This thesis investigates how the opening in the envelope of a typical Swedish commercial residential project could be treated differently from today. Instead of using the openings only to create a unique facade or to reach a certain daylight factor I try to find out how the openings could be treated in a manner affecting the perception of the interior space. Conscious use of qualities related to the opening, such as daylight and view has been used as a design tool. This project is not to be seen as a traditional design project but as an investigation about daylight and openings in commercial residential architecture in Sweden today. Also the project is looking into the industry’s relation to the subject of daylight.

This project, in collaboration with The Nordic Swan Ecolabel, deals with optimization of daylighting as well energy usage within a residential building for the purposes of Nordic ecolabelling/certification. One of the main purposes of this study is to understand the fundamentals of daylighting and to explore commonly used methods of daylight optimization and how these affect the energy consumption of the building. The other purpose of this study entails a comprehensive study of the evolution of daylight regulations within the Swedish building standard.In order to achieve the above intended aims of the project, a literature review was done on the fundamentals of daylighting as well as a review of the Swedish building standard. In order to evaluate the daylight optimization methods and how they affect energy usage, a mathematical model of a residential building was used within IDA ICE software. The simulated model was built based on certain requirements by the Nordic Swan Ecolabel.Due to time limitations, the study was focused on simulation of metric of daylight factor, and this limited the scope of the study. More realistic simulations with regards to control signals for internal shading were not possible within IDA ICE software. Therefore, simulations were done for only two extremes, that is, always drawn window blinds and never drawn.The window size, presence, and type of internal blinds as well as light transmittance affected both the average daylight factor as well energy consumption the most. The use of large windows with venetian blinds and light transmittance of 0.71 were the best alternatives for both average daylight factor and energy use. Increase in window size increased both the average daylight factor as well as the operational energy used within the building.

LEED(TM) for schools was introduced in response to research that showed the influence of classroom environment on energy savings and students’ performance. There is however a need to investigate the relationship between credits achieved by the LEED(TM) for schools rating system and its impact on building performance. This study quantifies and analyzes resource consumption and indoor comfort of two LEED(TM) certified elementary schools in Houston, Texas by comparing them to their conventional counterparts. Year-long metered data for 2015 was analyzed for resource consumption. Indoor comfort was analyzed by recording visual and thermal comfort metrics for a north and south oriented classroom in each school. Both LEED(TM) schools had greater energy savings and better visual comfort as compared to the non-LEED schools. However, the water consumption savings and thermal comfort varied by school. Also, the LEED(TM) Gold School didn’t exhibit higher energy and water consumption savings than the LEED(TM) Silver School. / 10000-01-01

Purpose: This degree project aims to study how different choices regarding the size, location and type of windows affect daylight entry in an apartment building in Västerås. We have chosen to calculate the energy requirement when changing the window type, size and shielding factor. The purpose is also to come up with solution proposals that balance daylight input and energy for a smaller energy need in the apartment building. Method: The research method is based on a literature study that will lay the foundation for the work and a case study where a visit to the concerned building has been carried out. Interviews have also been conducted with experts in daylight and energy issues. Energy calculations and daylight- related calculations have also been made using the computer program Daylight Visualizer. The goal of the program is to find out the value of the daylight factor in two different apartments on two different floors. In each apartment, three different rooms in three different latitudes (north, west, and south) have been studied. Results: The results present several factors that affect daylight intake. These are screening angles, orientation, room height, room depth, building structure and placement of balconies. The properties of the windows in terms of daylight transmittance (LT value) and solar heat gain (g value) are very important to get a good result regarding both daylight and heat in the building. The balance between daylight and solar heat gain to reducing the energy needs for heating during the winter and cooling during the summer. The result based on the computer program for the first window alternative show that that the value of the daylight factor in all three rooms on the 12th floor (third floor) was between 0.59–0.31% and on the 19th floor (tenth floor) 1.01– 0.91%. The calculations of the energy balance show as monthly results, and the calculated annual need for active heating is about 27 MWh / year. The corresponding result according to calculations by the consulting company Kadesjös is approximately 59 MWh / year, but the difference between its calculations has not been studied further in this degree project. Conclusions: The calculation results indicate that the building has a very limited energy requirement for active heating in relation to its size and this is logical given that the heat losses are relatively small in terms of transmission, Exhaust and supply air ventilation with heat recovery (FTX system), and air leakage. The heat losses through window glazing in this case constitute to only about 12% of the building's total heat losses.

Designing architecture is related to producing vast amounts of information based on constraints, experience or common sense, and at the same time, those designs are assisted by specialized software, but, are the results of those processes giving you advantage or are they leading you in the wrong way? For example, should you include shading elements or less glazing? Should you change the shape of the building or improve envelope specifications? This research is a start to understand how to approach to design problems related to solar geometry, recognize which variables are worth modifying, reduce potential of error when iterating, and take truly advantage of the output delivered by modeling tools. / Master of Architecture

This Master thesis was aimed at investigating common daylight evaluation methods related to Swedish building codes versus human perception of daylight in residential spaces. Field (interview) and simulation-based study were conducted in one of the typical 20thcentury residential, closed courtyard buildings in Stockholm.   12 residents of Kv. Väktaren 16 were interviewed and simulation models were prepared for the apartments occupied by the participants.   Resident perception of light was mostly contrary to daylight assessing values and methods of daylight factor – DF in a point (CIE overcast sky) and alternative method of window to floor area ratio – AF that are stated in Swedish standard (Boverkets byggregler BFS 2016:6).    Attractive and interesting view, access to direct sunlight and visual comfort played important role in overall occupant satisfaction level, this suggests that daylight metrics should include perception-based factors, which positively impact our health and well-being.

Dagsljus i byggnader är viktigt för både den fysiska och psykiska hälsan. Dagsljusinsläpp i byggnader sker genom fönster, men fönster är även den byggnadskomponent som medför störst energiförluster i en byggnad. Därför finns det problem i att skapa en god balans mellan utformning, energieffektivisering och termisk komfort samtidigt som ett tillfredsställande dagsljus ska tillämpas i byggnader där människor vistas. Detta examensarbete som omfattar 15 hp syftar till att effektivisera samt förenkla bedömningen av ett tillfredsställande dagsljus, för att uppnå kraven i miljöcertifieringsmetoden Miljöbyggnad, där även intilliggande faktorer som energi och termiskt klimat studeras. Målet var att upprätta ett förprojekteringsverktyg för indikatorn Dagsljus som i framtiden kan användas av konsulter, arkitekter och andra inom byggbranschen när en byggnad ska miljöcertifieras enligt metoden Miljöbyggnad. För att skapa verktyget gjordes datamodeller av testrum med olika förutsättningar, där dagsljusfaktorn, DF, kontrollerades. Under arbetets gång har datorprogrammen Velux, ParaSol och Thermal Comfort Calculator använts. Parameterstudier utfördes för att åskådliggöra samband mellan dagsljusfaktor, fönsterarea samt rummets form och storlek, vilket resulterade i att två diagram upprättades. För att kontrollera att parameterstudiens resultat kan tillämpas för verkliga objekt och rum utfördes en fallstudie på byggnaden Ängsbacken i Sandviken. Denna fallstudie validerade att diagrammen som upprättats kan uppskatta en dagsljusfaktor, DF, för ett rum som sedan kan erhålla ett preliminärt betyg för indikatorn Dagsljus inom Miljöbyggnad. Diagrammen som upprättats kan användas som ett grovt förprojekteringsverktyg som kan tillämpas när konsult, arkitekt m.fl känner till rumsdjup samt fasadväggens area (bredden och höjden i rummet) men vill veta hur stort fönster som krävs för att uppnå BRONS eller SILVER för indikatorn Dagsljus inom Miljöbyggnad. Vidare kan vara intressant att studera om det även finns ett samband mellan de tre indikatorerna Dagsljus, Solvärmelast och Termiskt klimat och vilken påverkan fönsterglas, solavskärmningar m.m kan ha på dagsljusfaktorn. För samtliga testrum som modellerats och tillämpats i studien har betyget GULD erhållits för Solvärmelasten. För det Termiska klimatet fick samtliga testrum betyget SILVER. Dessa indikatorer verkar inte påverkas av rummets geometri i lika stor utsträckning som dagsljusfaktorn, som tar mer hänsyn till både rummets och fönstrets storlek samt utformning. Därför bör vid bedömning enligt Miljöbyggnad största vikt ligga på att uppfylla ett tillfredsställande dagsljusinsläpp genom att kontrollera att dagsljusfaktorn uppfylls i rummet, vilket enkelt kan utföras med hjälp av studiens förprojekteringsverktyg. Det effektiva förprojekteringsverktyget kan användas för att förenkla och påskynda bedömningsprocessen samt uppskatta ett betyg för indikatorn Dagsljus inom Miljöbyggnad. Genom att använda sig av verktyget i ett tidigt projekteringsskede, där användningen av tidskrävande datorprogram undviks, kan både kostnader och tid minimeras. / Daylight in buildings is important for both physical and mental health. Daylighting in buildings is transferred through windows, but the windows are also the building component that causes the greatest energy loss in a building. Therefore, there is a problem in creating a good balance between design, energy efficiency and thermal comfort while maintaining a sufficient daylight to be applied in buildings where people are staying. This thesis comprising 15 hp aims to efficiency and simplify the assessment of satisfying daylight, to achieve the requirements of the environmental certification method Miljöbyggnad, where neighboring factors such as energy and the thermal environment is studied. The goal was to establish a pre-planning tool for the indicator Daylight that can be used in the future by consultants and similar when a building is assessed by environmental certification according to the method Miljöbyggnad. The tool is based on computer models of experimental room with different conditions where the daylight factor, DF, was controlled. The computer programs Velux, ParaSol and Thermal Comfort Calculator where applied during the study. Parametric studies were performed to illustrate the connection between daylight factor, window area and the shape and size of the room, resulting in the establishment of two charts. To check that the parameter results of the study can be applied to real-world objects and rooms a case study was performed on the building Ängsbacken in Sandviken. This case study validated that the diagrams drawn can appreciate a daylight factor, DF, for a room that can then obtain a preliminary rating for the indicator Daylight in Miljöbyggnad. The diagrams can be used as a rough pre-planning tool that can be applied when the consultant, architect or similar knows the room depth and facadewall area (width and height of the room) but want to know how big window needed to achieve BRONZE or SILVER for indicator Daylight in Miljöbyggnad. In the future it might be interesting to study if there is also a correlation between the three indicators Daylight, Solar Thermal Load and Thermal environment and the impact of windows, sun screens etc. which can affect the daylight factor. For all test room modeled and applied in the study, grade GOLD were obtained for the Solarheating. For the Thermal environment all the test room obtained the grade SILVER. These indicators seem unaffected by the geometry just as much as the daylight factor, which takes more into account both the room and the window size and design. Therefore the assessment according to Miljöbyggnad paramount lie on meeting a satisfying daylight by checking that the daylight factor is fulfilled in the room, which can easily be performed with the help of this studies pre-planning tool. The effective pre-planning tool can be used to simplify and speed up the evaluation process and appreciate a score for indicator Daylight in Miljöbyggnad. By making use of the tool in an early planning stage, where the use of time-consuming computer programs is avoided, both the cost and time can be minimized.

This thesis deals with the illuminance space through light guide. It describes it's basic principles, technical features and ways of differentiation between the technologies. The thesis also includes latest methods for evaluation of illumination of space supported by various computer simulations.

Building physics as a branch of architecture must ensure an indoor comfort of each user and inhabitant of a building object. This involves, acoustics, indoor thermal conditions and among others also daylighting and artificial lighting of buildings. Light as a particle and an electromagnetic wave, is required by the different aspects of the human organism. It allows the living beings to see, influences skin and bones, the biorhythms, etc. Therefore, it is necessary for the engineering community to predict the correct illuminance and luminance levels acting insides. The thesis deals with such issues. More precisely, it assesses the quality of design tools and methodologies, either against CIE reference cases described in CIE 171/2006 and against real measurements done over the working plane of an indoor space located in the attic of Building D of the Institute of Building Structures, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Brno University of Technology, too. The tools tested throughout the solution of the dissertation did involve three computer programs: RADIANCE, WDLS v3.1 and WDLS v4.1, and one numerographical approach, namely the Daniljuk’s innovated methodology (sometimes even combined with the theories of BRS). In addition several software’s have had been created alongside the process assessment, just to mention the “RADIANCE Script”, “RADIANCE Data Evaluation Script” or “MuuLUX“. The later was written as a communication software allowing the connection of the KONICA-MINOLTA T10 illuminance meter to a computer with the aim of data collection while long term observation. The solution did also require the establishment of a measuring element for the determination of the light reflectance values of surfaces. The solutions, results and conclusions do describe how well did the design approaches deal while predicting the resulting awaited daylight factor levels in points over the working plane.

När byggnader projekteras används klimatfiler från 1981-2010 för att dimensionera konstruktionen och energisystemet. Detta leder till att byggnader dimensioneras för ett klimat som varit och inte ett framtida klimat. SMHI har tagit fram olika klimatscenarier för framtiden som beskriver möjliga utvecklingar klimatet kan ta beroende på fortsatt utsläpp av växthusgaser. Dessa scenarier kallas för RCP (Representative Concentration Pathways). I denna studie används två olika klimatscenarier, RCP4,5 och RCP8,5. Siffran i namnet står för den strålningsdriving som förväntas uppnås år 2100. I RCP4,5 kommer medelårstemperaturen öka med 3 °C fram till år 2100 jämfört med referensperioden 1961-1990.  För samma tidsperiod sker en ökning på 5 °C enligt RCP8,5.  Ett flerbostadshus certifierad enligt Miljöbyggnad 2.2 nivå silver placerat i Vallentuna i Stockholms län används i denna studie som referensbyggnad. Byggnaden simuleras i programmet IDA ICE där den utsätts för RCP4,5 och RCP8,5. Resultatet visar att byggnaden inte skulle klara av kraven för Miljöbyggnad 2.2 gällande termiskt klimat sommar i något av de två klimatscenarierna. De operativa temperaturerna blir för höga i byggnaden utan att tillsätta komfortkyla.  Byggnaden ändras för att se vilka faktorer som kan förbättra resultatet gällande det termiska klimatet. Resultatet visar att värmelagringsförmåga hos byggmaterial och solavskärmning har störst påverkan på det termiska klimatet.  I studien gjordes flertal olika kombinationer av byggnadsutformningar. Enbart kombinationen av en tung stomme av betong tillsammans med fönster med lägre g-värde klarar kraven för Miljöbyggnad 2.2 i RCP4,5 och RCP8,5 utan komfortkyla. Kombinationen får lägst energianvändning i RCP8,5 av de olika kombinationerna som testats i studien.  En kombination av tung stomme av KL-trä med lågt U-värde, fönster med lägre g-värde och komfortkyla får lägst energianvändning i grundklimatet och RCP4,5 av de olika kombinationerna som testats i studien trots användningen av komfortkyla.  Frågan om vilket alternativ som är bäst ur ett hållbarhetsperspektiv är svårt att svara på. Det finns många aspekter som behöver tas i hänsyn till som byggnadens totala klimatavtryck både i tillverkning och användning. Oavsett val av konstruktion är det viktigt att projektera för att komfortkyla och solavskärmning skall kunna appliceras när ett varmare klimat råder. / When buildings are designed climate files from 1981 to 2010 are used to construct the building and its energy system. This leads to building being designed to a climate that has been and not to a future warmer climate that will come. SMHI has developed different climate scenarios for the future that describe different paths the climate can take depending on continued emissions of greenhouse gas. This climate scenarios are called RCP (Representative Concentration Pathways) In this study two of the climate scenarios, RCP4,5 and RCP8,5 are used. The number in the name stands for the radiation forcing that is expected in the year 2100.  In RCP4,5 the mean average air temperature will increase with 3 °C until year 2100 compared to the reference period 1961-1990. In the same time period RCP8,5 will increase with 5 °C.  An apartment building certified according to Miljöbyggnad 2.2 level silver placed in Vallentuna, Stockholms län is used as a reference building. The building is simulated through the simulation software program IDA ICE where it´s exposed to RCP4,5 and RCP8,5. The results demonstrate that the reference building would not meet Miljöbyggnad 2.2 requirement in the indicator about thermal comfort during summer. The operative temperature in the building is too high unless comfort cooling is used.  The design of the building changes to see what factors can improve the results regarding the thermal comfort. The results demonstrate that thermal conductivity and solar shading has the greatest impact on thermal comfort.  In this study several combinations of different building designs were made. Only the combination of a concrete frame with windows with low g-value met the requirement of Miljöbyggnad 2.2 regarding the thermal comfort during summer without using comfort cooling in RCP4,5 and RCP8,5. The combination had the lowest energy demand in RCP8,5 of all the combinations tested in the study.  A combination of cross laminated wood frame with low U-value, windows with low g-value and comfort cooling had the lowest energy demand in the original climate file and RCP4,5 despite the use of comfort cooling.  The questing about which building construction is the best from a sustainable perspective is difficult to answer. To answer that question the building´s total climate footprint in both production and use must be calculated. Regardless of the choice of building construction it is important to have in mind when designing a building that comfort cooling and solar shading should be easily applied when a warmer climate will prevail.