Understanding the ROI of Skylights in Commercial Properties
Even though installing skylights in your commercial building will enhance the beauty and atmosphere in your public spaces, it’s still important to consider the return on your investment.
The installation will involve costs related to the renovation and may require modifying the roof structure. You’ll want to know how this project will positively impact your business’s future finances.
Pay Lower Energy Costs
Almost immediately, you’ll see a positive ROI after installing your commercial skylights in terms of your monthly operating costs. Since your skylights will provide a source of natural lighting, you can reduce your need for artificial lighting. Depending on your hours of operation, this can significantly lower your monthly energy usage costs.
Additionally, more sunlight exposure will keep the inside of your business warmer. This reduces how often your heating system runs through a cycle during the fall and winter months. Fewer cycles will help you save on energy usage and HVAC maintenance, adding to the amount you’ll save on your overall operating costs.
Keep Productivity High and Generate More Sales
Natural light has a positive effect on emotional well-being. While fluorescent lighting increases stress, eye strain, and the risk of migraine headaches, natural sunlight boosts mood and energy levels. The increased sunlight exposure commercial skylights produce will maximize these positive effects among your employees and consumers.
Higher energy levels among your employees will increase their efficiency, helping them to work more productively. Meanwhile, consumers with more energy and positive moods will be more likely to spend money. Increased natural lighting will give a brighter glow to your products, making them seem to be more appealing to buyers.
Raise Your Commercial Building’s Property Value
Commercial properties that have skylights look more appealing than commercial buildings without these features. The skylight creates a brighter and more open indoor environment, increasing the appeal among investors and buyers. For this reason, your commercial building will sell for a higher price than similar buildings that lack skylights.
When the time comes to sell your commercial property, the building’s skylights may be a major selling point. In addition to selling for a higher price, mentioning the skylights in the listing will gain buyer attention faster. This could mean selling the building within a short period of time.
Spend Less on Building Maintenance
You’ll also see a significant ROI when it comes to maintaining your commercial property. Once installed, your skylights won’t require much maintenance at all. Taking minor steps to protect the glass, such as keeping nearby tree branches trimmed, will go a long way toward extending the lifetime of your skylights.
Since the sun’s rays increase the wear and tear damage your roof suffers, you’ll reduce your need for roof repairs throughout the year because installing a skylight reduces the amount of roofing on your building.
When there’s a skylight to interrupt the transfer of heat, those roofing materials won’t get as hot. A cooler roof will last longer, and a smaller coverage area reduces your roof replacement costs.
Maintain a Lower Carbon Footprint
Natural sunlight reduces your need for artificial lighting and helps you maintain a more consistent temperature. In addition to directly saving money on your business’s operating costs, these features will help you reduce energy waste. You’ll maintain a lower carbon footprint, helping your business reach sustainability goals.
Installing commercial skylights in your business can help you establish your company as a leader in sustainability. Skylights will qualify you to earn up to 10 LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) points for your business.
Earning up to the maximum of 110 LEED points will help you meet ESG goals and reduce your business’s effects on climate change.
Earn Tax Incentives for Your Business
Similar to buying solar panels, installing skylights in your building can help you earn tax incentives. To begin, you can apply the cost of your skylight installation when taking advantage of tax breaks for energy efficiency. The incentives offered by the federal Inflation Reduction Act are available until 2032.
Additionally, Florida offers other tax breaks for businesses that take steps toward energy efficiency. Since skylights reduce your business’s energy needs, the installation costs may be deductible. Check with your local government to learn about more tax incentives.
The tax breaks you earn for your skylight installation can help offset those upfront costs. When subtracting the tax incentives from your company’s operating costs, you’ll find that the skylight installation cost is considerably lower. As a result, your new skylights will pay for themselves in a shorter period.
Weigh Your Long-Term ROI
While your business will only experience some financial benefits once, such as a tax incentive, there are many long-term ROI advantages. When looking at the overall ROI, it’s important to consider how commercial skylights will benefit your finances in the future. These benefits will accumulate year-to-year for as long as you operate your business.