daylight design

What are the components of a good daylight design?

Good daylight designs must balance aesthetic, human health and performance, efficiency and use of comfort and control

What is the three key checklist categories in order to achieve a good daylight design and examples?

Information so does daylight help uses perceived outside environment, character of the space or detail of visual tasks?

Control so window should help control direct sunlight, glare, visual adaption, view quality, heat gain/loss, sound and ventilation where users should have control where possible.

Energy so balance daylight with electrical lighting by using occupancy sensors and controls to reduce energy use whilst maintaining occupant comfort

What are the health effects of daylight?

Reduce stress, improve emotional well-being and improve recovery in hospitals

Hospital studies shows that with daylight, patients tend to have…

Shortest days, less pain, few minor complications and better emotional health

In a daily classroom, explain student performance

Students become 20% faster on mathematic tests and 26% faster on reading tests

Daylight and electrical lighting should work together. What are some methods of electrical lighting systems and what is the overall goal?

When daylight decreases, electrical lighting should increase automatically

Methods such as lighting controls, occupancy detectors, and energy efficient lamps.

The goal is to minimise energy use while maintaining comfort

Explain the five rules of thumb when planning daylight systems

Provide sufficient window area where the window area should be around 1/25 of the total internal surface area (wall+floor+ceiling+window) and the minimum glazing area is >=1/25 of the total internal surface area to improve daylight penetration into interior spaces.

Maintain suitable average daylight factor (ADF) so talk about the typical ADF values and state why some are better than others (linking to the need of artificial lighting)(less than 2%, 2-5% and more than 5%)

Ensure access to visible light so state the basic daylighting rule where “ if you can’t see the sky, you do not get much daylight” basically stating that the visibility of the sky strongly affects the daylight availability.

Limit external obstructions so obstruction should be below 25° above the horizon or else it will block the sky and reduce daylight penetration.

Control direct sunlight and glare by rearranging furniture and workspaces parallel to windows where possible, avoid placing visual tasks directly within sunlight parts and add control systems like shading devices to improve occupancy comfort.

General recommendations for daylight designs include increase perimeter daylight zones, allow daylight penetration high in spaces and reflect daylight within space. What does it mean and why does it make a good daylight design

Extend the building perimeter to maximise usable daylight areas.

High Windows or roof monitors permit daylight to penetrate deeper into rooms.

Use light coloured surfaces and reflective material to improve brightness distribution.

General recommendations for daylight designs include use slope ceilings, avoid direct sunlight on critical visual task and adapt designs according to building orientation.What does it mean and why does it make a good daylight design

Sloping ceilings can redirect and light further into interior spaces.

Excessive brightness, differences create glare and visual discomfort.

Different facades require different daylight strategies such as light shells are effective mainly on South Façades and less effective on east/west Façades

Give some case studies example that show the use of good daylight designs and what it tries to achieve

Koshino House,Japan- 2 parallel concrete rectangular forms, partially buried into sloping landscape, existing trees preserved, strong use of controlled natural lighting through openings. Daylight create spatial atmosphere while integrating architecture with nature.

Church of Light,Japan- light used as the main architectural element, create spiritual and spatial experience, demonstrates relationship between nature and architecture and uses light to redefine perception of space. Light itself becomes architecture.

Daylight museum, Japan- operates entirely with daylight where the museum closes at sunset, curved facade mirrors adjacent lake and main gallery illuminated by top lighting through a roof arc. Dependent on daylight as the sole lighting strategy.

Kimball Art Gallery,USA- voted ceilings with silvery daylight effect, a perforated anodised aluminium reflector, even distribution of daylight, visual adaption through landscape approach and curved shells supported only at corners. Reflectors helps spread sunlight uniformly and thin strips of natural light into the gallery, this means that there is a controlled diffusion of daylight for visual comfort and artwork display.

What are the three main elements of a good view?

Sky and a distant object, middle distance, nearby objects and ground

Why is it important to have a direct view outside?

Variations in daylight help communicate the time of day, weather conditions and external activities/events