Download - facade: a daylight study
40'
30'
15'
louver and ceilingb o u n c e l i g h tfor indirect lighting
louver blocks lightto reduce glare
Natural light from sun is unlimited. It can be used to reduce the use of artificial
lighting, which will reduce the electricity cost. But natural light has a glare as a
negative effect. Natural light can be controlled to be brought inside the room
and reduce glare with shading device. The study is about facade design with louvers as
shading device located in Charlotte, NC. The louver's angle is based on the sun position
during certain time on a day. The facade faces south which is the most crucial building
side in a building in Charlotte. The simulations are done in different time (10 am, 2 pm,
and 4 pm) in spring equinox, summer solstice, and winter solstice which represent the
extreme condition of sun angle. Room size is 15' x 30' x 40'. The angle data are obtained
from ecotect weather file sun path for Charlotte Douglas International Airport (table 1).
The hypothesis of this study is the size of louvers and louvers frame effect the condition
of natural lighting in a room. It can be inferred from the simulation images result which is
the best facade design. The criteria to decide the best design are more even luminance
entire room; reduce glare, and direct sunlight. The model detail and simulation detail are
presented in table 2.
modelnumber of
louvres
frame
widthtime
spring
equinox
summer
solstice
winter
solstice
a 6 small 10:00 AM a1 a2 a3
2:00 PM a4 a5 a6
4:00 PM a7 a8 a9
b 6 large 10:00 AM b1 b2 b3
2:00 PM b4 b5 b6
4:00 PM b7 b8 b9
c 24 small 10:00 AM c1 c2 c3
2:00 PM c4 c5 c6
4:00 PM c7 c8 c9
d 24 large 10:00 AM d1 d2 d3
2:00 PM d4 d5 d6
4:00 PM d7 d8 d9
azimuth altitude azimuth altitude azimuth altitude
March, 21 127 40 215 50 246 30
June, 21 101 56 247 65 271 42
December, 21 145 22 206 27 230 12
10:00 AM 2:00 PM 4:00 PMtime
table 1. sun position datasource: Charlotte Douglas International Airport from Ecotect weather file
table 2. model configuration for simulation
alexander suryandonocomputational methods - arch 6050 D01project 3 - daylighting study
project description
spring equinox 10 am
a1
b1
c1
d1
a2
b2
c2
d2
a3
b3
c3
d3
a4
b4
c4
d4
a5
b5
c5
d5
a6
b6
c6
d6
a7
b7
c7
d7
a8
b8
c8
d8
a9
b9
c9
d9
summer solstice 10 am winter equinox 10 am spring equinox 2 pm summer solstice 2 pm winter equinox 2 pm spring equinox 4 pm summer solstice 4 pm winter equinox 4 pm
project simulation results
The models are rendered by maxwell. Methods to determine thebest facade design is visual assesment from the render resultsbased on even luminance and glare in the room. Top images arethe room condition without facade. Model a consists of 6 louverswith small frame. Model b consists of 6 louvers with large frame.Model c consists of 24 louvers with small frame. Model d consistsof 24 louvers with large frame. To make easier, all models arecompared side by side. Larger images are provided in appendix.
a b
c d
best design: model c
spring equinox 10 am summer solstice 10 am winter solstice 10 am
spring equinox 2 pm summer solstice 2 pm winter solstice 2 pm
spring equinox 4 pm summer solstice 4 pm winter solstice 4 pm
model C, consists of 24 louversand uses small frame, is the bestdesign in this facade study. If it iscompared with other models,model C brings light through theroom in and make more evenluminance condition. It also blocksthe direct sunlight to reduce glare.I T h e d i r e c t s u n l i g h t a n dsunshading create an interestingpattern in the wall in certain time,for example at 4 pm in wintersolstice.
grasshopper script
appendix 1: model a
spring equinox 10 am summer solstice 10 am winter solstice 10 am
spring equinox 2 pm summer solstice 2 pm winter solstice 2 pm
spring equinox 4 pm summer solstice 4 pm winter solstice 4 pm
appendix 2: model b
spring equinox 10 am summer solstice 10 am winter solstice 10 am
spring equinox 2 pm summer solstice 2 pm winter solstice 2 pm
spring equinox 4 pm summer solstice 4 pm winter solstice 4 pm
appendix 3: model d
spring equinox 10 am summer solstice 10 am winter solstice 10 am
spring equinox 2 pm summer solstice 2 pm winter solstice 2 pm
spring equinox 4 pm summer solstice 4 pm winter solstice 4 pm