Design of farm winery façades for the optimisation of indoor natural lighting: a case study

Abstract

This paper deals with the theme of daylighting performances of rural buildings, within a broader research context aimed at establishing design criteria for farm wineries. The objective is to benchmark the performances of different window systems in order to define design guidelines directed towards the optimisation of natural lighting to improve visual comfort and reduce energy consumption. A winegrowing and producing farm with standard features in the Emilia- Romagna region, Northern Italy, is considered as a case study. Particular attention was given to the part of the building designated for tasting activities. The study considered several opening solutions in the building envelope, and showed the effectiveness of those involving south <em>façade</em> glazing with appropriate screening systems. Further analyses will aim to investigate the performance of windows distributed on several fronts, including heat balance assessment.