Analysis of illuminance, uniformity and glare in building models with different wiondow configurations

Abstract

Adequate daylighting in work environments is essential for users’ health and well-being. Fenestration configuration is one of the factors that impact visual comfort the most, and over time, windows have grown in the area until the “curtain glass facades” became omnipresent. This work investigated the effect of daylight in office spaces in building models located in Vitória, ES, with different configurations concerning the building stories, window characteristics, and the Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWR). The methodology uses dynamic simulations over one year through the DIVA-for-Rhino software and analyzes the light transmission (LT) variation and influence of external shading elements when present. The results show that the brise-soleils greatly influence visual comfort, increasing uniformity of the incoming light and reducing the occurrence of excessive illuminances and intolerable glare. However, their use must be well planned, as they can reduce illuminance if attached to low WWR facades and low light transmission index glazing. The surrounding obstruction impacts the stories closest to the ground. In conclusion, no ideal model addresses the best daylighting performance in relation to all the metrics studied, leaving it to the designer to define the most adequate configurations for the situation at hand.