Optimizing the Form of School Buildings by Using the Requirements for Daylight Illumination

Abstract

Daylight is an important factor in the functional and aesthetic aspects of school-building design. Because of the broad scope of the topic, in this study we have limited our investigation to the influence of the shape of the classroom on the daylight levels and the visual comfort, as these factors have an important influence on the design of school buildings. We have also looked at ways of obtaining appropriate daylighting levels in multi-storeyed, corridor-based school buildings, the form that is most often used around the world.

We have investigated the natural illumination levels in classrooms using computer models of classrooms (CMCs), which serve as a basis for determining whether the classroom meets the basic requirements for visual comfort. The efficiency analysis of the CMCs has allowed us to propose an optimal form for an actual classroom and school building which may influence the design of multi-storeyed, corridor-based school buildings in the future.

Keywords:

• Classrooms
• Computer simulation
• Daylighting
• Visual comfort