VELUX introduces the MyDaylight app

Brno - The new mobile app from VELUX called MyDaylight allows all interested parties to verify the actual amount of daylight in their renovation design. It is sufficient to enter basic room parameters such as floor dimensions, roof height and slope, ceiling height, window placement, furniture positioning, orientation of the room towards the cardinal points, and specify the materials of individual surfaces. Due to the complexity of the calculation, the user will receive a custom simulation in about ten minutes. The result can be viewed either in a 360° format or in virtual reality using VR glasses.

The app helps users bridge the gap from initial ideas to their realization. "There are many people who would like to change how they live, but they are unable to bring their specific designs to actual realization. The app takes this one, but important step further towards their dream of better living. A real simulation is, in fact, the first tangible result that shows it is possible to implement the given idea," specified Petr Král, marketing manager of VELUX Czech Republic.

Digital support for renovations

The DIY market segment is experiencing a boom, with Europeans spending 377 billion EUR on home improvements in 2016 alone (European Home Improvement Monitor, 2016). With the MyDaylight app from VELUX, those interested in renovation have a unique tool at their disposal that can support their ideas for better living.

"Given the growing market focused on home improvement and the fact that our customers are increasingly digital, we see a good business opportunity in the app. For the first time, it allows renovation seekers to truly see how much daylight can transform their home, increase its value, and show them that it's worth starting a renovation," stated Petr Král, marketing manager of VELUX Czech Republic. "We expect the launch of the app to contribute to increased revenues for 2018 due to new projects that will be initiated thanks to the use of this app."

The private capital available for renovation projects across Europe amounts to a staggering 30 trillion EUR (Copenhagen Economics, Healthy Homes Barometer 2017), with the key to unlocking this potential being to provide homeowners with maximum amounts of information.

The future is digital

The app offers a unique opportunity to experiment with various renovation options, and since it is designed for mobile phones, the service is available anywhere and anytime. It leverages the growing wave of customer interest in tailored solutions as well as the trend of searching and shopping online.

"People are increasingly looking for inspiration online. With this app, we can meet our customers where they actually are. Whether they are on a bus, a train, or at home with their partner, they can explore various configurations and validate their ideas related to their renovation," said Petr Král, marketing manager of VELUX Czech Republic.

The time spent browsing on mobile devices is continuously increasing, having nearly doubled in Europe over the last four years (from 53 minutes per day in 2012 to 1 hour and 38 minutes in 2016 [Global web index 2016]). Today, more than 515 million Europeans have access to the internet, and 296 million of them shop in e-commerce stores, which corresponds to 43% of Europeans aged over 15 (Ecommerce Europe 2016 Report). Between 2014 and 2016, the volume of electronic commerce (e-commerce) rose from 402 billion EUR to 510 billion EUR, with projections indicating it will triple by 2018 compared to 2014 (E-commerce report 2015).

The world's first use of cloud and virtual reality in a mobile app for renovations

For the first time, people can, thanks to state-of-the-art technologies, fully experience and also closely examine real daylight in all its variations within their own living space.

"We used new advanced technologies that no one else has utilized in this way before to offer renovation seekers an immersive experience of light and space. Everyone can bring their home into the simulation, which helps elevate their own ideas to the next level," stated Petr Král, marketing manager of VELUX Czech Republic.

The MyDaylight app utilizes cloud and virtual reality based on gaming technology Unity.

Instructions for using the MyDaylight app

1. Download the MyDaylight app from the App Store or Google Play
2. Enter basic information about the room, such as floor dimensions, roof slope, and others
3. Create different designs and experiment with the amount of daylight or the placement and size of windows
4. Within minutes, you will receive a notification that the simulation has been created and is available for download
5. You can view the created simulation in a 360° format or in virtual reality using VR glasses. With them, you gain the feeling of standing in the middle of the room you created.

You can play for as long as you want and create as many simulations as you need. The only limitation is your time and imagination. Interested parties can download the MyDaylight app for free on their smartphones from the App Store and Google Play. The Czech Republic is among the first fourteen countries in the world where the app is already available. More countries will follow throughout 2018.