Abstract
Natural light is a vital force for human beings. Successful daylighting in buildings requires trade-offs and optimization between competing design aspects (e.g. light distribution, glare, solar gains, views, etc.), whilst also including consideration of façade layout, space configuration, internal finishes and choice/operation of shading devices. However, to design energy-sustainable built environments which are conducive to human health, these variables have necessarily to be related also with biological and behavioural factors such as metabolic rhythms, psychological stimulation and occupants’ preferences. Basing on a multidisciplinary review of existing literature, this paper looks at the relationship between quantitative physical measures of the luminous environment (e.g. horizontal and vertical illuminance, luminance ratio, correlated colour temperature), qualitative aspects of vision (e.g. uniformity, distribution), and psycho-physiological human response to natural light. The aim of the study consists in defining a framework to implement existing daylighting practices basing not solely on photopic requirements but also containing awareness of the demands for psychological and photobiological stimulation, so as to positively influence the health of occupants whilst enhancing energy savings.
Highlights
The use of daylight in buildings, with its variations, its spectral composition, and the provision for external views, is of great importance for the comfort and well-being of occupants
The drawbacks normally associated with a poorly- designed and managed daylighting strategy and the energy reductions made possible by up-to-date artificial lighting systems and controls (e.g. T5 lamps with electronic ballasts), often make it difficult to justify an extensive use of daylight solely on the basis of potential energy savings (Boyce et al, 2003)
To substantiate the choice of a daylighting strategy, it is essential to prove that such solution can simultaneously foster other significant advantages to the overall quality of the architectural space, bringing benefits to the comfort, health and well-being of the people that live and work inside the building and to the finances of organisation commissioning or occupying it
Summary
The use of daylight in buildings, with its variations, its spectral composition, and the provision for external views, is of great importance for the comfort and well-being of occupants. Recent findings suggest that visual performance and comfort can be strongly influenced by perceptive cues (such as an interesting view) other than merely by physical parameters According to these results, it follows that psycho-physiological characters could increase the tolerance to extreme daylighting conditions beyond what is stated in international standards, potentially reducing the need to install and operate shading devices that could deprive internal environments of beneficial amounts of daylight and act to the detriment of users’ physiological and perceptive well-being. In ‘light’ of these new findings, the aim of this study consists in defining a framework to implement existing daylighting practices basing not solely on photopic requirements for visual tasks and containing awareness of the demands for psychological and photobiological stimulation, so as to positively influence the health and attitude of building occupants whilst enhancing energy savings
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