The primary focus of this three-day course will be the study of daylighting in an architectural context. The course will stress the integration of daylight with other sustainable design concerns such as solar gain control, electric lighting energy use, and occupant comfort and will demonstrate how these concerns can collectively act as form-givers for architecture. We will also offer a review of the latest research on visual and nonvisual effects of light on human well-being and alertness.
Course participants will acquire a range of daylighting design analysis techniques ranging from rules of thumb to state-of-the-art computer simulations and high dynamic range photography for glare analysis. The main simulation programs used will be McNeel Associate's Rhinoceros as well as a plug-in called DIVA-for Rhino that supports the calculation of daylight availability, annual daylight glare probability maps, thermal load calculations and radiation maps. DIVA is based on the state-of-the-art simulation programs Radiance, Daysim, Evalglare, and EnergyPlus. The physical assumptions underlying these programs will be discussed in detail.
The first two days will consist of formal instructions, in-class discussions, hands-on software tutorials, and exercises. Participants will also be given the opportunity to calibrate their personal digital cameras to take HDR images and learn several ways of how to quantitatively evaluate these images. During the last day, participants will be given the opportunity to apply the newly acquired analysis techniques to ongoing projects of their own.
Except for Rhinoceros all software packages will be provided to participants free of charge and should be installed on their personal laptops prior to the first lecture. (Software support will be provided.) Participants are expected to bring a newer laptop running a Windows operating system in addition to a digital camera which will be calibrated during the workshop for taking accurate high dynamic range photographs. A high quality 400 page course reader that includes a series of book chapters and papers related to the topic will be provided.
New features include:
- Discussion of the latest climate-based daylighting metrics research
- Annual glare analysis of simulated and real daylit spaces using high dynamic range imagery
- Integrated thermal/lighting load calculations
- Efficient design workflows for education, practice and research.
Learning Objectives:
- Develop a personal definition of "good" daylighting.
- Acquire the skills needed to carry out an integrated annual daylight, glare and thermal load analysis of complex spaces.
- Recognize how to influence design decisions based on this analysis.
- Review current research trends and challenges related to daylighting metrics and occupant use of shading devices and controls.
- Conduct annual glare analysis of simulated and real daylit spaces using high dynamic range imagery
- Calculate integrated thermal/lighting load
