Assignment 3 – Daylighting Analysis
Arch 273 – Julie Musial
Introduction:
The “Delightful Daylighting” lab model addresses the standards of daylighting in K-12, new construction classroom
spaces. This lab explores the relationships of daylighting apertures, both vertical and horizontal, to the amount of
daylight achieved. It also helps to define the importance of calculation or estimated daylight to the operable or
designed daylighting system.
Design Narrative:
The daylighting system of a K-12 classroom should provide effective daylight to all user of the classroom space.
The daylighting system will comply with the LEED New Construction Credit 2.1 providing a minimum of 2%
Daylighting Factor (DF) to 75% of the building. In this particular design, a hybrid system of both vertical and
horizontal apertures is used to effectively light the space. The vertical wall apertures of the “window aperture
wall” (see Diagram/Tables section, “Daylighting Estimations”, page 2) allow light to penetrate the room up to 7
feet according to the 2.5H rule. The horizontal ceiling apertures are placed in two rows equally spaced over the
remaining two-thirds of the space to wash the far walls and floor area with light not received via the vertical
aperture. Shading devices were omitted from this design out of sheer oversight. They will be added to the existing
model and analyzed in a future assignment. The reflectance of the space is an abstract of light shade (white, offwhite, cream) matte interior enamel paint. This material was selected based upon occupancy needs, usage, and
durability.
Narrative Evaluation:
Qualitative
Overall the effect of the daylighting system was quiet successful. All occupants of the room received a relatively
fair amount of daylight. When looking at the model under non-controlled conditions, the vertical and horizontal
placement of the window systems created generally uniform blanket of light. However, once inside controlled
conditions, the vertical and horizontal apertures allowed for direct solar radiation to pass directly into the
classroom, bounce off the walls and create a specular pattern around the room. In this case, the addition of
shading devices on both the horizontal and vertical apertures would diffuse the direct solar radiation, allow same
amount of light, and reduce or eliminate the existence of the specular light pools.
Quantitative
(For this section, please reference the “Daylight Estimations” in the Diagrams/Tables section on pages 2-3)
The six estimations of daylight factor were significantly lower than the measured values provided by CERES. Areas
with sensor 2, 3, and 4 had highest amount of measured daylight. Areas 2, 3, and 4 were adjacent to the vertical
window aperture wall. Areas 5 – 10 should have been relatively equal in measurement. However, sensors 5-7
were placed almost directly under the skylights while sensors 8-10 were directly under the chipboard modeling
material. While the difference is miniscule, the implications of the sensors suggest placement and or
shading/diffusers are highly necessary in this situation.
Analysis Lessons:
Page
1
Daylighting systems should utilize not only vertical apertures but horizontal apertures as well. Shading devices of
some fashion are essential to eliminating unwanted direct solar radiation, glare, and solar heat gain inside the
building. Each aperture should utilize a diffuser to spread light farther into the space.
Model Photographs:
Diagrams/Tables
Daylight Factor Estimations
Window Aperture Wall
Vertical Window Aperture
.01(44ft2/1140ft2)
DF = .00385
Vertical Window Aperture
.01(44ft2/1140ft2)
DF = .00385
Vertical Window Aperture
.01(48ft2/1140ft2)
DF = .00421
Sensor 2
Horizontal Window Aperture
.5(8ft2/1140ft2)
DF = .003508
Sensor 3
Horizontal Window Aperture
.5(8ft2/1140ft2)
DF = .003508
Sensor 4
Horizontal Window Aperture
.5(8ft2/1140ft2)
DF = .003508
Sensor 5
Horizontal Window Aperture
.5(8ft2/1140ft2)
DF = .003508
Sensor 6
Horizontal Window Aperture
.5(8ft2/1140ft2)
DF = .003508
Sensor 9
Sensor 7
Horizontal Window Aperture
.5(8ft2/1140ft2)
DF = .003508
Sensor 8
Sensor 10
Sensor 1
Model Placement w/in Mirror Sky, CERES:
Window Aperture Wall
2
5
8
3
6
9
4
7
10
Entrance Door
Page
2
1
Mirrored Sky Collected Data:
Project title
Adjust
0.71
vertglassVLT
0.95
mullion
0.90
dirt
0.61
Room – Perm. Dscpt.
Data Row A
AVG
Adjust
Adj DF
External - 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
2301.72
278.39
333.21
222.75
183.23
210.99
163.22
149.75
166.88
129.60
2304.91
278.46
333.83
222.89
183.30
211.46
163.49
150.18
166.58
129.93
2303.97
279.04
334.25
223.39
183.23
210.85
163.49
149.54
165.84
130.19
2304.95
278.90
333.70
222.90
182.97
210.58
163.63
149.97
166.21
129.73
2303.64
277.60
333.29
222.33
182.90
210.11
162.41
150.25
165.55
129.54
2303.84
278.48
333.66
222.85
183.13
210.80
163.25
149.94
166.21
129.80
0.61
169.05
202.55
135.28
111.17
127.97
99.10
91.02
100.90
78.79
7.34
8.79
5.87
4.83
5.55
4.30
3.95
4.38
3.42
Page
Cell
3
data line xx