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Challenging Conventional Approaches For Climate-based Daylight Simulations Of Multi-Unit Residential Buildings
Abstract
Multi-unit residential buildings (MURB) represent more than one half of the new housing built in the USA and Canada. To date, the majority of daylighting research has focused on offices, but MURB have a number of environmental performance challenges and quality of life considerations specific to their housing typology. Daylight is typically not sufficient in these dwellings, as many units are small and single-aspect, with a deep floorplate and a balcony that shades the living spaces within and below. There are no established metrics or methods specifically aimed to aid in daylighting design for MURB. There is a need for increased understanding of daylighting in these buildings, and better methods and metrics to simulate daylight performance. New early stage climate-based daylighting modeling (CBDM) tools such as DIVA allow designers to predict daylight performance in buildings. These tools were developed with offices in mind, and have underlying assumptions such as work hours and occupancy during daylight, and a focus on productivity and minimum sufficient lighting for a task, that make them difficult to adopt for MURB. This paper emerged from a study of the influence of balcony typologies on daylighting and presents a selective literature review of existing assumptions around daylight simulations for MURB. Itidentifies which assumptions in current tools and methods are problematic, with the aim of leading to more relevant CBDM assumptions and tools for this building typology. Drawing on recent literature, published studies, and rules of thumb, this paper identifies MURB-specific challenges with current assumptions about daylight simulation and tests some alternatives to typical simulation parameters. The aim is to begin to create MURB-specific thresholds for parameters including target daylight illuminance, metrics, and simulation grid height.
... For balconies to be successful outdoor spaces, they should be large enough that people can comfortably fit a table and chairs, to sit and enjoy the view. Another issue to consider is that typically balconies protrude from building façades and shade units below (Peters et al., 2020). However, depending on climate, the level of enclosure and shading should vary. ...
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.
Recent studies have shown the importance of healthy, occupant-centric lighting in buildings, but urban apartment housing remains understudied. This project analyzed typical dwellings in apartment housing to determine how unit design parameters impacted daylight and healthy lighting. The simulation-based study compared results using two early-stage design tools: ALFA and ClimateStudio. Design options were evaluated to see whether they met either or all of certain lighting criteria for LEED, WELL, and Toronto Green Standard (TGS). Typically constructed, single aspect, 1-bedroom units were tested in four orientations with different balcony types. A main finding is that the three standards evaluate lighting in different ways. A design that meets LEED requirements may not necessarily meet WELL lighting requirements. As expected, unit orientation, geometry and aspect ratio were the most impactful parameters. Conclusions and recommendations are presented, and future work should focus on actual conditions on site, and surveys to evaluate resident preferences.KeywordsDaylightHealthy lightingSimulationCircadian lightingApartment housing
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