Abstract
What are inhabitants’ perceptions and uses of windows in multi-dwelling buildings? This paper reports on a field study that explores daylight, the visual connection to the outside and the role of windows in the home during the day and night. Qualitative interviews were held with 20 participants living in multi-dwelling buildings. The thematic analysis identified two main components as characteristic of residents’ experiences with their windows. The first, ‘perceived dwelling comfort’, consists of different types of comfort qualities, for example, keeping the body sufficiently warm or cool, blocking exterior noise, enabling visual tasks, perceiving the room to be adequately daylit, visually pleasant and spacious, obtaining visual privacy, and having an outside view to provide information and engagement. The second, ‘preferred exposure to external elements’ (<em>e.g.</em> air, sound, light, people outside) expresses a desire for personal control and reflects variability over time (momentary, daily, seasonal, ageing) and between individuals or groups. Windows represent an enjoyment of the home and fulfil much more than physical needs. They must allow sufficient personal control over fresh and cool air, sound, sunlight, streetlighting and privacy. <em><strong>Practice relevance</strong></em> An enabling home environment affords residents opportunities to regulate the visual openness to the outside in order to satisfy individual needs for privacy or social connection. Preferences vary within and between household members, so window treatments must be easy for inhabitants to adjust. Housing designers and developers are advised to include exterior shading devices in the design and optional indoor window treatment to facilitate durable shading and privacy solutions. Further adjustments could be offered by landlords to tenants when they move in. Fenestration and shading devices offer the possibility to make full use of the available daylight, reduce electricity demand for indoor lighting and provide inhabitants with increased control of their comfort.
Highlights
Field research on sleep behaviour and preferences relating to windows is limited (e.g. Bjorvatn et al 2017; National Sleep Foundation 2013), but a desire for a lower temperature in the bedroom has been reported in post-occupancy evaluations, for example, in bedrooms with mechanical ventilation (Berge & Mathisen 2016) or natural ventilation (Heide et al 2021)
The thematic analysis of participant interviews identified two main themes or components as characteristic of how participants experienced their windows during the day and night: ‘perceived dwelling comfort’ and ‘preferred exposure to external elements’
Inhabitants’ perceptions of the role of windows in the home shows they acknowledge and expect windows to make a range of different contributions:
Summary
A growing body of field research has recognised the importance of windows for occupants. Field research on sleep behaviour and preferences relating to windows is limited Bjorvatn et al 2017; National Sleep Foundation 2013), but a desire for a lower temperature in the bedroom has been reported in post-occupancy evaluations, for example, in bedrooms with mechanical ventilation (Berge & Mathisen 2016) or natural ventilation (Heide et al 2021). Reports in the research literature on sleep experiences are even more scarce Scandinavia provides a challenging setting from a geographical perspective: shorter daylight hours in winter with the opposite situation in summer, the low-angle sun because of the high latitude, seasonal variation in vegetation and temperature, and the cloudy climate
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
