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I’m thinking of adding two (or maybe four?) triple-glazed roof lights to my small building refurbishment. Nothing fancy or large, maybe 600mm x 900mm in size. It’s a small space (32msq) in the Outer Hebrides, so solar gain would probably be a benefit 🤣 I want them to finish flush to the pitched roof (not stand proud or be protruding) to avoid wind noise. They don’t need to be opening, as it's a single-volume space with lower windows. I know Velux have a widely recognisable brand name, but are they the best company/windows to use, or are there other companies I should also be considering?

Our roof lights let in loads of light but are letting in loads of heat too, with the sun now high in the sky and outside temperatures in the 30s this week. So we are thinking of applying solar film. I don't think we get any value add in terms of heat in the winter as the sun is too low so not going to lose out on that. Please pass on stories, good and bad, and any recommended suppliers. There are some that just supply and some that also fit? Is it easy to self-fit? (we have easy access to the flat roof) And there is a minefield of different films to choose from......any recommendations of films? Thanks

I'm detailing the up-stand (kerb) construction for a couple of fixed glazing roof lights in flat warm roof. I've done a thorough internet search for design detail information - particularly for the correct positioning of the vapour control layer (VCL) around the roof light kerb. Roof light manufacturer websites are noticeably unhelpful, mostly ignoring the need for any sort of VCL. I'm constructing the kerb from resin bonded exterior grade plywood (WPB), and the insulation will be tissue faced PIR. I can't see any way of fitting the VCL on the warm side of the insulation without building the kerb in two parts. An inner plywood skin is clearly needed to allow the fitting of the VCL to its vertical outer face, as well as to the inner face of the insulation. Latest best practice advice is to avoid any timber between the insulation and the weather proof membrane, so the question that arises Is how to continue with a reasonably strong and rigid box to support for the significant weight of the glazing elements, but with minimal penetration of either membrane. Is preservation treated WPB appropriate? I'll possibly need to post a drawing here, so my current thinking can be appreciated - if anyone feels it would help understand what I'm on about. Does anyone have any experience of this tricky situation?

With the solar roof lights being only a little more than the electric Integra roof lights does anyone have any advice on: 1. which is more expensive to install (cost of builder fitting solar versus cost of electrician wiring the electric ones) 2. any problems long term with the solar ones if anyone has experienced issues with battery life or any other experience/advice which might sway my decision making. We'll have a mix of manual (for those easy to reach), solar (one large rooflight that doesn't come in electric so we have to go solar) and possibly the others integra. 3 of the roof lights will have the black solar reduction ornings fitted for hot summer days. Thank you

Today our roof lights were installed. We are pleased with the finished product and how they fit. The blue sky and sunshine helps of course. Almost helped take the edge off the unexpected contract lift costs (£1380 in the end, but we have managed to avoid the additional VAT and we got him to lift some roof trusses off the scaffolding which saved a job). Their man on site today admitted that it had taken a long time to get to this point. Not wrong! The photos will hopefully do them justice. Already they make such a difference to the light inside the house. And the feature window (circular on the top, octagonal currently from inside) in the full height entrance hall is really fantastic. Any thoughts on how to get the internals finished on this octagonal light? I was wanting to make it circular (and the window company advises this so that we don't get any issues with condensation on the visible frame (which would be covered by the insulation if we did make it circular).

From @JSHarris and others I have learnt about the importance of decrement delay as a characteristic of the fabric of a house in providing internal comfort. Background. My build may well be a single-floored, flat-roofed building of contemporary design. As a rear-garden plot surrounded by other dwellings, it has precious few sight lines and instead will have a profusion of roof lights to let in light. As a (near) Passive House, the roof will be thick and there is a concern that the roof lights will give the impression from inside of a house deep underground. One suggestion to address this is to thin the roof, to use high-prefromance insulation such as vacuum panels in the roof to improve the aesthetic look instead of cellulose filled I-beams. So far so good but I worry that a roof with vacuum panels will have a low decrement-delay factor. So to the subject decrement delay. As I have learnt, a cellulose-filled roof would have a welcome decrement factor. But what about vacuum panels? I have done a little google-ing and came across the following summarised from here: Thus to my question: how can Vacuum Insulated Panels have a decrement delay of 0 hr? I understand that the decrement-delay factor is product of λ (lambda), which is very low for vacuum panels. But is also related to specific heat capacity and the density of the material concerned and I do not understand how to consider these two for a vacuum insulated panel. I wonder, can anyone enlighten me? (For those interested in learning more about decrement delay factor, I found this explanation a help: http://www.greenspec.co.uk/building-design/decrement-delay/)