Methodology for visual comfort analysis in intermediate open spaces of residential areas, case study: Nagpur, India

ABSTRACT Researchers often use daylight and glare analysis to measure visual comfort for daytime inside a built space. However, residential environments include both built and unbuilt spaces. Recently, unbuilt open spaces like courts are gaining equal importance in architectural designs. The literature review revealed very little research on visual comfort analysis in these intermediate open spaces. Therefore, this study proposes a method to analyze visual comfort in identified intermediate open-to-sky courts of clustered residential development. First, by conducting the point-in-time analysis, the study compares field measurements against simulation results to validate the software’s ability to simulate accurate daylight and glare values in these courts. Later, the study analyses visual comfort in identified courts by conducting an annual glare analysis using the calibrated simulation model. The outcome confirms the use of annual and point-in-time glare analysis for visual comfort analysis in courts of residential areas. The results exhibited visually uncomfortable views at the corresponding time. Additionally, simulation experiments highlight the importance of such spaces’ shape, size, and orientation in visual comfort analysis. These outcomes will help future visual comfort research of intermediate open spaces in low to mid-rise residential environments with tropical climatic conditions.