Optimization of facade design based on the impact of interior obstructions to daylighting

Abstract

Overcrowding in the perimeter zone is an inevitable issue in residential rooms with limited space. Obstructions, such as furniture and household items, may block the existing windows, and therefore affect interior daylight conditions. A façade design approach is needed that simultaneously takes into account daylighting and the volume of usable space for obstructions in the perimeter zone of such rooms. This study simulates daylight distributions in a typical small residential room with obstructions in front of windows. The simulation consists of two parts. First, the effects on horizontal illuminances caused by different positions and shapes of obstructions are examined under an overcast sky. Second, the maximum usable space volumes for obstructions of 51 optimized façade configurations are calculated in terms of four window-to-wall ratios (W W Rs). The results of this study show that optimizing the forms of facade design can increase the usable interior space volume and meet the daylighting requirements of Chinese standards for small residential rooms. Additionally, by using the optimized façade forms, a façade with a W W R value of 50% provides the maximum usable space for obstructions. Based on the above results, this paper presents two matrices that can help architects in selecting the appropriate fenestration methods and confirming the size of usable space and allocation for residents.

Daylighting Performance Simulation: Prediction Accuracy/Processing Speed Trade-Off

“…For glare analysis at positions close to the façade, lower -ab values (-ab1) have been deemed reasonable [30]. The choice of -ab value is particularly relevant in the case of façades that have geometrically complex or light re-directing components [31].…”