Technical Report

The Physiological and Psychological Effects of Windows, Daylight, and View at Home: Review and Research Agenda

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Abstract

A 2004 CIE report introduced the concept of a necessary daily light dose that contemporary life in industrialized countries does not deliver, but to which better use of architectural daylighting could make a valuable contribution. Nearly a decade has passed since the last substantive reviews of the health and well-being effects of daylight and windows, making it time for a renewed examination of the literature. Moreover, there has been scant attention paid to the role of daylight in residential buildings, which is the focus here. This review identified three broad processes through which residential windows and skylights can affect people in their homes, for good and ill: visual processes, acting primarily through light detected at the retina by rods and cones; non-visual ocular processes, acting primarily through light detected at the retina by intrinsically photoreceptive retinal ganglion cells; and processes occurring in the skin. This qualitative review revealed that there is no shortage of research questions facing photobiologists, psychologists, architects, lighting designers and others in the broad lighting community, whether their interests are general or specific to daylighting for residences. The report includes a detailed research agenda aimed at furthering the use of daylighting and windows in the service of human well-being.

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... The benefit of daylighting in homes has been well recognized among designers and researchers, including occupants' health and wellbeing, a view of outdoors, energy efficiency, and aesthetics [16][17][18]. First, there is strong evidence that a regular exposure to daylight can deliver a positive impact on physical and mental health [19]. The association of natural light exposure with infectious diseases has been identified in two studies [20,21], while another investigation reported the link between fall incidents and inadequate natural lighting at home [22]. ...
... In addition, it can be found that the sleep qualities can be improved thought the use of daylight [25]. Second, a view of outdoors through windows can contribute to occupants' well-being, particularly if it is a nature or an attractive view [18,26]. A survey has exposed that the window view to the sky as a restorative resource for residents in densely populated cities [27]. ...
... A survey has exposed that the window view to the sky as a restorative resource for residents in densely populated cities [27]. Third, the most energy-efficient solution to deliver the light exposure in a home is daylighting [18]. A good design can maximise a building's potential for daylighting by ensuring that the quantity and distribution of daylight in the interior meets its lighting requirements [16], while achieving energy savings using appropriate lighting controls [28]. ...
... For example, photosensitivity to light that may lead to symptoms such as migraines [20], or inter-individual needs that determine certain preferences towards lighting and temperature [6], may fall into multiple categories. Psychological factors (e.g., view preferences, perception to privacy and security) may also impact how users interact with window blinds [6,[21][22][23]. For example, users tend to avoid fully lowering their blinds to retain the outdoor view [9]. ...
... Some cultural backgrounds prioritise visual privacy over the provision of having a view out, so as to ensure outsiders are unable to see inside the space [34]. Cultural norms for privacy, enclosure and view out, can also determine building openings and architectural spatial appearance [23]. Historically, certain cultural groups, such as the Arabs, have a set of values, beliefs and norms that were regulated in architectural designs and urban contexts as their primary desires [45,46]. ...
... This paper endeavoured to identify the influence of cultural characteristics on window preferences and motives that determined shading control. The scientific literature highlighted that differences in culture can have implications for how buildings are designed to support diverging expectations for visual privacy [23,38,42,53]. While this can have a significant impact to certain design considerations (e.g., window openings), this research revealed the wider implications culture could have for the operation of window shades. ...
Article
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Window shading control is motivated by many reasons. Very few studies consider the influence of non-physical factors that underpin occupant motives for shading control. A candidate reason that concerned this study was cultural differences. Diverging values, beliefs and norms can lead to different design considerations for building architecture to accommodate users’ expectations. This can also influence a wider array of window functions, e.g., daylight access, thermal comfort, natural ventilation, privacy and view out. We investigated the influence of cultural differences in this context. An online survey was administered to collect responses from Arab and non- Arab population groups from across the globe. We compared how occupants would prioritise different window functions in their typical workspaces to better meet their needs across these two groups. The analyses showed that Arab respondents prioritised privacy more than non-Arab respondents. The importance placed on privacy was consistently larger for the Arab group when they worked from their own residential home (r = 􀀀 0.36), rather than at their office workspace (r = 􀀀 0.16). Shading control for daylight access was a highly prioritised motive for both groups, which was also equally weighted as the most important reason for both opening and closing window shades with no statistical difference (r = -0.10) found between both groups. Thermal comfort was deemed more important by the Arab respondents, although this may have been caused by climate factors. The study highlights how culture has important implications on window preferences and shading control, which can be influential in the context of design considerations to accommodate user needs.
... Within lighting studies, the influence of culture on subjective evaluations has been recommended as a subject of further research (Veitch et al. 2019): specific studies conducted with people sharing a similar cultural background often raise the issue of the generalizability of findings, which also applies to lighting studies (Lau et al. 2010;Veitch and Galasiu 2012;Wang and Boubekri 2010). ...
... Such studies have included window size as an important factor for the perception of spaciousness (Inui and Miyata 1973;Keighley 1973b;Moscoso et al. 2015), investigations of window shape indicating preference of wider windows than tall (Keighley 1973a;Matusiak 2006), and window-to-wall ratio in relation to the sum of the energy use for heating, cooling, and lighting (Goia 2016). Similar studies pertaining to window access have also focused on occupants' psychological well-being (Boubekri et al. 1991;Leder et al. 2016;Ulrich et al. 1991;Veitch and Galasiu 2012), or perception of space (Moscoso et al. 2020(Moscoso et al. , 2015Ozdemir 2010;Stamps and Krishnan 2006). ...
... These results are consistent with the results of Huang et al. (2018), who found cultural effects on light and color preferences within different locations of the same region (e.g., the same country). They are also consistent with Lau et al. (2010) and Veitch and Galasiu (2012), who suggest that cultural origins may explain preference for window configurations, and with Ne'eman and Hopkinson (1970) and Butler and Steuerwald (1991), who argued that window size preferences varied with room size and shape. ...
Article
The size of window openings is widely acknowledged as an important factor in our spatial perception. However, little is known about how the perception and preference of windows changes between countries, leaving a gap of knowledge regarding the applicability of research findings across latitudes. This article presents the outcomes of a study investigating regional differences in the perception of spaces with varying window size (small, medium, and large), space size (small and large), spatial context (working and social), and sky type (overcast and two types of clear sky). As the regional differences were the main studied factor, the study was performed in Norway, Switzerland, and Greece, representing northern, central, and southern European latitudes, respectively, and used virtual reality as a means to replicate the same experiment in different locations. In total, 406 participants evaluated eight spatial attributes using an 11-point Likert-type scale. Results indicated that regional differences could be observed in the participants’ responses, with significant differences in how pleasant and calm the space was perceived, found not only between participants in Greece and Norway in all the studied window sizes, but also between Greece and Switzerland for the medium and large windows, indicating that even small variations in latitude within Europe can affect the spatial perception. The findings of this study reveal that spaces with specific fenestration characteristics might not induce the same response across different latitudes in Europe, and thus, have important implications for daylighting and architectural design, which would motivate the use of region-specific parameters.
... To create a sense of restoration in apartment housing, the focus should be on the quality of dwellings, with more attention to placement of windows, qualities of views and access to nature. Numerous studies demonstrate that daylight and access to nature have positive impacts on health and well-being at home (Veitch and Galasiu, 2012). While these are challenging to retrofit into an existing design, they should certainly be prioritized in new housing. ...
... In a time where individuals are not able to leave their dwellings as freely as they have become accustomed, the value of a view to the outdoors is essential to residents' wellness. Natural window views and nature experiences are shown to enhance well-being through physiological calming and improved focus, mood and resident satisfaction (Kaplan, 2001;Talbot and Kaplan, 1991;Ulrich et al., 1991;Veitch and Galasiu, 2012). Nature is being capable of holding one's interest and attention, proving to reduce fatigue and stress while restoring the mind and body (Kaplan, 1995). ...
... Routines have shifted and ongoing stresses and anxieties heightened by the COVID-19 crisis, and so many peoples' ability to sleep well at night has been affected (Weikle, 2020). Studies of the nonvisual impacts of lighting in residential settings prove that a higher daily light dose contributes to better sleep quality and circadian regulation (Torrington and Tregenza, 2007;Veitch and Galasiu, 2012). Designing apartment units to have ample daylight exposure on at least two facades will help allow for the regulation of circadian rhythm as well as potentially offering opportunity for cross ventilation (Kesik et al., 2019). ...
Article
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Purpose The COVID-19 global health crisis is undeniably a global housing crisis. Our study focuses on quality of life in urban mid- and high-rise apartment housing, the fastest growing housing types in many cities around the world. This housing typology presents unique challenges relating to connection to nature, daylight and fresh air. Design/methodology/approach This multi-disciplinary literature review analyzes more than 100 published papers from peer-reviewed sources from environmental psychology, building science and architecture relevant to quality of life in high-rise housing, as well as more than 40 recent newspaper and magazine articles about the possible impacts of COVID-19 on housing. We identify synergies between passive design strategies and health-promoting architecture or “restorative environmental design” principles. Findings Post-pandemic, health-promoting apartment housing design must prioritize (1) window placement and views that support stress recovery and restoration; (2) lighting levels based on spaces that can satisfy multiple uses and users; (3) bedrooms designed for restful sleep that contribute to circadian regulation; (4) living rooms with better indoor air quality, with a focus on natural ventilation; (5) access to nature, through the purposeful design of balconies and (6) unit sizes and layouts that enable physical distancing and prevent crowding. Originality/value We identify new social and environmental design priorities in the form of evidence-based design principles to inform and promote healthy and restorative living environments for residents in apartment housing.
... Previous studies have demonstrated that natural settings of urban landscape have many positive effects on health, especially in assisting patient recovery [1]. Views of natural scenery through a window have been demonstrated to be associated with faster patient recovery [2], higher life satisfaction as well as overall health, including better performance on directed attention [3], and better improvement in selfreported physical and mental health during a residential rehabilitation program [4]. ...
... A study conducted by Ulrich [1] discovered that patients in hospital rooms with windows that faced views of nature recovered from cholecystectomy surgery significantly faster than those with windows looking onto a brick wall. A more recent study for patients in a residential rehabilitation program also corroborated Ulrich's results, claiming that an unobstructed bedroom view of natural surroundings seems to yield greater progress in self-reported physical and mental health, while the degree of improvement varied with gender and the diagnostic group [4]. ...
... Previous studies showed that windows in hospital wards with a view of nature had comparatively therapeutic influences and increased the speed the recovery of patients [1]. A randomized prospective study also showed that the amount of sunlight in a hospital room was significantly associated with patients' psychosocial health, amount of analgesic medication used, and pain medication cost [19]. ...
Article
Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the impact of urban landscape from window views on quality of care for women who underwent Cesarean Section (C-section) in Taiwan. Design: The participants were randomly assigned into 46 different hospital rooms to see the effects of various window views and daylight exposure on women's recovery from post C-section care. Setting: We carried out this study in the obstetrics departments of three tertiary hospitals located in two major cities of Taiwan: Taipei City and New Taipei City. Participants: A total of 296 women who underwent C-sections and used patient-controlled analgesic (PCA) for pain control after their surgery during the 10-month data collection period were recruited for this study. Intervention: The 46 different patient rooms provided diverse window views and different daylight exposure for the participants. Main outcome measures: Recovery for the women who underwent C-sections in this study was defined as PCA usage and perceived pain measured by Brief Pain Inventory (BFI). Results: Higher satisfaction of window view significantly decreased analgesic usage (P = 0.057), reduced the scores of overall perceived pain (P = 0.046), pain severity (P = 0.004), and 'pain's interference with relations with others, enjoyment of life, and mood (REM).' (P = 0.095). Conclusions: To maximize benefit and well-being of patients recovering from surgery, health care architects should design patient rooms to create maximum satisfaction with visual impacts and optimize window views. By doing so, it may decrease the use of pain medication and substantially reduce healthcare costs.
... An enclosed space without windows might trigger unpleasant feelings and emotions in people, lack of concentration, symptoms such as depression, insomnia and loss of sense of reality may appear (Yeom et al, 2020). In addition, the window provides a visual connection between the indoor and outdoor environments, thereby providing psychological comfort and personal satisfaction (Yeom et al, 2020;Veitch & Galasiu, 2012). During the long-term epidemic lockdown, looking outside allowed the only visual contact with the environment and also social connection with other people (Batool et al, 2021). ...
... The respondents indicated greenery as the most desirable content of the window view, despite the fact that in the fi rst part of the survey, reactions to facades were evaluated exclusively without greenery. This is in line with previous studies, ours and those of other researchers, fi nding that views of nature through windows are favoured and benefi cial and can have the similar effect as actually being in nature(Kaplan and Kaplan 1989;Yeom et al., 2020;Veitch and Galasiu 2012;Drobne et al. 2022). ...
... Given the trend of population urbanisation, sustainability goals, city growth and urban densification, access to daylight and the quality of window views is becoming increasingly challenging. The visual connection of the interior and exterior environments through the window provides psychological comfort and personal satisfaction [1][2][3][4]. This was also shown in the long-term lockdown during the COVID-19 epidemic when looking outside allowed the only visual contact with the environment and also the only social connection with other people [5]. ...
... Mood and emotions: A variety of viewpoints can elicit a range of emotions. A view that is sunny and cheery may elevate our spirits and make us feel happier, but a view that is dismal or monotonous may make us feel sad or bored [1][2][3][4]. ...
Article
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Our surroundings, as viewed through the window, have a significant impact on how we feel, how we think, and how productive we are. In order to build settings that promote pleasant emotions and support mental health, whether at home or at work, it is crucial to take the window view into account as well as any potential consequences it may have. In this study, we first conduct a bibliometric analysis of the topic using Elsevier SciVal data. Then, using a questionnaire survey, we proceed to determine what is the respondents’ favourite window view and what is the reason they look through the window. The results show that the preferred window view contains greenery, and the main reason for looking through the window is mental disconnection. The Chi-Square test results suggest that there is a correlation between age and the preferred window view. Furthermore, the results also showed that there is a connection between the environment where the respondents spend the majority of their workday and the reason for looking through the window.
... Besides skin conductance and heart rate measures, Eye-tracking metrics could be used as an 34 objective assessment method in view studies, as they provide an insight of cognitive attention [129], 35 which might provide a deeper knowledge of human visual behaviour to improved understanding of 36 view perception [130]. In principle, the eye tracking tools are used to collect eye movement data (i.e., 37 fixation and saccades duration) and/or pupil size data to be analysed in relation to the investigated visual 38 stimuli (view, lighting, etc.) [131][132][133][134]. The fixations are defined as "the moment when the eyes are 1 relatively stationary, taking in or encoding information" while the saccades are defined as the eye 2 movements occurring between fixations with the purpose to move the eyes to the next viewing position 3 ...
... [135]. The collected data is then reconstructed to be examined using gaze maps or statistical analysis to 4 represent the findings [131][132][133].The physiological measures purposed and application in visual 5 research are presented in 6 1 ...
Article
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Views provided by windows are key factors that affect occupants' overall psychological and physiological comfort inside buildings. Despite their importance, there are no established approaches and regulations to guide designers and researchers in investigating view perception. This paper systemically reviews studies on view perception in terms of quality and quantity factors affecting view perception (i.e., content-related factors, design-related factors including window's shape and size, shading devices, mullions, and partitions, dynamic changes in views based on observer-related factors, and view size) and discuss views impact on other visual (i.e., glare) and non-visual (i.e., privacy and thermal comfort) perceptions. In addition, the notion of view quality and quantity is discussed. Furthermore, methods used to visually represent views from windows, and methods used to quantify view perception subjectively and objectively are critically reviewed. As a result, knowledge gaps were identified for future studies in relation to view quality assessment and experimental design; and an all-inclusive comprehensive approach to quantify view quality using subjective and objective assessments along with an adequate representation method is proposed.
... Numerous studies have documented the effects of light intensity and lighting spectrum on thermophysiological responses and thermal perception [6], [17], [18]. But these studies focus mainly on the effects of artificial light, and the studies on daylight, its color temperature, and their effects on thermal responses are still very limited [19]- [22]. However, those limited studies argue that, in a daylight-lit interior, occupants can tolerate the warm environments more than in an artificially lit one due to the changes in their thermal perception [19], [22]. ...
... But these studies focus mainly on the effects of artificial light, and the studies on daylight, its color temperature, and their effects on thermal responses are still very limited [19]- [22]. However, those limited studies argue that, in a daylight-lit interior, occupants can tolerate the warm environments more than in an artificially lit one due to the changes in their thermal perception [19], [22]. Chinazzo et al. (2019) reported that human thermal comfort and acceptability are affected by the presence of daylight and its intensity [19]. ...
Article
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In order to understand how to reduce energy consumption in buildings, all factors affecting occupant comfort and behavior must be considered. Previous work from EPFL has elucidated the influence of daylight on thermal perception and its resulting potential to reduce cooling loads in a controlled test space in Geneva, Switzerland with three different illumination levels (130 lux, 600 lux, and 1400 lux) and under three different indoor air temperature levels (19°C, 23°C, 27°C). Occupants perceived the temperature as up to 2°C cooler when exposed to daylight, leading to reduced cooling loads. For climates with high cooling loads for much of the year, such as Austin, Texas, this reduction could yield significant benefits for low-energy building design. Simulations show the total amount of energy saved from adopting this strategy in Austin, Texas.
... For psychologists, there has been a long-lasting and constant concern with the relationship between the outdoor environment and the behavior of human beings at different life stages, in schools, workplaces, homes, prisons, and hospitals (Veitch & Galasiu, 2012). Recently there has been accumulated evidence regarding the alertness effect of lighting, besides its role in regulating the circadian system. ...
... A series of applied and fundamental studies in 2003, assured the CIE that the exposure of people in industrialized countries to the high level of daylight would enhance their mood (Veitch & Galasiu, 2012). Also, worth mentioning seasonal affective disorder (SAD) which is described as a depressive illness, varies according to the seasonal change during the year. ...
Article
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When designing schools, universities, or any educational centers, daylight in classrooms is usually one of the essential issues that take the architect's attention. Its importance comes from the fact that daylight can impact students' health, mood, and visual performance. Providing an appropriate amount of uniformly distributed light with glare protection is a significant factor in classroom design (Zomorodian Z S, 2016). This study is based on a literature review, studies, and articles researching the effect of daylight in a classroom environment on students' performance. It tends to define the significance of daylight design in the learning environment. This paper also deals with specifying and exploring all the conditions, factors, and elements that contribute to creating this successful daylight design in classrooms. Besides, it investigates the daylight design of the buildings at the campus of Sarajevo that will, later on, contribute to the creation of a design manual of all the considerations that need to be taken for schools and educational centers’ daylight design. The study is conducted at the campus of Sarajevo in the academic year 2019. The literature review, data study, and previous studies define the significance of daylight in the classroom environment and show the correlation between daylight and students' achievement in the classroom environment. It defines the elements and conditions of successful daylight design in classroom settings. The study explored the current state of the daylight design at the campus of Sarajevo detecting its lacks and obstacles regarding adequate illumination. Based on the literature review, an appropriate solution for the investigated classroom environment has been designed.
... Occupants indicated that despite the issues of noise and glare caused by operable windows, they would still prefer them for having a direct connection to the outdoors [44]. Furthermore, the literature supports the argument that having access to external views and appropriate daylighting conditions improves the mood of office workers and has a positive impact on their satisfaction [31,[45][46][47]. ...
... This finding supports the significance of innovative design [28,32], communication and collaboration [26,59], and aesthetics [60] on office worker's satisfaction. With respect to occupants' satisfaction, the study showed significant relationships with access to daylight and view as indicated in other similar studies [45][46][47]. ...
Article
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This paper reports the results from a dataset comprising 9794 post-occupancy evaluation (POE) surveys from 77 Australian open-plan offices. This paper specifically focuses on a sub-set of 20 offices (n = 2133), identified from ranking 10 offices each, with the least (n = 1063) and highest (n = 1070) satisfaction scores, respectively. The satisfaction scores were evaluated on the basis of seven factors (i.e., building/office aesthetics and quality, thermal comfort and indoor air quality, noise distraction and privacy, personal control, connection to outdoor environment, maintenance and visual comfort, and individual space). Using the POE survey data from 20 offices, regression analyses and two-way ANOVA tests were carried out to understand the differences in occupants’ satisfaction and perceived productivity arising from open-plan offices. According to the statistically significant regression analyses results, it was identified that building/office aesthetics and quality (β = 0.55, p < 0.001) and noise distraction and privacy (β = 0.33, p < 0.001) were the two strongest predictors contributing perceived productivity in low-performance offices. Two-way ANOVA test results for the 10 high-performance offices indicate that the perceived productivity was strongly associated with the office’s physical configuration, the employees’ working experience, and the working hours at that office.
... Windows also provide daylight, which has been regarded as one indispensable environmental factor in residential buildings (British Standard, 2008). Daylight can illuminate the indoor tasks, replace electric lighting and contribute to improve human health and wellbeing on the ground of physiological and psychological aspects (British Standard, 2008) (Veitch & Galasiu, 2012). Windows could be used as an efficient approach to deliver daylight into buildings (CIBSE, 2012). ...
... For the window use and lighting energy savings, most previous studies have been carried out in commercial and public premises (LBNL, 2000). However, this topic has recently received more attention in the residential building sector (Veitch & Galasiu, 2012) (Mardaljevic, Andersen, Roy, & Christoffersen, 2011). In Europe, a recent study (Foldbjerg, Roy, Duer, & Andersen, 2010) investigated the impact of windows on overall energy use (lighting, cooling, heating) in a single family house (with 20% window-to-floor area ratio) located in different cities. ...
Technical Report
This report presents a study of the impact of windows on overall energy performance of single family, detached houses in two European climates: the middle of Sweden (cold climate) and Southern France (warm climate). The parameters studied include climate and house characteristics, window properties (sizes, thermal, solar and visual transmittances, positions), as well as shading devices (interior and exterior) and natural ventilation. The heating, cooling and lighting energy use were analysed using advanced dynamic energy simulations with DesignBuilder (interface of EnergyPlus) in order to demonstrate how various windows and shading systems may affect the overall energy balance of typical houses in different climatic conditions. The Swedish house model was defined based on the Swedish building code BBR 19: BFS 2011:26 (6:251) for ventilation and BBR 20: BFS 2013:14 (9:2) for construction U-values, thermal bridges, etc. The French house model was defined based on information provided directly by the Velux Group. The study shows that the house’s basic construction (U-values, airtightness, ventilation with heat recovery) and architectural aspects have a large impact on the overall energy balance. In this case for instance, the Southern house had a higher energy demand than the Northern house, and this was mainly due to the fact that the Southern house had higher U-values and air change rate for the building envelope, no heat recovery on the ventilation, and a higher envelope-to-volume ratio (thus more heat losses). The Southern house thus had an energy balance dominated by the heating demand, which would have been expected for the Northern house. Interestingly, the good construction (low U-values, airtight construction, heat recovery on ventilation) used for the Northern house resulted in an energy balance where the lighting demand played a secondary but significant role in the overall energy balance although heating was still the dominant energy end use. For the Northern house under cold climate, larger window sizes give rise to higher heating and cooling demand but lower lighting demand while for the Southern house, larger window sizes yield lower heating and lighting demands but higher cooling demand. In addition, the results clearly show that the impact of orientation is more or less negligible on the overall energy balance, mainly due to the fact that windows were distributed rather evenly on all facades in the studied cases. Furthermore, the results indicate that the use of an outside screen is clearly the most efficient measure to reduce cooling energy demand compared to the use of inside screen or natural ventilation. For small window sizes (10%-window-to-floor-ratio-WGR), the selection of environmental control strategy (shading or natural ventilation) has a relatively negligible impact on overall energy demand, as long as one of these strategies is applied. For both the Northern and Southern houses, the lighting energy savings from daylight utilization are clearly demonstrated in this study, even in a smaller window area (WGR 0%---10%). Interestingly, when comparing 0% with 10% WGR, the study shows that the additional heat losses due to windows are compensated by free daylight and passive solar heat gains. Generally, increasing the window area beyond 10%-WGR does not bring significant additional savings in terms of lighting energy use, especially in the Southern house. This could be due to the fact that 10%-WGR is sufficient to reach the desired average illumination levels considered in this study (150 lux). However, for the Northern house, larger WGR permit to offset the effect of shading on the lighting performance. This study showed that daylight utilization could provide electricity savings corresponding to at least one third of electric lighting demand in Swedish and French houses, going from about 12 kWh/m2yr to about 7-8 kWh/m2yr, with most savings achieved with the use of 10%-WGR and only marginal additional savings obtained with larger windows (30%-WGR). Thus, it can be concluded that the potential for daylight utilization is real and significant in the residential sector, even considering reasonable window sizes that would limit the heating and cooling demands. Although this study yields a series of valuable results and information, it is solely based on theoretical energy simulations, using inputs and settings that could be very different from a real context. The results of this study should be considered bearing in mind the basic limitations of the simulation settings.
... Construction and Environment [10][11][12][13], Lighting Research and Technology [14][15][16][17][18][19] as well as the Human Factors, Ergonomics and Medicine [20][21][22]. One of the key undertakings in this research area was an interdisciplinary project initiated by the National Research Council of Canada under the name "The Physiological and Psychological Effects of Windows, Daylight and View at Home: Review and Research Agenda" [23]. This program allowed to identify over 270 items of scientific papers prepared by 2012, which indicates the importance scale of these issues. ...
Article
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Standards specifying the requirements for daylight in shaping the interiors of residential buildings do not cover issues related to visual perception and the role of light as a carrier of images of the outside world. The general recommendations in this regard, given in the 2018 European Lighting Standard can hardly be considered an unambiguous, precise normative regulation. According to the author, the inalienable element of the view through the window is the image of the sky, which is the basic reference in human perception of the space of the external environment. The aim of the research is to identify the main determinants for ensuring access to the sky view from apartments in housing estates with high intensity of development. The analyzes are based on the author's simple graphical research methods capable of simulating the visual perception of images of the external environment space through a window. The key parameter in the analyzes is the vertical viewing angle, called the sky view entry angle. Its minimum value set at 7.5°C is of fundamental importance in shaping the geometric relations between neighbouring buildings. The research results oblige, in the context of the paradigm of sustainable housing development, to recognize the criterion of access to the sky view from residential interiors as a mandatory design guideline.
... Research in environmental psychology and building science has shown the positive impacts of providing building occupants with a view out [9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. Known effects typically include increased workplace satisfaction, productivity, cognitive performance, stress modulation, and patient recovery time [1,9,10,12,13,[16][17][18][19][20]. ...
Article
Providing adequate glare protection and a view to the outside through fabric shading devices is challenging because these two objectives require conflicting material properties for a fully lowered shading. In a semi-controlled office-like experiment involving 32 participants, we investigated four types of neutrally-colored fabrics (charcoal and gray) with Openness Factors (OF) smaller than 7% focussing on view clarity, discomfort glare with the sun in the field of view, and participants' behavior when it comes to blind control. The results show that fabrics with OF<3% could provide adequate glare protection but no satisfactory view out. The charcoal-colored fabric of>6% resulted in lower glare protection but higher quality of view out. Our results show inconsistencies with the EN14501 blind classifications for glare and visual contact (i.e., view clarity), but good agreement with the recently developed view clarity index. During the final session, three quarters of participants raised the blinds to allow an average of 10° view to the outside, reporting as primary motivations the wish for more light and view out. Despite the relatively small rise of the fabric (15% of the total shade), daylight levels and view out were significantly improved, suggesting that operable blinds should not be controlled nor described according to the "all-or-nothing" approach. The change in fabric height did not compromise glare perception. These results suggest that if the control of shading height is effectively provided to occupants, then the fabric material could be selected primarily based on glare requirements.
... The basic function of the window is the introduction of daylight and fresh air into the interior, and the view of the outside space from the interior, which provides psychological comfort and personal satisfaction (Yeom et al., 2020;Veitch and Galasiu, 2012). The importance of the window was demonstrated during the epidemic that required long-term lockdown, as window view provided the only visual contact with the environment and also social connection with other people (Batool et al., 2021a (Kaplan, 1995;Li and Sullivan, 2016). ...
Article
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Window view is an important parameter of living comfort. In densely urbanized areas, window view is often limited to the nearby façade, without all three visual layers visible and possibility of distant view. The purpose of the study is to examine what reactions are triggered by views of nearby façades, which by definition are not quality window views, and how the reactions of observers are influenced by additional greenery on the façade. A questionnaire survey was used in the study as a method for obtaining research data. Respondents defined reactions to 20 various window views and the reasons for them. The results showed that reactions to window views of nearby façades varied, and that the negative response depended not only on a limited number of visual layers and the distance between buildings, but also on visual aesthetic.Furthermore, added greenery in the window view triggered more positive reactions than did façades without greenery. Measures for greening façades are proposed.
... To reduce solar energy acquisition in the summer, minimum window-to-wall area ratio could be situated on the eastern and western elevations. Because it is not exposed to direct sunlight, the north elevation is important for daylighting [29]. ...
Article
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Concerns about climate change and rising energy demands have grown as a result of fast population rise and global industrialization. The construction industry has a huge impact on the energy and environmental sectors, accounting for about 40% of global energy consumption and a large portion of overall territorial emissions. There is a need for a shift in mindset when it comes to energy usage, as well as enhanced energy efficiency approaches and radical energy efficiency initiatives. As an energy-saving solution, the green roof, also known as the living roof has suitability and environmental benefits on many levels, while also strengthening aesthetic features and provoking structural innovation. Moreover, drought-prone areas, e.g. Saudi Arabia, have significant household energy demands. The Saudi building sector consumes more than 76% of the country's total electric power generation. As a result, the purpose of this study is to provide a general overview of living roof technology and its potential in Saudi Arabia as an energy-saving strategy. An overview of the building envelope, the impact of cladding design considerations on power usage, the benefits of a living roof, cost-benefit analysis, green policies, and examples from other countries are included in the paper. Other environmental benefits, besides the energy-saving potential of living roofs, were shown to boost the quantitative benefits of the living roof idea. A more detailed study is needed, among other things, to evaluate the energy-saving potential of living roofs based on the weather of various locations.
... Studies by Kaplan (2001) and Veitch and Galasiu (2012), have shown that visual comfort, particularly from natural window views, has enhanced physiological calming effects, mood satisfaction, improved focus, and overall occupant wellness. Where recovering occupants are faced with loneliness and anxiety, improving the visual comfort has become central to the well-being of such confined occupants in buildings. ...
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Purpose-This study aims to explore the impact of the indoor environment on recovery from COVID-19 infections. Extant literature on the impact of the four key themes of the indoor environment (indoor air quality, indoor thermal quality, daylighting and visual comfort, and acoustic comfort) on COVID-19 infection and recovery rates were reviewed. Design/methodology/approach-Data collection for this study was based on extant literature within the Scopus database and scoped to a time frame of 2020-2021 because the topical issue of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and its impact on COVID-19 arose in the wake of the pandemic. In total, 224 documents were systematically desk reviewed from various journals. Findings-The study identified that air pollutants such as PM 2.5 and PM 10 as well as air-conditioned places, low ambient temperatures, poor ventilation and no views of the outdoor environment were deteriorating factors for COVID-19 patients. On the other hand, proper ventilation, the use of air cleaners, views of the outdoor environment and allowance for ample daylighting were improvement factors for COVID-19 patients. The interrelationship of the various concepts was presented in an ontology chart. Practical implications-As COVID-19 still exists and keeps evolving, this study provides suggestions to industry professionals, especially health-care Facility Managers, to create a post-pandemic environment focusing on the IEQ and finding long-term and reliable solutions for the well-being of occupants. Adaptability is crucial. New, creative technology solutions are being introduced daily, but it is up to the facility managers and health-care professionals to analyse and specify the most cost-and outcome-effective technologies for their facility.
... As a result, the flats can offer better living conditions that promote residents' health and well-being. Designers should prioritise certain recommendations [40], e.g., (1) the view from the windows should provide spatial diversity as well as privacy [82,83]; (2) diversity in terms of visual an thermal comfort, and adaptive floor plans to facilitate work, education, exercising, cooking, socialising, and on-screen entertainment [84]; (3) the arrangement of rooms in the flat, which can be adjusted to different uses and support the changing role of the house; (4) control of light, temperature, air, and noise in the rooms, adjusted to the human circadian rhythm [85,86]; (5) designing spaces that support positive social interactions-shared terraces, outdoor yards, and public lounges that support physical distance [87]; (6) possibility for the use of natural ventilation and thermal comfort at home; (7) connection with nature-outdoor public spaces need to be sufficiently large to contain buffer zones which will allow people to feel comfortable in social situations and which enable physical distance to be kept; (8) appropriate sizes and arrangements of units, which support the physical distance of at least two metres between individuals. ...
Article
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Flats/houses in the COVID-19 pandemic era became the central place for living, working, learning, studying and entertainment. According to Maslow’s pyramid, all the basic needs had to be satisfied within a single space, which caused a change in the importance of certain locational and physical features of the flat/house. This study aimed to investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic changed the perception of the environmental features and the physical features of flats/houses. The research material was obtained from a questionnaire study disseminated through different online channels. The study was conducted in Poland, and citizens’ preferences are linked to the prevailing spatial and socio-economic determinants. A group of respondents were presented with 23 features describing the location and 17 features describing the physical features of flats/houses. They were also asked questions about the level of satisfaction with the current location and housing features. The results were analysed, and the statistical significance of the difference in the perception of the location features and the physical features of the flat/house was verified using a Chi-squared test. The results demonstrated a change in the importance of certain attributes concerning both external and internal factors. The physical features of the flat/house appeared to be more important (from the respondents’ perspective) than the features related to the location, as most changes occurred in that group. The respondents indicated that access to medical care facilities had gained importance (+8%), while good access to public transport had declined (−9%). For the physical features of flats/houses, respondents from other countries also indicated the importance of other attributes, i.e., the floor area (+12%), number of rooms (+14%), additional rooms (+14%), and access to broadband Internet and digital platforms (+28%). The study showed that over 30% of respondents would change their flats/houses if their financial means permitted.
... The is particularly important part of the health and well-being in the long term. Our biological clock needs enough exposure of darkness at night and natural sun light during daytime, especially in the morning [2]. This rhythm should be repeated each day otherwise clock start to go out of tune. ...
Thesis
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Marmara University Tubitak 2209-A Supported Graduation Project/Thesis Presentation Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
... The physiological [1], psychological[60], environmental[61], and aesthetical[62] importance of daylighting is well acknowledged by scholars. The current study analyzed the ratings of these factors by shopping mall users. ...
Article
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Given the rapid rise in the efficiency of artificial lighting systems, the challenges for any daylighting system on the basis of energy savings will be more challenging in the future. To sustain the role of daylighting in shopping malls, a field survey was conducted to explore daylighting benefits from the customers’ perspective. By analyzing the data collected from 552 Carian shopping malls’ customers, the present study supports the emerging idea that daylighting is more important to improving users’ mood than saving energy. The study found that ‘illumination’ was ranked as the most important element in the shopping malls' internal environment. Connection to outside views and the presence of sunlight were preferred and significantly enhanced the customers’ ability to recognize the utilization of daylight, which, in turn, increased customer satisfaction level. However, the study argues that lighting quality, rather than lighting source (natural or artificial), is what increases customer satisfaction. More studies are essential for elucidating the association between the conscious/subconscious perception of daylight utilization and the achievement of the intended human-related benefits. A better understanding of the customers’ perspectives will guide building designers toward effective daylighting solutions and shift the attention from the functional to the emotional role of daylighting.
... According to Haverinen-Shaughnessy et al. [8], indoor temperature and ventilation, as well as hygiene, affect the occupants' health and performance. Furthermore, the lack of sufficient daylight levels in dwellings causes important psychological problems [9]. Many studies have proved that the presence of adequate natural light increases productivity and helps to decrease stress [10]. ...
Article
In prefabricated buildings distinctive construction process and lightweight components affect design strategies and consequences. Therefore, to create more sustainable prefabricated buildings, it is important to understand the effects of their envelope parameters on energy performance and indoor environmental quality. Although previous research have investigated the effects of envelope on energy and indoor comfort outputs, the parameters of lightweight prefabricated envelope are not thoroughly considered. This article quantifies the effects of building envelope parameters on the energy use, thermal comfort and daylighting levels of a prefabricated house built in Australia. A building simulation model was developed and validated by comparing predicted with measured indoor temperatures of the house. The baseline performance for evaluation of energy consumption, thermal discomfort hours and daylight unsatisfied hours were carried out using Transient System Simulation (TRNSYS) tool. Series of regression-based sensitivity analyses (SAs) to identify the most sensitive parameters were conducted by coupling TRNSYS, jEPlus and SimLab. Applications in six climate zones were investigated. The important focus areas found by SA in each climate and their corresponding design responses can be applied across ranges of prefabricated building projects if built in similar climatic conditions. SA results revealed window glazing and shading among the most influential parameters on all targeted performance outputs. The relationship between sensitivity levels to energy consumption and degree days indicated that the type of window has a higher impact on the reduction of energy use in the cooling dominated climates while insulation of wall was found a more effective strategy in heating-dominated climates.
... Effektiv intern eller ekstern solafskaermning eller vinduer med solafskaermende glas kan bruges effektivt til at holde boliger køligere i solrige perioder og reducere, eller måske endda eliminere behovet for klimaanlaeg. Studiet "ES-SO 2014 -Cost Efficient Solar Shading Solutions in High Performance Buildings" [12] viser, at dynamisk solafskaermning kan føre til energibesparelser i forbindelse med køling på op til 62 % for sydvestvendte facader for kontorbygninger beliggende i Stockholm. ...
Technical Report
Bygningsreglementet stiller skarpe krav til øget energieffektivitet og reduktion af CO2-udledning både for nye og renoverede boliger. Ved renovering af eksisterende boliger medfører dette som regel efterisolering og tætning af klimaskærm samt udskiftning af vinduer. Disse tiltag sænker bygningens energiforbrug, men samtidig øges risikoen for overophedning, især i løbet af forår og sommer. Problemet bliver endnu større, da antallet af personer, der arbejder hjemmefra, øges og de eksterne temperaturer stiger som følge af klimaændringer. Mange undersøgelser har vist, at en for høj indendørstemperatur påvirker sundhed, trivsel og produktivitet negativt. Det er derfor vigtigt, at overophedningsproblemet i danske boliger får større opmærksomhed. En løsning på problemet er effektiv ventilation samt at begrænse solens bidrag gennem vinduer i facaden, som kan være et betydeligt bidrag i boliger. Formålet med projektet var at evaluere potentialet for forskellige solafskærmninger kombineret med typiske ventilationsløsninger for at reducere overophedning efter energirenovering af danske etageboligbyggerier fra 1850-1970 under hensyntagen til dagslysets mængde og kvalitet. Studiet blev udført ved brug af dynamiske bygningssimuleringer med fokus på tre typer danske etageboliger fra perioden 1850-1970 baseret på bygningstopologi defineret af Engelmark (Engelmark, J. 2013. Dansk Byggeskik, Etagebyggeriet gennem 150 år, ISBN: 978-87-993249-6-5). Derudover blev dagslyskvalitet og distribution studeret ved brug af avancerede dagslyssimuleringer. Studiet viste, at energirenovering reducerer energiforbruget i gennemsnit med 64 %, men resulterer i et stigende antal timer med overophedning (rum temperatur højere end 27 °C). I tilfælde af energirenovering, hvor der ikke implementeres mekanisk ventilation, stiger antallet af timer med overophedning i gennemsnit fra 51 timer før renovering til 106 timer efter renovering. Bygningsreglementet tillader maksimum 100 overophedningstimer om året. Det maksimale antal overophedningstimer for bygninger uden mekanisk ventilation i det nuværende studie var 154 timer. Ved implementering af mekanisk ventilation kan antallet af overophedningstimer i gennemsnit reduceres med 40 %. Studiets største fokus var anvendelse af solafskærmning. I boligbyggeri bruges mest indvendig solafskærmning som gardiner, indvendige persienner eller rullegardiner. Resultaterne viser, at indvendig solafskærmning i kombination med mekanisk ventilation effektivt kan reducere overophedningstimer under grænseværdien på 100 timer om året. Hvis overophedning skal elimineres, er udnyttelse af udvendig solafskærmning nødvendig. Projektets resultater viser, at solafskærmning altid bør overvejes i forbindelse med energirenovering, hvis overophedning skal minimeres.
... There is a direct connection between sunlight penetration and job satisfaction (Leather et al. 1998). Light affects people in nonvisual ways through both the skin and eyes; lack of light can cause medical distress (Veitch and Galasiu 2012). For instance, insufficient exposure to daytime sunlight, as well as exposure to nocturnal light pollution over time, are related to an increased risk of some cancers (Welker 2016). ...
Article
Full-text available
Stress is one issue that affects the health and well-being of every building occupant. The negative effects of stress are more pronounced in workplaces, where stress can act as a major agent of disease and an impediment to employee productivity and satisfaction. The underlying causes of occupational stress are varied and include job insecurity, extended hours, excessive workload, altercations within the organization, tight deadlines, changes in responsibilities, and lack of autonomy, among others. One of the factors that can contribute to overall occupational stress is the working environment itself—a factor that can be mitigated by design. While occupational stress may arise from a multiplicity of causes, designers have numerous interventions they can employ to decrease it. The literature on occupational health, well-being, satisfaction, and productivity is broad and multifaceted; however, this paper is limited to exploring stress factors that correlate with the built environment and focuses on employees who are experiencing a high rate of stress in office buildings as the target group. To address these issues, supporting literature was explored to identify environmental interventions that could reduce stress or enhance the stress-coping abilities of workers in offices by improving the environmental quality of the built environment. This article explores the following questions: How does space cause people to experience mental stress? In what ways can the built environment itself be a generator of stress? What are the main environmental factors in offices that can mitigate the stress levels of employees or help them to recover more easily from work-related stress? To answer these questions, it is necessary to understand the causes and mechanisms of chronic stress, including work-related stressors, and to identify the factors in the built environment that can be associated with occupational stress. The present paper is based on concurrent analyses of supporting literature in the rather different fields of architecture, public health, psychology, management, and environmental studies. The outcome is an identified set of practical strategies that provide solutions for healthier and more productive workplaces. By concentrating on measures that can reduce employee stress levels, these strategies can be used as a source for evidence-based workplace designs.
... MURB units tend to have inadequate daylighting, and poor connection to the outdoors [3,4] Most new MURB units have balconies, and these are one of the defining architectural and programmatic elements that distinguish tall urban buildings from offices. In cities such as Vancouver, there are a range of balcony types and sizes being constructed, but no climate-specific guidelines for comparing design options for suites with balconies. ...
Conference Paper
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Condominiums have become the predominant housing form in Canada, and connection to the outdoors, adequate fresh air, and appropriate levels of daylight are essential to people's quality of life. The majority of new condos have balconies, but there are no climate-specific balcony guidelines for comparing design options for multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) with balconies. To date, studies of MURBs have focused on other important parameters including energy efficiency, indoor comfort, daylight, and resilience, but there is a significant research gap relating to balcony design. Balcony spaces are often underutilized, and shade both the living spaces inside and the units below. This research presents a research framework and preliminary results of a simulation-based study to quantify the impacts of three typical balcony designs on daylight in MURB dwellings. The framework and findings presented form part of a larger and more comprehensive simulation-based study that will provide the basis of design guidelines for balconies.
... The two most important functions of the windows are the provision of daylight and a view to the outside [4,5]. In the simplest definition, the view outside the window is a function of direct lines of sight between an inside observer and a selected outside object. ...
Article
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This paper presents an experimental evaluation of view out based on EN17037:2018 Daylight in Buildings within an educational building. The primary motivation to conduct the research was an introduction of a view out appraisal criteria by the mentioned standard. The study gives insights into the following: (i) the use of computational evaluation of an outside view according to the EN17037 criteria (ii) the use of the direct simultaneous questionnaire to assess the view out (iii) a description of the relationships between the normative criteria and users' subjective assessments of view out, and (iv) the link between the quantitative and qualitative parameters of the evaluation of view out. The study was conducted using a three step approach: S1 – a computational evaluation of the outside view according to the standard's recommendations: distance to the nearest obstacle, number of visible layers and angle of the view; S2 – a view out evaluation based on a direct questionnaire in the selected indoor spaces under various daylight conditions; S3 – analysis and comparison of the results. The data was collected in 2019 and 2020 with 169 evaluations from volunteering architecture students. The key findings are: (i) the outcome of the subjective participants' evaluation of the view out differs from the results generated through computational simulations based on the EN17037 ratings (ii) similar results were recorded in reference to the estimation of the layers of the view, and (iii) the responders rated the view out one rank lower than the computational evaluation suggests.
... Research demonstrates that luminous environment impacts humans both visually (light quality affects visual comfort and visual task performance) and non-visually (it also evokes mental states and the emotional impression of space and produces long-term biological effects on human health) (Boyce, 2014). Visually, higher illuminance levels induce greater arousal (Gifford, 1988), and lead to more communication and louder conversations (Veitch and Galasiu, 2012;Boyce, 2014). Light intensity plays a role also in alertness regulation, since bright light may improve wakefulness, or, the opposite, dim light may decrease it (Górnicka, 2007). ...
... For instance, relative darkness may indicate that it will start to rain soon. The information in these cues may provide psychological and physiological benefits to humans [24]. In addition, fascination induced by the variable aspect of daylight could, according to the Attention Restoration Theory [25], provide an opportunity for reflection and thereby enhance the recovery from directed attention fatigue. ...
Article
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The use of dynamic light scenarios for indoor environments may be motivated by the aim to support our circa-dian rhythms or provide a fascinating and/or informative environment. Additionally, dynamic lighting may be beneficial as it could acutely provide support at certain times of day, or for specific tasks or activities. A systematic literature search was performed to explore the dynamic scenarios that have been designed and tested to date. We explored what the motivations behind them were, and what the effectiveness of these scenarios was. On all aspects, the fourteen included articles varied substantially. The most promising effect seemed to be improved sleep due to an increased light dose during the day. However, for future work, it is recommended to explicitly explain and carefully align the theoretical rationale, the dynamic light scenario and the study protocol, including outcome measures. This review suggests potential beneficial effects of dynamic light scenarios on human functioning , but also clearly indicates that consolidated strategies for their description and assessment are currently lacking.
... Light is reviewed in a report by Veitch and Galasiu (2012); the effects on health are covered in detail. Light has a strong psychological effect on people but it is also linked with views out of the building, colour and spaciousness. ...
Book
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Intelligent buildings should be sustainable, healthy, technologically aware, meet the needs of occupants and business, and should be flexible and adaptable to deal with change. This means the processes of planning, design, construction, commissioning and facilities management, including post-occupancy evaluation are all important. Buildings comprise many systems devised by many people and yet the relationship between buildings and people can only work satisfactorily if there is an integrated team with a holistic vision. This book introduces the concept of intelligent buildings that meet these criteria.
... Retail environments have been understood in terms of brand communication (Kotler, 1973) and how they affect consumers approach of an area, what attracts their attention and makes them stay for longer (Foxall, 1990); because it is easier to define and quantify a universally desirable behaviour in these environments a body of research into the effectiveness of sensory design has been more forthcoming (Turley and Milliman, 2000). There are studies that look at the physiological and subjective experience of thermal pleasure (de Dear, 2011, Cabanac, 2006 and lighting (Cajochen, 2007, Veitch andGalasiu, 2012). There are also theories of positive spaces in general such as refuge theory that suggests people prefer landscapes that give a place to hide while maintaining wide fields of vision (Appleton, 1975). ...
Conference Paper
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A building's internal environment is often described in terms of the degree of comfort it provides. The definition of comfort is the removal of negative sensory stimuli (that distract and disturb). There is space for a description of internal environments that would maximise their positive impact rather than minimise the negative. Wellbeing, emotions and qualia are all concepts that encompass a full range of positive experiences. Practices theory describes how preferences (for a given experience) are shaped by societal forces. Human factors theory aims to improve the human-technology interactions required to control and shape internal environments. Together they all provide different insight into the internal environments people want, how they can get it and the personal and societal factors that shape those wants.
... It is not surprising then, that the dimensions of windows are a target of discussion in view of establishing new building regulations. Not only do windows admit daylight or a connection to the outdoors, but also already widely acknowledged positive psychological effects (Butchart et al. 2006;Ulrich et al. 1991;Veitch and Galasiu 2012). In working environments, window access has been found to be an important factor that impacts the satisfaction with lighting, mood and well-being in open-plan and private offices (Boubekri et al. 1991;Butler and Steuerwald 1991;Leder et al. 2016). ...
Article
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Daylight provision to the indoor space is affected by different building elements that cannot be fully controlled by the users, such as the window size of a space. The dimensions of the fenestration not only affect the lighting levels, but they also affect how the space is perceived by its users. The present study examines three different window sizes via virtual reality, to study how they affect the perception of both a small and a large space at high latitudes. Additionally, two context scenarios (socializing and working), as well as three different sky types (overcast sky and clear skies with either high or low sun angle) were evaluated. The experimental study applied a mixed design with within-subjects and between-subjects factors. A total of 150 participants evaluated the scenes using a Likert-type scale to rate eight different subjective attributes. The statistical results showed that both window size and space type significantly affect the participants’ spatial perception, as well as their satisfaction with the amount of outside view. Larger windows led to more positively evaluated spaces for all studied attributes. Moreover, a significant interaction was found between window size and type of space for the satisfaction with the amount of view in the space, indicating that the window size was dependent on the type of space in which the windows are located. Specifically, the window sizes were rated higher in the small space than in the large space for the evaluation of amount of view. The findings show that window size affects how people perceive a space, and additionally, that other spatial features, such as space type, affect window size preferences.
... As part of the wider discussion on sustainable building design, daylighting has been found imperative for occupant wellbeing and energy savings (Bodart and De Herde 2002;Figueiro et al. 2017;Veitch and Galasiu 2012). Daylight is an interesting design factor, given its significant impact on retail sales performance (Heschong, Wright, and Okura 2002), as well as school and work achievement (Heschong et al. 2012;Maesano and Annesi-Maesano 2012). ...
Article
In parametric design environments, the use of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) promises greater feasibility than simulations in exploring the performance of solution spaces due to a reduction in overall computation time. This is because ANNs, once trained on selected input and output patterns, enable instantaneous predictions for new unseen input. In this study, ANNs were trained on simulation data to learn the relationship between design parameters and the resulting daylight performance. The ANNs were trained with selected input-output patterns generated from a reduced set of simulations in order to predict daylight performance for a hypercube of design solutions. This work demonstrates the integration of ANNs in a case study exploring designs for the central atrium of a school building. The study discusses the obtained design results and highlights the efficacy of the proposed method. Conclusions are drawn on the advantages of brute-force based daylight design explorations and an ANN-integrated design approach.
... New knowledge regarding light effects that are influenced by the intrinsically photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells (ipRGC-influenced light responses) on humans suggests that lighting should be dynamic, as the natural light source, for suitable entrainment of the endogenous circadian rhythm and regulation of daily sleep-and activity patterns. Several studies [4,[9][10][11][12][13] show that most people prefer daylight due to assumed beneficial health effects and its perceived environmental qualities (i.e., color rendering, rendering of shadows, variation or information about weather conditions and time of day). Daylight differs from electric lighting in many ways. ...
Article
Full-text available
Lighting is crucial for vision and has important effects beyond vision, influencing a variety of physiological and behavioral processes. When designing lighting, visual aspects, effects beyond vision, and perception of the environment should be considered together in a holistic approach. As humans evolved under daylight, a lighting protocol, based on a room context and daylight characteristics, was developed and described. The lighting, with customized light levels, spectral composition and light distribution that changed dynamically to evoke a perception of daylight conditions, was realized using commercially available luminaires and a digital control system. The resulting lighting conditions are described by measurements
... Furthermore, for almost all the classrooms the scores on pleasantness of daylight were even higher (average score for all the classrooms: 3.41 vs. 2.98 -see Figure 12). This shows that other factors, besides the mere daylight amount, contribute to the individual perception of a daylit space (Veitch and Galasiu 2012;Knoop et al. 2019): in this regard, a key role is played by colors and luminance of room surfaces (Tregenza 1999;Simm and Coley 2011), quality of the view out (Hamzah and Lau 2016), room shape (Bezjak et al. 2003), luminance of the sky dome (Kittler 2007), type and effectiveness of shading systems (Yener 2002). Also, besides lighting and architectural aspects, other factors concerned with users' preferences and lifestyle (in terms for instance of stress, sleep quality and so forth) are crucial in determining the mood of people (van Bommel 2006;Aarts et al. 2018). ...
Article
This paper presents selected results from the first stage of DAYKE (Daylight Knowledge in Europe), a 3-phase project that investigates the knowledge on daylighting in buildings among architecture students and practitioners across Europe. Subjective judgements from 561 students from 8 architecture universities in the EU, collected through two surveys in 2018. The key findings are: (i) the spatial distribution of comfort and mood in the classrooms varied depending on sky conditions and distance from windows; (ii) the average daylight factor DFm showed a good agreement with subjective judgements on the amount of daylight in a space; (iii) experts and non-experts provided similar judgements on the perception of a daylit environment; (iv) a general lack of knowledge about daylighting metrics, regulations, assessment tools and software was highlighted. Furthermore a difficulty in implementing daylighting into the design practice is also identified.
... Confirming the hypothesis of Veitch et al. 42 , according to which the thermal environment in a naturally-lit space could be more tolerated than what is predicted by the PMV, the thermal sensation of participants (asv) was lower compared to the calculated PMV based on the measured indoor conditions. Results, however, differed according to the thermal environment considered: the average difference between the asv and the PMV votes Several other studies reported the overestimation of the PMV 6,7,17,66,67 , especially at higher thermal conditions (e.g., higher than 28 °C) 17 . ...
Article
Full-text available
Understanding the factors that affect human thermal responses is necessary to properly design and operate low-energy buildings. It has been suggested that factors not related to the thermal environment can affect thermal responses of occupants, but these factors have not been integrated in thermal comfort models due to a lack of knowledge of indoor factor interactions. While some studies have investigated the effect of electric light on thermal responses, no study exists on the effect of daylight. This study presents the first controlled experimental investigation on the effect of daylight quantity on thermal responses, combining three levels of daylight illuminance (low ~130 lx, medium ~600 lx, and high ~1400 lx) with three temperature levels (19, 23, 27 °C). Subjective and objective thermal responses of 84 participants were collected through subjective ratings on thermal perception and physiological measurements, respectively. Results indicate that the quantity of daylight influences the thermal perception of people specifically resulting in a cross-modal effect, with a low daylight illuminance leading to a less comfortable and less acceptable thermal environment in cold conditions and to a more comfortable one in warm conditions. No effect on their physiological responses was observed. Moreover, it is hypothesised that a warm thermal environment could be tolerated more whenever daylight is present in the room, as compared to the same thermal condition in a room lit with electric lights. Findings further the understanding of factors affecting human thermal responses and thermal adaptation processes in indoor environments and are relevant for both research and practice. The findings suggest that daylight should be considered as a factor in thermal comfort models and in all thermal comfort investigations, as well as that thermal and daylight illuminance conditions should be tuned and changed through the operation and design strategy of the building to guarantee its occupants’ thermal comfort in existing and future structures.
... Thus, it is not difficult to appreciate why certain buildings have glass curtain walls, which not only improve constructability and aesthetic value, but also offer a sense of openness [5]. The careless expansion of windows, however, can cause anxiety and privacy problems [1,4,6,7] as well as low visual comfort because of excessive sunlight [8][9][10]; this may also increase heating and cooling energy demands because of high thermal transmittance [11][12][13]. It is therefore crucial to determine the appropriate window size for office spaces by considering various occupant requirements. ...
Article
The satisfaction of occupants with a built environment can vary depending on their response to certain design variables, such as window size. However, relevant studies are limited because of the necessity for immense resources and the technical difficulty of creating a physical environment with different window sizes under the same experimental conditions. To resolve this problem, a randomized crossover study design and a new method for virtual reality modeling are implemented to conduct two sets of experiments in the physical and virtual environments. By investigating the satisfaction of 50 participants in different built environments, this study identifies the responses of occupants not only to changes in the window-to-wall ratio (WWR) (i.e., 15%, 30%, 45%, and 60%) but also to differences in the physical and virtual office spaces. The results of this experimental study confirm the following. (i) The virtual environment is an adequate representation of the physical environment of windowed spaces; it exhibits no significant difference in occupant satisfaction between physical and virtual spaces. (ii) The participants express a significantly higher occupant satisfaction with the senses of visual comfort, inner space, and openness with higher WWRs (i.e., 30%, 45%, and 60%) than that with a lower WWR (i.e., 15%) by up to 1.86 times. However, although it is not statistically significant, the increase in the WWR decreases occupant satisfaction in terms of sense of privacy. By applying the proposed experimental approach of utilizing a virtual environment, it is possible to investigate various occupant responses to different window design variables.
... MURB unit aspect ratios of 1:2 are not uncommon in current practice, which leads to suites that are deep with unacceptable levels of daylight . Numerous studies show daylight has a great impact on people's health and wellbeing (Veitch and Galasiu 2012) and daylight is central to architectural quality and desirability. Further studies are needed into performance based design exploration of formal and geometric options that maximize daylight. ...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Access to acceptable levels of daylight are important for people’s quality of life. Multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) are known to perform poorly in terms of daylight compared to other residential building types. There are neither appropriate agreed upon metrics, nor effective methods for designing for daylight in MURBs. This paper presents results of a speculative design study that utilizes generative design to explore alternative geometries for the MURB tower typology. The experiment combines a genetic algorithm for spatial variation with climate-based daylight modeling (CBDM) to test the new forms against variations of the point tower MURB floorplan are commonly used. This paper identifies the poor performance of typical MURBs for daylight, and proposed new techniques for form generation. A new workflow has been developed and tested and a number of challenging issues have been identified.
... Daylight (skylight and sunlight) has been regarded as one indispensable environmental factor in residential buildings [4]. It can illuminate the indoor tasks, reduce electrical lighting use and save energy, improve human health and well-being on the ground of physiological and psychological aspects [4,5]. Windows could be used as an efficient approach to deliver daylight into buildings [6]. ...
Conference Paper
This paper presents a preliminary study on the impact of windows on energy performance in a detached house in Sweden. The parameters studied include window sizes, thermal and visual transmittances, solar gains, as well as one shading device. The energy consumption of electrical lighting system was the main factor to be first investigated. Furthermore, the heating and cooling demands were also assessed to demonstrate an entire profile of energy performance with the occurrence of various window systems and lighting conditions. Based on typical climate zones in Sweden, three locations (Umeå, Stockholm and Malmö) have been selected as the representatives. DesignBuilder (+EnergyPlus), a state-of-the-art package, was used to dynamically simulate environmental effect and energy performance. A clear relationship between window use and lighting energy performance has been achieved. The final results could be used for supporting earlier stage house design in northern Europe.
... 8 Many reviews document the importance of daylight for health, well-being, and sustainability, and the consequences for architecture. [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] Veitch and Galasiu 11 summarise: 'The reviews5,14 concluded that windows and daylighting are desired by most employees and that they are contributors to health and wellbeing'. Here we show that the specific characteristics and related benefits of daylight as summarised in Table 1 that produce this human reaction go beyond subjective preferences for natural light, as discussed by Haans. ...
Article
Full-text available
Light is necessary for vision; it enables us to sense and perceive our surroundings and in many direct and indirect ways, via eye and skin, affects our physiological and psychological health. The use of light in built environments has comfort, behavioural, economic and environmental consequences. Daylight has many particular benefits including excellent visual performance, permitting good eyesight, effective entrainment of the circadian system as well as a number of acute non-image forming effects and the important role of vitamin D production. Some human responses to daylight seem to be well defined whilst others require more research to be adequately understood. This paper presents an overview of current knowledge on how the characteristics of daylight play a role in fulfilling these and other functions often better than electric lighting as conventionally delivered.
... Daylight (skylight and sunlight) has been considered as one of the most crucial environmental factors in terms of promoting energy efficiency, enhancing work productivity and improving human health and well-being in buildings [1,2]. The availability of daylight has become a civil matter in some regions, which seriously concerns land developers, urban planners and building owners [3,4]. ...
Article
Daylight utilization in urban areas is receiving increasing attention from urban planners and developers, architects and engineers. This study investigated the daylighting availability within buildings of a highly dense residential urban area under a cold climate in north-east China. Based on innovative simulations using climate-based daylight modelling (CBDM), three typical urban layouts have been assessed according to vertical daylight illuminance at the building facade. A comprehensive analysis of daylighting potential has been completed through various approaches including typical time (9am, 12pm and 3pm), yearly average daylight illuminance and a proposed external daylight metric based on the frequency. Several interesting relationships are found between daylighting potential, urban forms, and climate conditions. A number of design strategies and guidelines are produced to support early stage urban planning and design.
... Daylight has a range of benefits, and the design implications of effects of light on circadian rhythm, emotional wellbeing and physical health are understudied in the context of daylight simulation. Regardless of specific residential types or patterns of inhabitation, numerous studies in design, public health and environmental psychology support the need for adequate daylighting in the living environment for occupant wellbeing (Veitch and Galasiu 2012;Aries, M., Veitch, J., Newsham, G. 2010). Augmenting daylight with artificial illumination does not significantly impact energy consumption in most dwellings, hence the critical consideration in residential daylighting design tends to be creating appealing spaces for occupant satisfaction and wellbeing. ...
Conference Paper
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New simulation tools for daylight have been tested on specific building types, mostly offices and schools. To date there have been very few simulation-based studies of daylighting in multi-unit residential buildings. Recent studies have shown strong connections between daylight and occupant wellbeing, not only in places where people work and study, but also in the home. New climate-based computer simulation tools allow designers the chance to test design options to better focus on daylit environments that promote wellbeing and quality of life, as well as productivity and energy conservation. This paper is derived from a larger, ongoing study and it evaluates design options for several differently shaped and oriented apartment floorplans using DIVA, a computational daylight simulation software. The paper offers findings specifically about the particular daylight issues related to multi-unit residential buildings. Further, the paper suggests new methods for including wellbeing in current daylight simulation workflows.
... The relationship between room types (e.g., bedroom/bathroom versus living room and clothing levels (e.g., fully dressed versus sleep wear) was not surveyed, but it is reasonable to assume different expectations of privacy based on these parameters. The multi-unit residential building design challenge is to recognize the importance of daylighting and views for occupant wellbeing (Veitch and Galasiu, 2012), while still providing acceptable visual privacy. ...
... Housing conditions and the built environment can significantly affect public health. Some of the housing related environmental health risks include; indoor or outdoor air pollution from cooking, heating and lighting, exposure to extreme heat or cold; disease vectors, damp and mould, design features, access to green spaces for physical activity, noise exposures, and use of unsafe construction materials and poor construction practices (Bonnefoy et al., 2003;Niemann and Maschke, 2004;Niemannet al., 2006;Bonnefoy, 2007;Veitch and Galasiu, 2012;WHO, 2018). ...
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Objectives: Housing is an important determinant of health, and substandard housing is a major public health issue. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of home accidents, and to evaluate the associations between housing conditions and home accidents in a health centre region in Ankara. Methods: In this cross-sectional research, we collected data from a representative sample of 210 houses using two standard questionnaires, which was used in the WHO’s Large Analysis and Review of European Housing and Health Status (LARES) project. In total, 528 people participated. Home accidents were self-reported and questioned for the previous year. We developed a composite index to assess the overall housing conditions. Housing conditions were accepted “inadequate” if the score was below the median. We developed a logistic regression model to predict the housing-related factors in accidents.Results: Of the participants, 60.4% were female, 89.0% had health insurance, and 56.1% were married. Fifty-eight point three percent of the respondents were living in inadequate housing conditions. The prevalence of home accidents during previous year was 21.2%. The first three most common accident types were falls, cuts, collision/striking and the mostly injured body parts were arm/upper limb, leg/lower limb, surface area of the body. Some of the items which have been involved in these accidents were construction features, kitchen equipment, and knives. The accidents were more common among females, people who reported fatigue, in kitchens with too little workplace and houses with noise problems(p<0.05). The odds of home accidents were 1.8 times more (95% CI:1.1-2.8) among residents living in inadequate housing conditions. The logistic model showed that, accidents were 2.1 times more (95% CI: 1.1-4.2) in those living in houses where adaptations for physical constraints were lacking, and 1.9 times more among females (95% CI: 1.1-3.3). Conclusion: Home accidents were common and related to housing conditions. We recommended that factors that can cause accidents in residential buildings be taken into consideration during the construction phase through cooperation of the municipality, the construction sector and the health personnel. This will enable everyone to benefit from these arrangements in the house.
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پهنه‌ بندی اقلیمی، یعنی شناسایی پهنه هایی که از آب وهوای یکسان برخوردارند. با گسترش روش‌های کمّی، روش‌های سنتی پهنه بندی جاى خود را به روش‌هاى نوین نظیر انواع متدهای درونیابی داده‌اند. این پژوهش به ارزیابی پهنه بندی اثرات تابشی بر فضاهای اداری شهر کرمان پرداخته وبر همین اساس از روش درون یابی کریجینگ معمولی با مدل‌های دایره‌ای، گاوسی و کروی استفاده شده و با معیارهای خطا شامل ریشه دوم مربعات خطا (RMS) و مقدار استاندار شده آن (SRMS)، میانگین استاندارد (Ms)، میانگین Mean)) و متوسط مربعات خطا (ASE) به ارزیابی آن پرداخته شده است. روش تحقیق، توصیفی – تحلیلی بر مبانی تحلیل فضایی با استفاده از سیستم GIS می‌باشد. نتایج به دست آمده از نقشه های پهنه­بندی اقلیمی (مبتنی بر فاکتورهای تابشی) در فضاهای اداری نشان داد که زاویه میل تابش خورشید در اعتدالین بصورت عمودو در انقلابین افقی بوده است. لذا تابش خورشید در ادارات واقع در شمال شهر بیشتر و در ادارات جنوبی به واسطه وجود کوه‌های پیرامون کمتر می‌باشد. بر همین اساس تابش خورشید در جبهه‌های شمالی و شرقی ماکزیمم و در جبهه‌های غربی و جنوبی مینیمم می‌باشد. متناسب با ماه‌های میلادی و بر داشت‌های صورت گرفته در اعتدالین و انقلابین مشخص شد که طیف پراکنش گاوسی و زاویه میل تابش عمودی در ادارات شمال شهر بیشترین تاثیرات را داشته و نحوه قرارگیری ادارات مشخص می‌کند که جبهه‌های شمالی ادارات، تابش بیشتری جذب می‌کنند.
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Research on the links between thermal and visual perception is an ever-evolving field aimed at exploring how one modifies the other. The findings can enhance buildings’ energy performance and the occupants’ well-being. Based on a screening methodology on a substantial article database, this review article provides an overview of the current state of knowledge by examining studies related to the thermo-photometric perception hypothesis between 1926 and 2022. It analyzes the limitations and contributions of these studies, identifies the most recent advancements, and highlights remaining scientific hurdles. For example, we demonstrate that the “hue-heat” hypothesis appears to be verified for specific experimental conditions conducive to measuring subtle parameter variations.
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Daylighting standards provide an assessment method that can be used to evaluate the quality of window views. As part of this evaluation process, designers must achieve five environmental information criteria (location, time, weather, nature, and people) to obtain an excellent view. To the best of our knowledge, these criteria have not yet been verified and their scientific validity remains conjectural. In a two-stage experiment, a total of 451 persons evaluated six window view images. Using machine learning models, we found that the five criteria could provide accurate predictions for window view preferences. When one view was largely preferred over the other, the accuracy of decision tree models ranged from 83% to 90%. For smaller differences in preference, the accuracy was 67%. As ratings given to the five criteria increased, so did evaluations for psychological restoration and positive affect. Although causation was not established, the role of most environmental information criteria was important for predicting window view preferences, with nature generally outweighed the others. We recommend the use of the environmental information criteria in practice, but suggest some alterations to these standards to emphasize the importance of nature within window view design. Instead of only supporting high-quality views, nature should be promoted across all thresholds dictating view quality.
Article
In this field study, we tested the effects of dynamic light scenarios and personal illuminance on visual experience, sleepiness, cognitive performance and sleep in an operational office. Two dynamic light scenarios, different in timing but with equal luminous exposure, were tested against a reference scenario in a counterbalanced crossover design. Frequent assessments of visual experience, alertness, performance and sleep showed that in both dynamic light scenarios visual comfort was slightly lower compared to the constant scenario. Additionally, sleepiness was lowest in the scenario with the brighter light timed around noon, whereas task performance and actual sleep were not significantly affected. The measured personal illuminances did not predict sleepiness and performance, yet variation and timing of these illuminances did positively relate to sleep onset and duration. When studying or implementing light scenarios aiming to deliver integrative lighting, the spatial and behavioral context should be considered as well.
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When looking out of a window, natural views are usually associated with restorative qualities and are given a higher preference than urban scenes. Previous research has shown that gaze behaviour might differ based on the natural or urban content of views. A lower number of fixations has been associated with the aesthetic evaluation of natural scenes while, when looking at an urban environment, a high preference has been correlated with more exploratory gaze behaviours. To characterise gaze correlates of view preference across natural and urban scenes, we collected and analysed experimental data featuring subjective preference ratings, eye-tracking measures, verbal reasoning associated with preference, and nature relatedness scores. Consistent with the literature, our results confirm that natural scenes are more preferred than urban views and that gaze behaviours depend on view type and preference. Observing natural scenes was characterised by lower numbers of fixations and saccades, and longer fixation durations, compared to urban views. However, for both view types, most preferred scenes led to more fixations and saccades. Our findings also showed that nature relatedness may be correlated with visual exploration of scenes. Individual preferences and personality attributes, therefore, should be accounted for in studies on view preference and gaze behaviour.
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We assess the influence of hourly variation in sunlight on the productivity of New York City cab drivers. The cab-driver-ride sample examined here has a lower “assortative match” between tasks and employee experience and abilities, and quasi-random matching between cab riders and cab drivers significantly lowers unobserved selection based on customer needs and driver ability. We draw on a sample of 9.76 million cab-driver-rides. With increasing hourly sunlight, cab drivers take longer to complete rides. In terms of relative effect sizes, after driver experience and day of the week, solar radiation (i.e., sunlight) is the third-most important influence on productivity. The effect sizes are small but meaningful--36.76 min of lost time for a 100% increase in lux (ranging from <200 lx, which represents light during the thickest possible storm clouds at midday to 20,000 lx, which represents the light present in an entirely clear blue sky at midday).
Chapter
Based on the architectural characteristics of a classroom, this paper examines the principles of design and the possibility of implementing daylighting systems in classrooms. The quality of daylight in classrooms depends on a whole range of factors, and it is necessary to analyze and evaluate daylighting systems in each specific case. This paper analyses architectural concepts and daylighting systems that appropriately admit natural daylight into the classroom and also eliminate possible negative effects. In addition to passive systems, special attention is paid to the advanced systems that can actively control light levels. The basic factors that directly affect the quality of daylight in classrooms are defined and are related to: classroom layout, natural lighting modes, applied daylighting systems for dispersion of natural lighting and the control of the luminous environment in the room.
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