Representing the photobiological dimension of light in northern architecture

Abstract

Daylight can enhance the quality and inhabitability of architecture through a better relationship with the exterior environment, especially by its intensity, chromaticity and ability to synchronize the human circadian clock. Daylight integration in architecture remains a challenge in Nunavik (Quebec, Canada) due to its subarctic climate, photoperiod and solar geometry. The objective of this research is to implement photobiological metrics of light in architectural representations by isolating the photopic (daytime vision) and melanopic (circadian clock) portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, and to spatialize daylight and artificial light in relation to landscapes and indoor architectural spaces. An automated and low-cost capture tool based on Raspberry Pi microcomputers and Camera Modules (RPiCM) captures high dynamic range images, which accurately measure luminance to render human perception. Absolute photopic luminance maps (cd/m2) are supplemented with false colour displays of photopic/melanopic contents of light regarding building surface materials. The research develops photometric captures of absolute photopic and melanopic illuminance (lux, EML). Photobiological metrics of light are integrated into a set of physical properties of lighting patterns to perform light assessments and are ultimately represented as a graphical display to help designers and researchers to evaluate architectural interior–exterior relationships through daylight qualities.