INTRODUCTION OF NEW DAYLIGHTING METRICS FOR HEALTH, WELLBEING, AND FEASIBILITY: A STUDY OF THE INDOOR BUILDING ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

This study investigates the applicability of a new daylighting metric based on human health, an emerging framework for evaluating the effect of daylight on building occupants. Procedures based on modeling annual daylight availability are used to determine the mapping of daylight distribution on a daily, seasonal, and yearly basis. Literature review and experimental studies were performed to propose the new day-lighting metrics for health and wellbeing. The proposed metrics have two broad criteria, including daylighting level, timing, and duration. The two details are as follows: (1) 400 lux for 5 hours (2K lux·h) in the daytime; and (2) 500 lux for 1 hour (0.5K lux·h) in the early morning, 8AM–9AM. To verify the applicability of the proposed daylighting metrics to current buildings, sample buildings were selected and daily, spatial and seasonal differences were simulated through computer visualization techniques. Moreover, we evaluated the application of the daylighting metric on the building layout and compared the new daylighting metric for health and wellbeing with conventional daylighting metrics.