Influence of Internal Courtyards on the Energy Load and Hours of Illuminance in Row Houses in Toronto

German Vaisman

doi:10.32920/ryerson.14661558

Abstract

Natural daylight is desirable in locations where winter days are short. With narrow front and long depth, row houses interiors in Toronto tend to be dark, as natural light cannot penetrate to the central portion of the house. This study aims to contribute to the development of guidelines for designers using courtyards to create better space quality and to add to occupants’ delight, health and wellbeing. It examines the potential benefits and drawbacks of internal courtyards in houses located in cold climates and the implications of such design on the energy performance, natural light and lighting consumption. The simulations showed that the window to wall ratio doesn’t have major influence on the hours of daylight inside the house. The main results also show significant improvement of the hours of illuminance in the interior, with higher increases in the shorter days of the year when light is more needed.

Highlights

1.1 MotivationInherently, the row house archetype implies lower energy consumption as a result of sharing interior walls and less exposed surfaces
The centre of the row house is the location with lower levels of natural light, an issue often resolved with skylights and light wells
To understand the influence of an internal courtyard on the energy performance and hours of illuminance in a row house located in Toronto, the following variables are combined:

Summary

Introduction

The row house archetype implies lower energy consumption as a result of sharing interior walls and less exposed surfaces. In. Toronto, the need of light generated a vernacular design that detaches the back end of the sidewall from the adjacent house. The need of light generated a vernacular design that detaches the back end of the sidewall from the adjacent house This configuration generates a bay of light and air within the middle of the row house. The reduced exposed surfaces of a row house don’t have enough area for windows, increasing the need of artificial lighting. The centre of the row house is the location with lower levels of natural light, an issue often resolved with skylights and light wells.

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Conclusion