![Sun, sky brightness, and glow: Making the most of daylight [AIA course]](/sites/default/files/datylight.jpg "Sun, sky brightness, and glow: Making the most of daylight [AIA course]")
To some project teams, “daylighting” means using glass area to admit direct sunlight, period. Yet there are better approaches to illuminating building interiors. Often, the sun’s direct rays are the last thing you need for effective daylighting.
Sunlight comes with high solar heat gain—measured as solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) for various types of glazing and translucent materials—and can lead to glare, occupant thermal discomfort, and material degradation caused by ultraviolet (UV) light.
Building occupants and owners want useful, uniform light, not high-contrast or high-heat sources, according to surveys like the seminal study led by the University of Washington (https://tinyurl.com/zhpx7h3). That’s why controlled and redirected sunlight almost always provides the best approach, while direct rays may be counted among the least desirable techniques.
Building surfaces and enclosures receiving direct sunlight need solar control systems, including shading devices such as overhangs and fins that may be opaque or translucent, solid or louvered, according to the Best Practices Manual published by the Collaborative for
High Performance Schools. Canopies, window films, and insulated glazing units (IGUs) with internal louvers may also be required. Façades and areas facing north, on the other hand, need ways to maximize daylight harvest.
After reading this article, you should be able to:
+ Discuss the benefits and ideal kinds of daylighting illumination desired for such interiors as workplaces, libraries, and museums.
+ Describe the types of enclosure technologies and wholebuilding design approaches for maximizing beneficial daylighting.
+ List techniques for improving daylighting performance.
+ Compare the methods or materials commonly used in daylighting applications.
TAKE THIS FREE AIA COURSE AT BDCUNIVERSITY.COM
Related Stories
Energy Efficiency | Jun 13, 2016
The nation’s largest net zero-plus commercial building retrofit opens in L.A.
The goal of the Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute is for this structure to become a model for emergency operations centers for communities.
Green | Apr 27, 2016
Top 10 green building projects for 2016
The Exploratorium at Pier 15 in San Francisco and the West Branch of the Berkeley Public Library are two of the projects recognized by AIA COTE as the top green buildings of 2016.
Sponsored | Daylighting | Apr 8, 2015
Bigger, brighter daylighting in Byerly's supermarket
More natural light was needed, but the project team wanted it to be diffused across large areas of the store.
| Dec 29, 2014
Spherical reflectors help spread daylight throughout a college library in Portland, Ore. [BD+C's 2014 Great Solutions Report]
The 40,000-sf library is equipped with four “cones of light,” spherical reflectors made from extruded aluminum that distribute daylight from the library’s third floor to illuminate the second. The innovation was named a 2014 Great Solution by the editors of Building Design+Construction.
| Dec 28, 2014
Using energy modeling to increase project value [AIA course]
This course, worth 1.0 AIA LU/HSW, explores how to increase project value through energy modeling, as well as how to conduct quick payback and net present value studies to identify which energy strategies are most viable for the project.
| May 20, 2014
Kinetic Architecture: New book explores innovations in active façades
The book, co-authored by Arup's Russell Fortmeyer, illustrates the various ways architects, consultants, and engineers approach energy and comfort by manipulating air, water, and light through the layers of passive and active building envelope systems.
