Visible outside view as a facilitation tool to evaluate view quality and shading systems through building openings

Abstract

Viewing the natural environment from inside homes and workplaces has been recognized by a range of scholars as having an impact on improving health and well-being. Research has shown that a combination of outdoor elements – such as blue sky, sea view and greenery – is highly preferred as these elements are therapeutic for human wellbeing. However, installing shading systems is an important strategy for passive building cooling but it could affect our sense of connection to the outside environment. Most researchers evaluate view quality using qualitative questionnaires or quantitative methods by analyzing the geometry outside using 2D and 3D software which needs the outdoor environment to be fully built in the simulation accurately takes more time and may cause a system crash to run. This paper presents a new facilitation tool to quantify the visible outside view (VOV) by analyzing the outside view image by converting the view content into red, blue, and green (RGB) pixels using image processing technique. VOV measures the occupant's ray tracking percentage to the visible outside view content taking into consideration the blind factor of shading. An indicator start from 0 % to 100 % is given to quantify the outside view content including shading systems which then the overall VOV is related to the visible outside view quality as a factor of well-being potential (WP). The study found that the shading strategy should not be the same at all levels and shading devices in primary design stages considering the view to the natural elements positively affects occupants' wellbeing potential. These findings suggest that the proposed algorithm needs to be implemented with building energy and daylight simulation to produce more holistic systems. This will be the only way to get efficient and sustainable buildings highly connected with the human dimension.