Abstract
Overcrowding in the perimeter zone is an inevitable issue in residential rooms with limited space. Obstructions, such as furniture and household items, may block the existing windows, and therefore affect interior daylight conditions. A facade design approach is needed that simultaneously takes into account daylighting and the volume of usable space for obstructions in the perimeter zone of such rooms. This study simulates daylight distributions in a typical small residential room with obstructions in front of windows. The simulation consists of two parts. First, the effects on horizontal illuminances caused by different positions and shapes of obstructions are examined under an overcast sky. Second, the maximum usable space volumes for obstructions of 51 optimized facade configurations are calculated in terms of four window-to-wall ratios (WWRs). The results of this study show that optimizing the forms of facade design can increase the usable interior space volume and meet the daylighting requirements of Chinese standards for small residential rooms. Additionally, by using the optimized facade forms, a facade with a WWR value of 50% provides the maximum usable space for obstructions. Based on the above results, this paper presents two matrices that can help architects in selecting the appropriate fenestration methods and confirming the size of usable space and allocation for residents.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alkhresheh MM (2012). Preference for void-to-solid ratio in residential facades. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 32: 234–245.
Alzoubi H, Al-Rqaibat S, Bataineh RF (2010). Pre-versus post-occupancy evaluation of daylight quality in hospitals. Building and Environment, 45: 2652–2665
Baker N, Steemers K (2002). Daylight Design of Buildings: A Handbook for Architects and Engineers. London: Earthscan.
Bordas-Astudillo F, Moch A, Hermand D (2003). The predictors of the feeling of crowding and crampedness in large residential buildings. In: Moser G, Pol E, Bernard Y, Bonnes M, Corraliza JA, Giuliani MV (eds), People, Places, and Sustainability. Seattle: Hogrefe & Huber Publishers, pp. 220–228.
Boubekri M. (2008). Daylighting, Architecture and Health. Oxford, UK: Architectural Press.
Bougdah H, Sharples S (2009). Environment, Technology and Sustainability. Oxford, UK: Taylor & Francis.
Chan EHW, Tang B-s, Wong W-S (2002). Density control and the quality of living space: A case study of private housing development in Hong Kong. Habitat International, 26: 159–175.
Cheung HD, Chung TM (2008). A study on subjective preference to daylit residential indoor environment using conjoint analysis. Building and Environment, 43: 2101–2111.
DIALux (2013). 4.11. 0.2, Computer Program. DIAL GmbH, Lüdenscheid, Germany.
Du J, Sharples S (2011). The variation of daylight levels across atrium walls: Reflectance distribution and well geometry effects under overcast sky conditions. Solar Energy, 85: 2085–2100.
Gagne J, Andersen M (2012). A generative facade design method based on daylighting performance goals. Journal of Building Performance Simulation, 5: 141–154.
GB50034 (2013). The People’s Republic of China National Standard GB 50033—2013: Standard for Lighting Design of Buildings. Beijing: China Standard Press. (in Chinese)
GB50180 (2002). The People’s Republic of China National Standard GB50180—93: Code for Urban Residential District Planning and Design. Beijing: China Standard Press. (in Chinese)
GB50352 (2005). The People’s Republic of China National Standard GB50352—2005: Code for Design of Civil Buildings. Beijing: China Standard Press. (in Chinese)
Ghisi E, Tinker JA (2005). An ideal window area concept for energy efficient integration of daylight and artificial light in buildings. Building and Environment, 40: 51–61.
Gifford R (2007). The consequences of living in high-rise buildings. Architectural Science Review, 50: 2–17.
Hausladen G, de Saldanha M, Liedl P (2008). ClimateSkin: Building-skin Concepts that Can Do More with Less Energy. Basel: Birkhäuser.
Hochberg A, Hafke JH, Raab J (2010). Open/close: Windows, Doors, Gates, Loggias, Filters. Basel: Birkhäuser.
Husin SNFS, Harith ZYH (2012). The performance of daylight through various type of fenestration in residential building. Procedia—Social and Behavioral Sciences, 36: 196–203.
Jin H (2002). The traditional Chinese housing in severe cold region. New Ideas of the New Century, 2: 78–83.
Kim G, Kim JT (2010). Healthy—Daylighting design for the living environment in apartments in Korea. Building and Environment, 45: 287–294.
Lartigue B, Lasternas B, Loftness V (2014). Multi-objective optimization of building envelope for energy consumption and daylight. Indoor and Built Environment, 23: 170–180.
Lavafpour Y, Sharples S (2014). Impact of the envelope geometry on cooling demand in very airtight UK dwellings under current and future weather projections. Energy Procedia, 62: 421–430.
Leslie R (2003). Capturing the daylight dividend in buildings: Why and how? Building and Environment, 38: 381–385.
Li DHW (2010). A review of daylight illuminance determinations and energy implications. Applied Energy, 87: 2109–2118.
Liu E, Wu J, Lee J (1999). Housing Standards of Private Dwellings. Hong Kong: Legislative Council Secretariat.
Mahtab-uz-Zaman Q, Lau SSY (2002). Difficulties in achieving open building in the mass housing in Hong Kong and implication of user participation. Architectural Science Review, 45: 175–181.
Markus TA (1967). The function of windows—A reappraisal. Building Science, 2: 97–121.
Parpairi K, Baker N, Steemers K, Compagnon R (2002). The luminance differences index: A new indicator of user preferences in daylit spaces. Lighting Research and Technology, 34: 53–66.
Reinhart CF, Wienold J (2011). The daylighting dashboard—A simulation-based design analysis for daylit spaces. Building and Environment, 46: 386–396.
Rooney N (2001). Making house into home: Interior design in Hong Kong public. In: Mathews G, Lui T (eds), Consuming Hong Kong. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, pp. 47–80.
Rooney N (2003). At Home with Density. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.
Ruck N, Aschehoug O, Aydinli S, Christoffersen J, Edmonds I, Jakobiak R, Kischkoweit-Lopin M, Klinger M, Lee E, Courret G, et al. (2000). Daylight in buildings—A source book on daylighting systems and components. Technical Report, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA.
SHANGHAI (2012). The Annual Statistical Bulletin of Economy and Social Development in Shanghai. Available at http://www.statssh. gov.cn/sjfb/201302/253153.html.
Smith C, Levermore G (2008). Designing urban spaces and buildings to improve sustainability and quality of life in a warmer world. Energy Policy, 36: 4558–4562.
Su X, Zhang X (2010). Environmental performance optimization of window-wall ratio for different window type in hot summer and cold winter zone in china based on life cycle assessment. Energy and Buildings, 42: 198–202.
Ullah I, Shin S (2014). Highly concentrated optical fiber-based daylighting systems for multi-floor office buildings. Energy and Buildings, 72: 246–261.
Ünver R, Öztürk L, Adigüzel S, Çelik Ö (2003). Effect of the facade alternatives on the daylight illuminance in offices. Energy and Buildings, 35: 737–746.
Wong JF (2010). Factors affecting open building implementation in high density mass housing design in Hong Kong. Habitat International, 34: 174–182.
You W, Qin M, Ding W (2013). Improving building facade design using integrated simulation of daylighting, thermal performance and natural ventilation. Building Simulation, 6: 269–282.
Zhao Y, Mei H (2013). Dynamic simulation and analysis of daylighting factors for gymnasiums in mid-latitude China. Building and Environment, 63: 56–68.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lu, Y., Wolf, T. & Kang, J. Optimization of facade design based on the impact of interior obstructions to daylighting. Build. Simul. 9, 1–14 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12273-015-0253-4
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12273-015-0253-4