An Introduction to

Daylight Design and

Modelling

SADA
NUST, Islamabad
 Daylighting
The provision of good quality daylight is essential in ensuring
occupant health, comfort and productivity - whilst also reducing
energy demand for electric lighting.

Research shows that occupants prefer day-lit environments.

Effective daylighting depends on a range of factors:

• Amount of daylight available (from an overcast sky).

• External obstructions and their properties of reflectance.
• The colour of internal finishes and their reflectance.
• The proportion of glazing to wall and floor area.
• The location of openings.
• The depth of floor plan.

H,C&L (Norbert) p386

 Daylight Form
Following the invention of glass (but prior to the invention of electric
lighting) buildings were designed to optimise the benefits of natural
ventilation and daylight by adopting an E, H , U or O (courtyard)
form.
 Glazing Ratios: Energy Performance &
Occupant Comfort

• The window to wall ratio of a façade

has a significant impact on building
energy performance and occupant
thermal comfort.

• Often a buildings requirements for

daylight and thermal performance are
in conflict as the U-value of glazing is
often considerably lower than that of
the surrounding building fabric.

• Often a compromise must be made

between achieving the optimum
daylight levels, an adequate ‘view out’
and ‘acceptable’ heat losses.
 Window Type & Specification:
Daylight Transmittance and Solar Gain
The type of glazing has a direct influence on thermal performance and
daylight levels.
Triple glazing gives greater thermal comfort but significantly reduces
potential for winter heat gains.

Tinted or reflective glass and or fixed shading devices - installed to

prevent summer overheating – can result in reduced daylighting
levels and resultant increased energy usage for artificial lighting.
Window specifications Daylight transmission Solar transmission (Ug =
direct heat from the sun)
Single glazing 88% 83%
Double glazing 77-80% 65-70%
Double glazing - tinted 29% 39%
Triple glazing 70% 40-60%
Uncontrolled Heat Transfer Through Glazing

Glazing provides natural daylight but if incorrectly designed can

result in excessive uncontrolled summer solar gains and winter heat
losses.

When undertaking a daylight analysis the number, size, design and

orientation of glazed areas should be adjusted until the optimum
daylight levels are achieved for the activity taking place in the space

The most effective way to reduce heat loss through glazing is to

reduce its area.

Recommended glazing ratios are generally between 25-50% of the

external wall of the day lit space.

However, this is dependant on individual factors such as orientation,

location, obstructions (View of sky) and activity/user requirements
Daylighting Single Aspect Spaces

In single aspect spaces

illuminance levels drop rapidly
with distance away from the
windows.

Rules of Thumb:

When windows are on one wall

only – the window should be at
least 35% of the wall length.

The depth of useful levels of

daylight is approximately 2 x the
distance from the floor to the top
of the window.
Daylighting: The roof as a source of
overhead natural light

H,C&L (Norbert) p394

 Roof Lighting:
Skylights
Skylights are domed, horizontal or
slightly sloping glazed openings in the
roof.
They are exposed to unobstructed
sky and therefore transmit high
levels of illumination.
The main challenge of using roof
lighting is managing the varying
changes in daylight levels between a
clear and cloudy sky
High levels of direct sunlight are not
desirable for undertaking visual
tasks - sunlight should be diffused
in some manner.
 Sky Lights and Illuminance Levels
For example:

On a clear day a 0.6m sky light will illuminate approximately 23m² of

floor area - On a cloudy day it will illuminate approximately 4.5m² of
floor area.
Therefore, inappropriate positioning of skylights can result in
patches of intense light which cause ‘veiling reflections’ which can
significantly impact on visual comfort and performance.

image.slidesharecdn.com
Rules of Thumb for Effective SkyLighting
To create uniformly top- lit spaces, a rule of thumb is to space sky
lights 0.5 x the room height (finished ceiling to finished floor) of the
space away from external walls - with 1.5 x room height in between,

lightingcontrolsassociation.org
 Splayed openings

Splayed openings can be used to

soften the contrast between
windows and walls / ceilings
reducing glare and improving light
distribution.

Splayed ceiling surfaces can also

help to distribute light within a
space;.

H,C&L (Norbert) p399

 Monitor Lighting

Monitor lighting can

be used to reduce
glare, heat gains, and
protect internal
spaces from direct
sunlight, by providing
an opaque roof and
overhang above the
glazing.

The opaque roof diffuses

the intensity of light and
reduces potential for
‘veiling reflections’

www.public.asu.edu
 Saw tooth Roofs:
Optimising North Light

The light from the northern sky is

rich in the blue end of the
spectrum (cool rendering).

North lighting prevents excessive

brightness and damage from
direct daylight and provides
excellent colour rendering
qualities – perfect for art and
design studios, museums and
galleries.

High level north light can be

introduced using Clerestory
windows and glazed openings in
saw tooth roof configurations.
Saw Tooth Lighting
Saw tooth lighting is an effective
method of creating uniform
daylighting within a space.
www.public.asu.edu
Heat gains and direct solar glare
can be prevented by orientating
openings towards the
North.

The south facing aspect of the ‘shaded’

side provides an ideal site for the
application of photovoltaic panels –
although proximity must be considered
to prevent over shading due to the lower
angle of the winter sun.
Saw Tooth Roofs
Saw tooth roofs have provided natural
ventilation and uniform daylight in industrial
buildings for hundreds of years.

Hayes. B. www.flickr.com
 Saw Tooth Photovoltaic Roof
University of Gloucestershire Sports Hall

BREEAM Excellent

RIBA Regional Award and Civic

Trust Award for sustainability

Architect: Feilden Clegg Bradley LLP

 Saw Tooth Photovoltaic Roof
University of Gloucestershire Sports Hall

insight.glos.ac.uk

www.lowcarboneconomy.com

64 kWp Photovoltaic saw tooth roof

 Clerestory Windows
clerestory windows are usually situated
at a high level (near the ceiling of the
room) - always above eye level.

They provide an effective source of

natural light and ventilation whilst
reducing glare.

www.cityofboise.org
Clerestory Windows

image.slidesharecdn.com

Clerestory windows are one of the most effective strategies for ensuring
good levels of daylight within a space – as daylight penetration increases
with window height

Clerestory Lighting
St Luke’s C of E Primary School
Architype
Light Shelves

Light shelves improve quality of

light by increasing the depth of the
daylighting zone.

They act as a shading device to

reduce summer heat gains and
help to reduce glare by blocking
the view of the bight sky in the
lower window. H,C&L (Norbert) p401

Light shelves should be placed above eye level to prevent glare.

The higher the ceiling above the shelf the deeper the penetration of
redirected light
 Secondary Interior Light Shelves

Adding a second light shelf on the

interior will help control glare from the
upper window.

Interior light shelves are more effective

in collecting daylight than louvres.

They can be made of lightweight

reflective material such as white film
or stretched fabric on a metal frame.
H,C&L (Norbert) p401

A rule of thumb is that the depth of the internal light shelf should be
approximately equal to the height of the clerestory window head above
the shelf.
 Light Shelves

sustainabilityworkshop.autodesk.com
www.c-sgroup.com

Light shelves should be placed above eye level to prevent glare.

The higher the ceiling above the shelf the deeper the penetration of
redirected light
Light Shelves: Clackamas High School
Boora Architects
Natural lighting is optimised by the
use of light shelves which shade the
glazing - protecting it from solar gain
The light shelves increase natural
daylight whilst reducing glare by
deflecting light into the classrooms
through windows above the light
shelves
Adapted from:
sustainabilityworkshop.autodesk.com

Vertical Light Shelves (Baffles) are used to better distribute daylight

and prevent glare from direct sunlight. This is particularly effective in
South facing saw tooth roof applications
 Atria and Light Wells
The incorporation of an atria or light well into a building will not
automatically lead to energy savings – it can lead to an increased need
for artificial lighting, mechanical ventilation and cooling.
The benefits of incorporating an atrium over merely introducing an
open space must be considered.
Open spaces provide a building with unobstructed daylight and direct
access to fresh air via natural ventilation.
However - Atria offer
pre-heated ventilation air,
reduced conductive
heat loss and
weather protected
useful space.

H,C&L (Norbert) p396

 Ensuring Energy Efficiency in Atria

To ensure that the presence of an atrium does not increase the

energy consumption of a building the following must be observed:
The daylighting levels in the enclosed space must be maximised by
the use of reflective finishes and clear glazing allowing maximum use
of natural light in adjoining rooms.
The atrium must have a supply of fresh air which will permit natural
ventilation of the surrounding rooms.
Solar shading and high ventilation rates must be provided in the
summer to prevent overheating.
The surrounding rooms should be thermally separated to prevent
unwanted heat loses and gains.
 Atria and Daylighting

In top lit atria the depth of the

zone with a sky view reduces
rapidly in line with atrium height.

This places a higher reliance on

component reflected light from the
atrium walls.
As a ‘general rule’ the daylit zone
should be limited to the sky view
zone to gain any significant
daylighting advantages to adjacent
rooms – use a maximum height to
width ratio of 3:1.
However, reflected light can make a
significant contribution to the
distribution and intensity of daylight.
H,C&L (Norbert)
 Lightwells
Light wells allow natural light into
deep plan buildings.

Sloping roof glazing should

ideally face north to prevent
overheating

Photo: L Duxbury 2012 Energy Technology Building – Jubilee Campus

 Daylight Study of increasing daylight
provision in deep plan buildings using atria
and lightwells

image.slidesharecdn.com
 Comparative Summary of Strategies

image.slidesharecdn.com
SOLAR SHADING
 Solar Shading
Solar shading
• Helps to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures - protects
occupant health and well-being.
• Prevents overheating and uncomfortable glare.
• Reduces energy consumption and related CO2 emissions.

Solar shading should not compromise daylight to the extent that

electrical lighting is needed in daylight hours.

It should be designed to prevent summer overheating whilst allowing

useful heat gains in the winter months.

External shading is the more effective than internal shading at

reducing heat gains.

Internal shading should only be used as a supplementary measure or

in cases where external shading is not possible to fit.
 Solar Shading – South Façade

South Facing glazing is the easiest to shade without compromising

daylight

Fixed horizontal shading such as balconies, ledges, overhangs and

brise soleil can be used.

If glare from winter sun is an issue (offices and classrooms) movable

fixed external shading can be applied (as for east and west).

Alternatively internal blinds can be fitted for winter use.

Total overhang should be around 50% of the window height and

maximum 1.5m to allow for winter solar gain (More than one shading
device will be needed to shade a tall window).
 South Shading Strategies
Oversized Fixed Shading

H,C&L (Norbert) p400

Oversized horizontal fixed shading can block out too much natural
light - unless both the underside of the overhang and the ground
have high reflective values which allow light to be reflected into the
room.
South Facing Shading
Brise Soleil

Lightweight.
Allow maximum light, cooling and
ventilation.
Can be retrofitted
 Solar Shading – South Façade
Fixed Horizontal Shading
.

Roofs, overhangs
balconies and ledges

Can eliminate up to 80%

direct solar heat gain.

Factor in at design stage.

Low maintenance and
cleaning.
Durable
www.ecovidainternational.com
Impact on Aesthetics
 Solar Shading – South Façade

Fixed horizontal Louvres

Only shade sunlight when sun is at
its higher levels – does not restrict
winter sun.
Thinner Louvre blades
No user control or adaptivity

www.levolux.com
 Solar Shading – East and West Façades

Horizontal overhangs are not effective on East and West facades.

Vertical or horizontal movable shutters or external blinds are

necessary.

External movable louvered shutters provide the best solar shading

whilst also allowing solar gain during winter.

If the shutters are closed at night they also provide security.

 Dynamic External
Shading
Horizontal Fins

Intelligent shading systems track

irradiance levels, sun path and angle.
 East or West

Exterior Blinds &

Awnings
Manually or automatically operated
Easy to retrofit - can be stored over winter

Need to cover 65 -70% of the window to

omit direct sunlight.

ww.archiexpo.com
builditsolar.com www.screen-house.com
 Motorised External Venetian Blinds
East or West
South (Winter glare) + Overhang

L. Duxbury 2013
L. Duxbury 2013
www.sportsafeuk.com www.molaro.it

www.jamesrobertshaw.co.uk
 Integrated (Encapsulated)
Blinds

http://www.aecinfo.com L. Duxbury 2013

L. Duxbury 2013
 South, East or West
Dynamic External
Shading:

Photovoltaic Sun Tracking

Louvres

Council Building
www.coltinfo.co.uk
Edingen, Germany
Automatic translucent roller shades

Exterior translucent roller shades

that automatically respond to sun
and wind conditions can be used
east and west facing windows –
and on south facing glazing to
reduce glare from the low winter
sun
 East or West
Translucent roller shades
 Motorised
Solar Screens

www.archdaily.com

www.archdaily.com www.archdaily.com
 Fixed Mesh Shading
Nottingham University

HOUSE (Home Optimising

the Use of Solar Energy)

Built by Students - Britain’s

entry in the European Solar
Decathlon 2009

Photo: L Duxbury 2012 Photo: L Duxbury 2012

www.archdaily.com
 Shading With
Vegetation

www.elad.lbl.gov

Natural source of shading

Absorbs CO2 and emits oxygen
Shaded walls 5°- 20°C cooler.
Air conditioning units 10% more
energy efficient.
Shaded neighbourhoods can be 2° -
3°C cooler.

East or West
 Green City Hotel
Vauban, Freiburg - Germany

Photo: L. Duxbury 2013

Photo: L. Duxbury 2013

L. Duxbury 2014 L. Duxbury 2014
 Solar Shading – South East and South West Façades
South-east and South-west facades require a combination of
horizontal overhangs and vertical fins

www.fabricarchitectur
www.arch.ced.berkeley.edu emag.com

Phoenix Central Library: Will Bruder,

Vertical Tensioned Fabric Solae Headquarters

Shades (Fixed) St. Louis, Mo.
 Dynamic Vertical Shading
SOUTH EAST or SOUTH WEST

Apply dynamic vertical shading on

South East and South West facades
 South East or South West:
Vertical Motorised
Shading

Bexley Business
Academy.
Vertical motorised solar
shading follows the sun -
eliminating solar gains
whilst allowing the
maximum natural light
into the building.

www.levolux.com
 Saw Tooth Roof
Clinical Trials Unit: Warwick Medical School

MJP Architects
BREEAM Excellent
www.mjparchitects.co.uk
 Clinical Trials Unit:
Warwick Medical School

Solar Shading Strategy

www.mjparchitects.co.uk

Vertical brise-soleil
louvres on south east
and south west
facades reduce glare
and solar gain.

www.mjparchitects.co.uk
 The Nottingham Geospatial Building
Jubilee Campus – Maber Architects

East or West – A combination of shading strategies can be used to add interest

Photo: L. Duxbury 2013
 East and West Shading
Al Bahar Towers – Abu Dhabi

archibaseplanet.com

The sunscreen of the Al Bahar is made up of over 1,000 computerized

umbrellas composed of Teflon-coated fiberglass mesh panes on
triangular steel and aluminum frames.
Powered by photovoltaic cells on the buildings’ roofs, the shades open
and close like umbrellas as they respond to the sun.
 Al Bahar Towers – Abu Dhabi

archibaseplanet.com