In the 16th century, it was quite common for people to have palatial homes. Furthermore, they used to have conservatories inside. During those times, the walls and ceilings had huge glass panes so as to ensure that the plants got enough sunlight throughout the day.
Skylights provide something similar to what the large sized window panes did long time back. Skylights let the sunlight evenly distribute in rooms and it also make sure that the room is properly insulated. However, the placement of skylights is a crucial thing to be taken care of. If skylights are not placed at the proper place or have been wrongly installed, it may not provide the benefit it is intended to.
Although, the climate and altitude of the place and the kind of skylight being used are important factors to be kept in mind but the most important one is the dimensions of a skylight. Ideally, a skylight should not be more that 10% of the floor area of the room. If it is less than 10%, it won’t provide the light and energy savings benefits it is intended to and if it is more than 10%, it may not provide adequate insulation.