The influence of the lateral distances between buildings on the availability of indoor daylighting

Abstract

This study addresses aspects related to daylighting in the indoor environment, more specifically the influence of lateral distances between obstructing buildings on the availability of indoor daylighting, taking the height of the buildings and width of the roads into account. In accordance with the adopted methodology, comparisons were made of the percentage of illuminance values of the internal environment by using UDI (Useful Daylight Illuminance) ranges on a selected point within an interior environment with an opening oriented to the North. The percentages of illuminance values were generated by simulation using the TropLux program in a rectangular geometry environment inserted in an urban setting in the city of Vitória, Espírito Santo (Latitude 20°19'S). The simulations were carried out for three types of sky patterns recognized by the CIE (Commission Internationale L'aclairage). One of the main results of this study was that, in locations with sky types 3 (overcast), 7 (partly cloudy), and 12 (clear), there were greater variations in the average annual internal illuminance when there were changes in the lateral distances between the obstructing buildings that were not directly in front of the building that was being analyzed. It was also found that in area with sky types 3 (overcast), 7 (partly cloudy), and 12 (clear), changes in the lateral distances between the three obstructing buildings had little effect on percentage changes in the 100≤UDI≤500 lux range and 500≤UDI ≤2000 lux range.