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This study investigates how indoor daylight environments affect patient Average Length of Stay (ALOS), by evaluating and analyzing daylight levels in patient rooms in comparison to their ALOS. The patient ALOS data were taken at one general hospital in Inchon, Korea and the other in Bryan, Texas, U.S.A.; physical, environmental and daylighting conditions were assessed at each building site. The gathered data were analyzed using SPSS statistical package to determine the trends in patients’ length of stay in hospital wards with 95% and 90% statistical significances. The data were categorized based on the orientation of a patient room and were compared between different orientations and types of patient rooms in the same ward of each hospital. Selected hospital wards were classified based on their orientations and types of patient rooms. The other variables considered in the study were: the differences in daylighting environments (illuminance, luminance ration, daylight factor, diversity and uniformity of illuminance), and physical environment properties of the patient rooms of each hospital, and how these affected patient ALOS in both locations (Inchon and Bryan). To analyze the daylighting environment, on-site measurements, RADIANCE simulations and physical scale model measurements were conducted. This study also investigated patients’ feelings and opinions, and their preferences in daylighting environments with the questionnaire survey. Through this study, three hypotheses were tested and was evidence for the following conclusions. First, there may be a positive relationship between indoor daylight environments and ALOS. Second, seasonal weather differences cause different indoor daylighting levels and may influence the length of patient hospitalization. Third, overall patient satisfaction and reactions to patient rooms may be related with indoor daylight environments. More controllable shading devices, naturally lighted indoor environments, and glare prevention create positive outcomes for patient ALOS and visual comfort. To increase the validity and confidence about the positive effects of daylight on human physiological conditions, further studies are necessary which provide more samples, facilities and other variables. This study was created as a basis for the development of recommendations for designing patient rooms in healthcare facilities and, as a result, should be used to achieve more effective healing environments.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1979 S264 / Master of Science

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This study investigated the potential of the daylighting systems used in the indigenous architecture of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), located in Dubai (latitude 25° N longitude 55° E). The analysis tested the lighting performance of three daylighting systems under UAE climatic conditions. The purpose of this research was to investigate the daylighting performance of three of the most common daylighting systems found in the indigenous buildings of the UAE, traditional windows (Dreeshah), gypsum decorative panels and wind tower (Barjeel). The lighting performance of each of the three lighting systems was examined. The lighting performance parameters examined were illuminance level, light distribution, uniformity, and glare. IESNA standards, CIBSE guidelines and LEED 2.2 daylighting credit and recommendations were used as the minimum recommended level for all analyzed variables. On-site measurements (illuminance and luminance) were conducted to compare measured versus simulated measurements inside the space. Desktop Radiance 2.0 Beta was used as the lighting performance analysis tool under clear sky conditions. Results have shown that the gypsum decorative panel performs better than the other two systems in terms of light uniformity and distribution, regardless of a lower illuminance level. The double panel window prototype has poor lighting performance in terms of glare, light distribution and uniformity. Wind tower performed well under the area of the wind tower itself. Apart from that it also had a poor lighting performance in terms of glare, light distribution, and uniformity.

This study investigated the potential of the daylighting systems used in the indigenous architecture of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), located in Dubai (latitude 25° N longitude 55° E). The analysis tested the lighting performance of three daylighting systems under UAE climatic conditions. The purpose of this research was to investigate the daylighting performance of three of the most common daylighting systems found in the indigenous buildings of the UAE, traditional windows (Dreeshah), gypsum decorative panels and wind tower (Barjeel). The lighting performance of each of the three lighting systems was examined. The lighting performance parameters examined were illuminance level, light distribution, uniformity, and glare. IESNA standards, CIBSE guidelines and LEED 2.2 daylighting credit and recommendations were used as the minimum recommended level for all analyzed variables. On-site measurements (illuminance and luminance) were conducted to compare measured versus simulated measurements inside the space. Desktop Radiance 2.0 Beta was used as the lighting performance analysis tool under clear sky conditions. Results have shown that the gypsum decorative panel performs better than the other two systems in terms of light uniformity and distribution, regardless of a lower illuminance level. The double panel window prototype has poor lighting performance in terms of glare, light distribution and uniformity. Wind tower performed well under the area of the wind tower itself. Apart from that it also had a poor lighting performance in terms of glare, light distribution, and uniformity.

This research focuses on an advanced optical light pipe daylighting system as a means to deliver natural light at the back of deep-plan office buildings (15ft to 30ft), using optimized geometry and high reflective materials. The light pipe configurations follow a previous study at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Beltr??n et al., 1997). The current system is designed for College Station, TX (lat: 30?? 36??N), with predominantly mostly sunny sky conditions. This work consists of the monitoring of two scale models simulating a portion of a multi-story office building with open-plan configuration, with interior dimensions 30ft x 20ft x 10ft, built at 1:4 of its real scale, one of the models being the reference case and the other the test case where the light pipe system is placed. The main objectives of this thesis are (a) to examine this daylighting system comparative to the reference case, taking measurements for longer periods than the study at LBNL, as well as to collect detailed data of its performance under different weather conditions and with different materials; (b) to evaluate the visual comfort and possible glare problems of the light pipe system through photographic evaluation and the conduction of a survey that provides people??s opinions and suggestions about the daylighting system. The light pipe system demonstrated a higher performance than the reference case in terms of appropriate levels of light and people??s preferences. The illuminance at the workplane level showed to be adequate with any of the two different diffusing materials used to spread the light into the room. The light pipe without a diffuser was the other condition observed to further understand the bounces of the sunbeam inside the reflective chamber and its consequences on the lighting output. Recommended standards for office spaces with VDT screens together with the analysis of the daylight system, led to preliminary suggestions on how to integrate the light pipe system in an open-plan office configuration. Further study is indicated to reach the complete potential of this advanced optical light pipe that ties illuminance quality with energy savings through the integration of daylight and electric light systems.

No description available.

Discomfort glare from daylight is among the most common issues in commercial offices and has been shown to negatively impact productivity, comfort, and well-being. While occupants' adaptive behavioral responses to discomfort glare can significantly alter both the energy use profile and indoor environmental quality of a workspace, little is know about the specific relationship between the environment in which discomfort glare is perceived and the subsequent behavioral response to it. This study proposes a new Glare Response Sensitivity index to evaluate the relationship between environmental parameters and behavioral outcomes in a daylit commercial office building. The results of this study show through a parametric analysis that perceptual sensitivity mediates the relationship between environmental lighting conditions and controls use behaviors. Further, the results suggest that spatial factors including office type and level of control over the environment may affect the likelihood of active lighting controls use behaviors in daylit buildings.

This thesis presents a conceptual framework for the introduction of daylighting considerations into the design of office buildings. Design is an intuitive process, yet the intuition must be educated by study and analysis. The framework developed in the thesis enables the systematic study of daylighting principles and techniques and is a major step towards a grasp of daylighting design. The thesis is divided into nine chapters. The introductory chapter contains a brief history of daylighting in office buildings, examines reasons for daylighting, and explains the structure of the thesis. The following chapter analyses the performance criteria that the luminous environment in office interiors must fulfill in order to provide a satisfactory performance of visual tasks and result in user acceptance. Each of the next five chapters examine specific techniques, under five general objectives: i. promoting daylight access ii. promoting daylight penetration iii. interior space planning for daylighting advantage iv. controlling brightness extremes v. integrating daylight with electrical light In each chapter, these techniques are listed in order of decreasing scale: from site planning, through building configuration and building envelope, to building interior. The thesis shows that daylighting can be incorporated into building design at various levels of commitment, ranging from a total commitment to daylighting, in which the building is conceived as "a light fixture that can be engineered to a state of optimal performance", to a minor commitment, in which, for example, perimeter lights in an otherwise standard office building design are controlled in response to daylighting needs. Furthermore, it is shown that daylighting techniques can be introduced at various scales--some techniques may modulate the massing, while others deal with specific building components. Following the study of techniques, there is a discussion on daylighting design tools and the integration of daylighting with other aspects of design. The thesis concludes that daylighting offers architects the opportunity to design office buildings so that they use less energy and, at the same time, provide a better working environment than is the case with most buildings today. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), School of / Graduate