Daylight potential of Swedish residential environments: Visual and beyond-vision effects and the relationship with well-being assessment

Abstract

Good lighting is one of the most important comfort factors in residential buildings. In creating a comfortable and restorative living space, the effects of light, both visual and effects beyond vision, play a crucial role. Daylight is considered an essential factor for indoor environments, which can benefit occupants’ health as well as lower energy use. This study investigated the potential daylight exposure for 10 apartments in Sweden, using metrics to quantify both visual effects and effects beyond vision and to understand the relationship between the light situation in the apartments and well-being metrics collected from occupants during a field study. Computational modelling of daylight conditions for visual effects and effects beyond vision was performed. Statistical analysis was utilised to investigate the possible relationship between the apartments’ daylight potential and the self-reported well-being of the occupants. The results show variations of light exposure for apartments in different seasons. Furthermore, possible relationships between well-being metrics and daylight exposure changes were observed despite being possibly influenced by seasonal light level contrasts.