Sufficient Daylight Research Articles

A multi-objective approach to optimizing the geometry and envelope of rural dwellings for energy demand, thermal comfort, and daylight in cold regions of China: A case study of Shandong province

Rural dwellings in China’s cold regions face significant challenges related to energy consumption, thermal comfort, and daylight, with a projected substantial increase in energy demand in the future. Scientifically optimized design during the early planning stages can significantly enhance indoor thermal and daylight conditions, effectively reducing energy consumption. This study focuses on Shandong Province to comprehensively analyze the optimization of geometry and envelope design of rural dwellings in China’s cold regions. It employs a multi-objective optimization method, integrating genetic algorithms with dynamic energy simulations, to minimize total energy demand while ensuring thermal comfort and sufficient daylight. Utilizing the Octopus plugin in Grasshopper, in conjunction with EnergyPlus, Ladybug, and Honeybee, this research optimizes and analyzes the impact of various design variables on energy consumption, thermal comfort and daylight, including room depth, window-to-wall ratio in different orientations, thermal performance of the envelope, and related glass material parameters. The results indicate that the selected variables have significant energy-saving potential. Compared to the case study building, the optimized solutions can reduce total energy demand by over 62.41%, with the highest savings rate reaching 88.75%. This study emphasizes the importance of integrated design and optimization strategies in enhancing the sustainability of rural dwellings. It proposes both cost-free and cost-included optimization schemes: the former maximizes the energy-saving, thermal comfort and daylight potential of the selected variables, while the latter is more practically feasible considering the economic constraints of rural areas. The proposed optimization schemes provide multiple reference solutions and theoretical foundations for users of rural dwellings in China’s cold regions.

Evaluating energy retrofit strategies in enhancing operational performance of mosques: A case study of Al-Imam Al-Hussein Mosque

Mosques are unique in terms of architectural design and operational efficiency. Architectural Design, building envelope characteristics, intermittent operating schedules, and occupancy patterns all impact the performance. Managing these factors poses challenges regarding reducing energy consumption and simultaneously achieving the occupants' thermal and visual comfort, especially in hot, arid climatic conditions. Also, the potential benefits of daylighting in reducing energy consumption in mosque buildings need to be addressed. Accordingly, this study evaluates the impact of various retrofit strategies on the operational performance of Al-Imam Al-Hussein Mosque, one of the large historic mosques in Cairo, considering the energy performance, thermal comfort, and daylighting performance. The current performance of the mosque has been analyzed using energy simulation software to determine the areas that affect its performance. Hence, five retrofitting strategies have been studied to assess their impact on improving the performance of the mosque. When changes are applied to the building envelope only by changing the glazing type, the visual discomfort is improved while sufficient daylighting is maintained inside the prayer area. By adding a cooling system and applying changes to the building envelope, thermal comfort was improved, and the visual discomfort decreased. However, this has led to an increase in energy consumption. Combining different strategies (as in strategy 5) by changing the glazing type, changing the operation scheme, adding LED lamps with dimmers, and adding a cooling system has improved the defined performance metrics. It has achieved a 23% decrease in the annual energy consumption, decreasing the visual discomfort by 30% while maintaining sufficient daylighting conditions inside the space, and enhancing occupants’ thermal comfort by 65%. The proposed approach aids in evaluating the retrofit strategies of mosque buildings, considering different criteria, including daylighting performance, to be energy efficient, sustainable, and maintain occupants’ visual and thermal comfort.

Analytical Study on Reducing the Heating Effects of Daylight and Improving Natural Lighting Performance at Erzincan Train Station in the Context of Climate Change

Climate change is an environmental issue that is rapidly escalating due to the effects of global warming. The increase in carbon emissions, along with various human activities such as industrial processes, land use changes, and the reckless consumption of natural resources, are among the primary causes of global warming. Various architectural interventions are being implemented in historical buildings to mitigate the impact of global warming and its consequence, climate change. The study aims to protect the historical building from the harmful effects of climate change by reducing the heating effects of direct sunlight during the summer and enhancing the efficiency of natural lighting throughout the day. In this context, the Erzincan Train Station is located in Erzincan in Eastern Anatolia. Erzincan is one of the most affected by the climate change crisis has been selected for the study. The plans of the Erzincan Train Station were digitized using AutoCAD software and subsequently modeled in three dimensions using Revit software. Daylight analysis was conducted on the created model using the Insight plugin in Revit software. The analysis determined that recommendations should be made for the building's south facade. Based on the climate data of Erzincan province and the conducted analyses, the light shelf system was designed and implemented due to its applicability, shading, and lighting advantages among daylighting systems. The effects of the proposed system were examined using spatial daylight autonomy (sDA) and annual sunlight exposure (ASE) daylight metrics according to LEED v4 EQc7 standards. The study found that the light shelf system resulted in a 5% reduction in ASE values building-wide and a 6% reduction in the average values of specific areas while increasing sDA values. In this context, it has been observed that areas experiencing a decrease in direct sunlight exposure (ASE values) also show an increase in sufficient daylight exposure (sDA values), which could contribute to improving the building's energy performance.

Multi-objective optimization of daylighting performance and energy consumption of educational buildings in different climatic zones of China

With the implementation of China's “Healthy Building” and “Dual Carbon” strategies, daylight health and energy-saving carbon reduction in buildings have become key research areas. In educational buildings, early design decisions significantly impact students' eye health and energy consumption reduction, making it crucial to balance these concerns. Studies indicate that sufficient and continuous daylight can significantly improve students' eye health, mood and sleep. To maximize the UDI level at the eye level (seated) and minimize EUI and DGP, this study used the multi-objective optimization tool Wallacei based on NSGA-II (Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II) for genetic optimization. This study uses the Shiji Building of Central South University in Changsha, Hunan, as a reference model to provide optimal classroom designs for China's five major thermal design zones: severe cold, cold, hot summer and warm winter, hot summer and cold winter, and mild. The results indicate that optimizing the classroom's deflection angle, length, width, height, and WWR significantly improves energy efficiency and daylighting performance. Specific data shows that an orientation 5° east or 5° west of south helps balance energy consumption and daylighting performance in both large and small classrooms. The length and width of the classrooms vary greatly, but the height generally converges to 3.2 m. Increasing the WWR to 0.5–0.7 demonstrates good energy efficiency and daylighting performance in both large and small classrooms in hot climate zones. In all climate zones, compared to the initial scheme, the Knee solutions reduced the EUI of both types of classrooms by up to 19.0 %, reduced DGP by up to 56.4 %, and increased UDI by up to 19.0 %.

Design optimization of floor plan for public housing buildings in Hong Kong with consideration of natural ventilation, noise, and daylighting

Indoor environmental quality plays a crucial role in determining the overall quality of life. This study aims to develop a design optimization approach for the floor plan of public housing buildings with modular flat design in Hong Kong, with focus on enhancing natural ventilation, reducing noise levels, and improve daylighting conditions. The evaluation of these environmental factors was conducted using deep neural network models and a mathematically based Calculation of Road Traffic Noise model. A general floor plan representation was developed for three- and four-winged structures of public housing buildings. An optimization approach utilizing Bayesian optimization was applied to three studied cases: Hung Shing House, Hung Hei House, and Cheung Tai House. The optimization process resulted in an average 41.5 % improvement in average natural ventilation rate. The optimized building shapes effectively served as noise barriers, leading to an average reduction of 20 % in average noise levels. The existing window configurations of each unit type under the modular flat design already provided sufficient daylighting, resulting in only a minor improvement from the optimization process.

Energy consumption, power generation and performance analysis of solar photovoltaic module based building roof

Building energy intensity (BEI) of typical office buildings in Malaysia ranges from 200 to 250 kWh/m2/year, wherein a substantial portion is due to the cooling system. This study evaluates of the performance and suitability of double-laminated monocrystalline solar photovoltaic (PV) glass in comparison to traditional solar PV systems installed on roofs in Malaysian conditions. To address this aim, simulation studies have been conducted to examine the efficacy of Building Attached Photovoltaic (BAPV) and Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) systems. Key parameters such as heat transfer across the building envelope, cooling demand, daylight utilization, and solar irradiance were analyzed. Additionally, an evaluation of economic viability, including Return on Investment (ROI) and payback period (PBP), was undertaken. Analysis showed that more heat was transferred through the roof on the BIPV building as the U-value of the solar PV glass was higher than the metal deck roof on the BAPV building. The lighting energy in the BIPV building can be saved by up to 80 % as sufficient daylight was entering the building. More than 30 % of the building area had a daylight factor of 1.0 %–3.5 %. From economic viewpoint, the double-laminated monocrystalline solar PV glass had a longer payback period as the initial capital cost was much higher even though the one-off savings and annual savings in the BIPV building were more than the BAPV building.

Multi-objective optimization of daylight illuminance indicators and energy usage intensity for office space in Tehran by genetic algorithm

One of the important categories in office spaces is the control of daylight and energy consumption. By controlling natural light, it is possible to provide uniform light in the entire space, sufficient daylight, and visual comfort for office workers. In many cases, this important issue can be resolved by choosing the right shading. In this study, the aim is to investigate the significance of some important parameters such as DoS (Depth of Shading), FO (Facade Offset), FSoS (Flip Start of Shading), LoS (Location of Shading), WWR (Window to Wall Ratio), CoS (Count of Shading), AoS (Angle of Shading), and HoW (Height of Window) in the optimal design of shading for an office environment in Tehran. For this purpose, eight variables have been designed and the aim is to improve the indicators of Energy Usage Intensity (EUI), Spatial Daylight Autonomy(sDA), Daylight Glare Probability (DGP), and Tc (Thermal comfort) in the office space. For optimization in the grasshopper environment, Wallacei’s algorithm was used. Then, the algorithm provides a set of optimal points. Then a point was selected as optimal by the WSM (Weighted Sum Method) method. According to the input variables that are DoS, FO, FSoS, LoS, WWR, CoS, AoS, and HoW its optimal point values are 0.4, 0, Up, Horizontal, 80, 5, 30, 0.5, respectively. The results show that the values of sDA, DGP, EUI, and Tc were improved by 43.6%, 52.77%, 13.9, and 3.696%, respectively, before and after shading optimization. Also, the annual glare and the hottest and coldest day of the year were checked where there were around 500(cd/m2) and 200(cd/m2) reduction of glare value in winter and summer seasons, respectively. Finally, the value of Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI)before and after the installation of the optimal shading was 25.8 and 68.4, respectively.

Optimizing daylighting in lecture halls within hot-arid climates through modification of glazing systems with light-shelves: A parametric design approach

This study focused on enhancing the balance between sufficient daylighting and heat mitigation in lecture halls, set within the challenging hot-arid climate of Saudi Arabia, through the optimization of window designs and the incorporation of light-shelves. To achieve this, a combination of in-detail Parametric Sensitivity Analyses (PSA) was performed in the first stage to find the best configuration of windows, while a multi-objective optimization (MOO) strategy was applied in the second stage considering multiple objectives in each stage. Before running both analyses, the simulation model was validated by field measurement. The optimization results show that the optimal window configurations obtained through PSA and MOO offer significant potential for improving daylighting performance, energy efficiency and comfort. In terms of the overall best solutions from PSA and MOO, the PSA demonstrated substantial improvements, with Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI) rising by 46.31% to 55.36%, glare decreasing by 52.17% to 82.61% and Energy Use Intensity (EUI) improving by 0.89% to 2.63%. Additionally, MOO solutions yielded even more significant enhancements, increasing UDI by 43.58% to 58.37%, reducing glare by 95% to 100% and enhancing EUI by 1.81% to 3.88%. This has resulted in a more evenly distributed and efficient daylighting throughout the space.

The practical implications of the EN 17037 minimum target daylight factor for building design and urban daylight in several European countries

Sufficient daylight in the indoor environment of buildings is important not only for vision and well-being as daylight also has significant non-visual effects on the human organism. The provision of daylight in the interiors of buildings significantly affects the architectural and urban parameters of the building environment. Harmonized EN 17037 introduced a number of changes and ambiguities to the relatively established principles of incorporating daylight in buildings in several European countries; these were significant for both architects and other stakeholders. This paper compares the long-standing practice and historical context of daylight provision according to the criteria of national standards in selected European countries (Germany, Czech Republic, Slovak republic, Sweden) with the minimum target daylight factor according to the harmonized EN 17037. The consequences of the methodological differences and design criteria of daylight provision are presented in case studies of the assessment of the daylight in residential rooms and typical school classrooms. Daylight factor and lighting distribution are analyzed for different room scenarios, different window configurations and obstruction angles according to local standards in the mentioned European countries versus EN 17037. The paper also highlights the practical impact of the EN 17037 criteria on building design and the extent of façade obstruction.

Multi-objective optimization of an anti-reflection AlN/VO2/AlN thermochromic window for building energy saving

The thermochromic smart window has shown potential for building energy saving by regulating optical characteristics according to real-time temperature. However, most existing studies on smart windows were conducted using an annual building energy-saving analysis. However, the ideal performance of a smart window that strikes a good balance between reducing energy consumption, eliminating the discomfort glare, and providing adequate daylight remains unclear. In this study, a novel AlN/VO2/AlN (AVA) multilayer thermochromic glass with improved transmission by using the thin-film interference principle is proposed, and the energy consumption and daylighting performance of the AVA windows are investigated using a multi-objective optimization method, considering different structural parameters in heating/cooling modes. The effect of different optical characteristics of the AVA glass on building energy consumption and the required annual daylight hours within the useful daylight illuminance (UDI300–2000) is analyzed to find out the Pareto frontier of the AVA windows. The Pareto Optimal Solution (POS) shows the best energy-saving AVA window should possess τlum = 0.58 and ΔτNIR = 0.33, which results in a maximum energy saving of 12.13 % for the office. This solution will strike a good balance between reducing energy consumption, eliminating the discomfort glare, and providing sufficient daylight.

The Potential of Switchable Glazing in Cooling Dominated Climates

The design trend of most commercial and office buildings over the past three decades focused on attaining a façade design with the highest possible window to wall ratio. Whereas this approach appears to satisfy the aesthetic scope of developing buildings that look ‘modern and transparent’ to maximise on real estate value, the demand for heating and cooling of these buildings tends to fall short of what one should expect. Literature review shows the possible benefits of switchable glass. This paper proposes a methodology for a novel switchable glazing assembly identified as having the potential of offering increased occupant comfort, particularly in providing sufficient daylight and glare control without diminishing the view quality. The hypothesis is that switchable glazing may have a substantial potential to achieve lower cooling loads and improved indoor visual comfort without compromising views and a positive outlook.

Kajian Mengenai Tahap Pencahayaan Siang di Pusat Jagaan Demensia di Malaysia

Thoughtful design can provide a therapeutic solution for people with dementia in both assisted and independent living facilities. Considerations that create a dementia-inclusive environment include layout design, incorporation of sensory cues, signage system, levels of visibility, and lighting systems. As those with dementia are prone to wandering, design which facilitates wayfinding is crucial in their daily lives. Hence, visibility and lighting are essential to support wayfinding and promote independence amongst those with dementia besides reducing the risk of falls. Indoor daylight settings and adequate levels of illumination are vital as they compensate for the cognitive deterioration that people with dementia experience. Therefore, this paper aims to study the existing conditions of daylight in dementia care facilities. The outcome of this paper summarizes the current state of daylighting implementation in the Malaysian context through first-hand experiments at three different dementia centres, located in different parts of Malaysia. At each centre, daylight levels are recorded hourly throughout daylit hours within a period of one day. The data recorded is cross-referenced with daylight requirements outlined in Malaysian Standards 1525:2019. The findings of this paper suggest that on the whole, communal spaces, namely dining areas and activity spaces receive sufficient or excessive daylight, while private spaces, such as the bedroom receives either adequate or insufficient daylight levels.

The benefit of Daylight-Simulcasted Dynamic Lighting: An experiment isolating simultaneousness from dynamicity

Most people today stay in a constant artificial lighting environment for a long time. Lack of sufficient daylight exposure may lead to circadian, sleep or mental problem. Dynamic lighting is an effective countermeasure in consideration of its dynamicity. However, besides its changeability, whether the daylight simultaneousness of dynamic lighting has a beneficial effect is unclear. A lab-based study was carried out to explore the effect of Daylight-Simulcasted Dynamic Lighting (DSDL), which simulates the simultaneous information of daylight conveyed by its variation. A reversed pattern of DSDL (Re-DSDL) was also introduced as one of the test conditions for comparison. The within-subject experiment was performed by 24 participants in four conditions: two dynamic lighting patterns (DSDL and Re-DSDL) in two periods (dawn and dusk). The dependent variables were psychological states, physiological indicators and cognitive performance. The results showed that DSDL brought greater benefit to the psychological state than Re-DSDL in general. During dawn, participants experienced less anger and depression in DSDL than in Re-DSDL; during dusk, participants experienced less anger and vigour in DSDL than in Re-DSDL. DSDL also had a significant effect on some of the physical indicators compared with Re-DSDL, but no effect on cognitive performance.

Evaluating the impact of mosque morphology on worshipers' visual comfort: Simulation analysis for daylighting performance

Visual comfort includes the ability to provide sufficient daylight without exaggeration. When daylight levels are insufficient inside a place or when daylight is intense, inhabitants experience visual discomfort. This study examines visual comfort in prayer halls by investigating the effectiveness of daylighting performance, including daylight amounts, such as illuminance level and daylight factor, and glare, including daylight glare probability, in different mosque morphologies. The evaluation had done by applying a quantitative method via the most recently updated daylighting simulation software using Autodesk-Insight-360 for Revit-2023 and SolemmaClimateStudio for Rhinoceros-6. Results show that mosques with courtyard lighting have reduced glare, and windows placed uniformly along the vertical axis get lots of natural light. The study concluded that levels of visual comfort in the prayer halls, in turn, vary according to mosques morphology. The current research contributes to detecting visual discomfort in mosque architecture based on differences in typological and morphological design characteristics.

The Effect of Vertical Skylights Designed in Buildings on Daylight Illumination

The fact that lighting plays an important role in the energy consumed by buildings, which have a large share in the total energy consumption in the world, requires more work to be done on daylight, which reduces the need for artificial lighting, saves energy in buildings and increases indoor comfort as well. Whether the current energy resources will exist in the future and the extent of the damage to the ecosystem as a result of the deterioration of the natural balance are discussed and discussed from different perspectives. At this point, with the thought of efficient use of energy, studies are carried out to reduce energy consumption and ensure sustainability in the field of lighting. In the building sector, which has a significant share in energy consumption, energy efficient design and sustainable architecture, which aims to use renewable energy sources and reduce energy consumption, are supported by planning and design criteria.
 In this study, the efficiency of skylights, which is one of the lighting methods with daylight, was investigated in accordance with the criteria specified in the relevant zoning legislation and the daylight standard in buildings. The effect of skylights on visual comfort and daylight performance in residential interiors that do not receive direct sunlight was analyzed with 3 different scenarios on spaces in different directions and floors with the help of the Design Builder simulation program. As a result of the analysis, it was concluded that the size of the spaces illuminated by the skylight, the length of the facade where the skylight is located, the floor where the space is located and its direction significantly affect the level of illumination. In line with the findings obtained in the study, it has been observed that the minimum skylight values given in the Planned Areas Zoning Regulation in force today do not provide sufficient daylight illumination, especially in the spaces on the ground floor. For this reason, solutions have been proposed to reach the level of visual comfort in spaces.

Multi-Criteria Evaluation of a Library’s Indoor Environmental Quality in the Tropics

The indoor environmental quality of a library greatly affects the comfort and productivity of its users while preserving the materials. Despite the high energy consumption of HVACs in libraries, achieving acceptable thermal conditions, acceptable acoustics, and sufficient daylight levels for users remains a challenge. There are limited studies on the IEQ of educational buildings, especially regarding the current situation of libraries. It is important to conduct further studies to define design guidelines promoting indoor environmental conditions. The main objectives of this study were to investigate the IEQ of a campus library to recommend retrofitting strategies. The IEQ parameters in the rare collection room, which houses special collections, and in the library hall were assessed using a full-scale measurement, with eight HOBO data loggers and sensors deployed in various locations to monitor IEQ. A comparison of the results with the standards revealed that rare collection room was unsuitable for maintaining rare collections, as the average indoor air temperature exceeded 21.2 °C, which is beyond the threshold limit. Additionally, the relative humidity ranged from 51.3% to 55.8%, which is marginally high. To provide acceptable indoor conditions, this study recommends retrofitting strategies for the exterior walls, such as using cement plaster with a low thermal conductivity. In the library hall, the reading zone was found to be thermally uncomfortable. The air velocity was below the range of 0.15 ms−1 to 0.50 ms−1 recommended by MS 1525. The average CO2 level was 479.5 ppm, with some points registering an increase of up to 588 ppm. The noise level in the library hall ranged between 43 dB(A) and 61 dB(A), while the light intensity was below 300 lux in the reading area, which is not within the acceptable range. This study suggests improvement solutions, such as implementing an air temperature between 24.5 and 26.5 °C for higher thermal comfort and increasing the window-to-wall ratio to utilize natural daylight. These findings provide insights into the design of new libraries and the renovation of existing ones, ensuring that libraries continue to serve as vibrant centers of knowledge and learning for generations to come.

The visual comfort, economic feasibility, and overall energy consumption of tubular daylighting device system configurations in deep plan office buildings in Saudi Arabia

Despite the abundance of daylight in hot desert climates, deep-plan office buildings still lack the provision of sufficient daylight. Although tubular daylighting devices (TDDs) offer a potential solution, they may have visual and economic consequences. Therefore, the present study evaluated the visual comfort, overall energy consumption, and economic feasibility of multiple TDD configurations. Typical deep-plan office space has been simulated based on a field-validated simulation process to evaluate visual comfort and energy consumption. The WLCC method was used to assess the economic feasibility. The reference case was illuminated using LED and a dimming control system with photosensors placed in cardinal orientations. Supplementary daylight was provided using different configurations of vertical and horizontal TDDs. Window shading devices were used to enhance visual comfort. The study found that vertical TDDs perform better than horizontal TDDs in terms of illumination uniformity and economic feasibility. They reduced the electric lighting load by up to 21%. However, the utilization of the TDDs in the hot desert climate has the potential to significantly increase indoor heat gain, which, in turn, increases the cooling energy. It is found that the additional energy required for cooling far outweighs the energy-saving benefits gained by TDDs. Accordingly, thermal issues associated with the utilization of TDDs should be investigated to allow widespread use of them in arid regions where high solar radiation is available throughout the year. Moreover, other daylighting-associated benefits, such as users’ productivity enhancement and health and mood improvement, should be considered to promote the usage of TDDs and boost their economic returns.

Introducing luminescent solar waveguides for sustainable buildings for enhanced circadian rhythm regulation

As the world strives towards a low-carbon future, nearly-zero energy buildings (NZEB) have been the goal to reduce carbon emissions. Artificial lighting is estimated to consume as high as 40% of the total energy consumption in a commercial building. By utilising daylighting, which is the practice of allowing natural light into a building, energy consumption by artificial lighting can be reduced. Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) can act as a collector and waveguide to transport outdoor light into the building through total internal reflection. Besides, LSCs absorb a part of the solar spectrum and shift them to different wavelengths through up-conversion or down-conversion. Thus, the output spectrum can be manipulated for the desired indoor applications. Circadian rhythm is the periodic variations in behaviour that follows a 24-hour cycle, which is mainly regulated by light response. A regulated circadian rhythm is important for a healthy life, whereas a disturbed circadian rhythm can lead to health issues such as insomnia and mood disorders. There has been a consensus that our circadian rhythm strongly responds to shorter wavelength light, corroborated in studies. Thus, manipulating the output light of LSCs to contain larger proportions of light with shorter wavelengths could enhance circadian regulation. LSC devices have the potential to transport sufficient daylight up to 5m deep into the building, achieving areas beyond the reach of windows. Thus, LSCs can serve as a tool for daylighting purposes, regulating circadian rhythm and providing sufficient light for comfortable indoor visibility.

A Study on Daylight Performance Evaluation in Primary School Classrooms

From the early beginning of construction in history, priority of using daylight has played an active role in the settlement decision, building shape and façade design. Today, the necessity of conscious consumption has become an accepted fact due to the depletion of energy resources. For this reason, the effective use of daylight and reducing lighting energy consumption have become one of the most important goals of today's architecture. 
 The purpose of the natural lighting system is providing sufficient daylight to the target area, considering the visual comfort conditions. Nowadays, for the architectural design of buildings, the use of passive systems is primarily preferred in terms of energy efficiency. The use of natural lighting as a passive system, minimizing building lighting energy requirements and creating the desired visual environment should be prioritized in terms of providing visual comfort. In educational buildings, it is vital to design a lighting system in which daylight is used effectively in order to meet the visual needs of the instructors and students and to minimize the usage of lighting energy. Within the scope of the TS EN 17037 standard, which was developed for daylight assessment in buildings and approved by CEN on 29.07.2018 and lastly updated on 02.03.2022, the criteria for daylight assessment is handled under 4 headings: daylight provision, view out, exposure to sunlight and protection from glare. For each criteria specified in indoor daylight assessment, three grades are defined as 'minimum, medium and high'.
 In this study, the criterion of providing daylight in educational buildings was examined in accordance with the TS EN 17037 standard. With the study, it is aimed to develop an approach to determine the optimum values ​​of the parameters of direction, obstacle presence and transparency ratio in the context of providing sufficient daylight in the primary classroom design. Investigated building type is the primary school building classroom, which was created in optimum dimensions according to the characteristics of primary education classrooms defined in the ‘Educational Buildings Minimum Design Standards Guide’ published by the Ministry of National Education. It is aimed to evaluate and develop the criteria given in the ‘Educational Buildings Minimum Design Standards Guide’ according to the TS EN 17037 standard, which defines daylight performance in Turkey. The classroom model discussed within the scope of the study has been modeled with the Rhino program according to the alternative transparency rates and obstacle situations; In the simulation, the Climate Studio plugin, which was developed for the calculation of dynamic evaluation parameters, was used. The area handled by using evaluation methods according to the 17037 standard included in the software was evaluated in terms of annual daylight performance. The availability of target illuminance levels in half of the daylight hours throughout the year was calculated using the daylight autonomy method, and the climatic data of the province of Istanbul were used as a representative in the calculations. The results obtained were evaluated according to the TS EN 17037 Daylight Standard, and the scenarios created were classified as 'minimum, medium and high' according to the availability of daylight. According to this classification, optimum transparency ratio, window direction and obstacle conditions conditions for the city of Istanbul in primary school classroom design are discussed. The optimal transparency ratios for each aspect are discussed. The minimum transparency ratio values ​​given in the ‘Educational Buildings Minimum Design Standards Guide’ were compared with the optimum transparency ratios obtained.
 
 
 Keywords: Daylight Performance, TS EN 17037, Primary school classrooms, Window Design

Generation Z’s Opinion About Sustainability of Office Buildings

Currently, there are hardly any studies that evaluate the topic of sustainable construction of office buildings from the viewpoint of Generation Z (born between 1995 and 2010) as future users. This article answers the question of how important sustainability is to Generation Z with respect to office buildings. To answer the question, the research uses primary data obtained among 58 Generation Z representatives in Germany in 2022. Survey participants were asked to evaluate an adapted model used by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen (German Sustainable Building Council) to certify companies with regard to the sustainability of their office buildings. In summary, our study indicates that German Generation Z respondents want to move safely in energy-efficient office buildings that have sufficient daylight, high indoor air quality, and offer comfortable temperature in all seasons. The needs for autonomy, relatedness and competence correlate significantly with these characteristics, which are particularly important to them. Meaning that these could also be satisfied by an optimal design of the office building.