in the commercial real estate arena. The data supporting the tangible effects of natural lighting that natural lighting has on leasing have demonstrated that corporate office tenants are willing to pay up to 6.1% more in rent for listings offering abundant natural lighting.

Commercial developments that focus on capturing optimum natural lighting have been exceeding leasing expectations, outperforming comparable assets, and collecting greater rent all while improving the tenant experience.

Tips for Optimizing the Lighting in your Space

The easiest way to improve your property’s lighting is to open the windows. Simply pulling open the blinds can let in floods of sunlight that were previously blocked. Just be sure to monitor the temperature and adjust as needed.

Invest in Smart Glass, or Dynamic Glass, which intuitively controls the absorption and reflection of natural lighting around your building. This will prevent the temperatures from skyrocketing and prevent uncomfortable glares.

Glazing windows can also be an affordable alternative to control the sunlight coming into your buildings while also establishing greater privacy.

Incorporate mirrors into the interior design of your space. When placed correctly, mirrors can reflect lighting from a window and bounce it around the entire room. Plus, this little trick will also make the interiors appear larger.

Simply put, never forget the impact that natural lighting and windows can have on your CRE portfolio. Unlock higher rents, quicker leasing, and greater tenant retention – all with a little help from the sun.