Daylight Prediction and Assessment: Theory and Design Practice

Abstract

Historical developments of interior daylight criteria were influenced by the simplifying imagination of the uniform Lambertian sky luminance on a fictitious hemisphere with a unity radius. Thus, the Sky Component of the Daylight Factor was defined and standardised in many countries, and different methods, tables or graphical tools were prepared for practical window design tasks or for assessing interior daylighting. With a growing need to design sustainable building environments and energy efficient architecture utilising local daylight climate, conditions that are more realistic have to be taken into account. Several novel approaches in criteria and assessment methods (respecting annual changes in sunlight and skylight conditions) are reviewed in this paper indicating future energy conservation measures or directives that will considerably influence architectural science and design practice.