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No description available.

M.Ing. / The focus of the document is the development and use of an algorithm that controls a heliostat, and the high level design of that heliostat. The heliostat is only controlled by the algorithm and had a specified accuracy requirement equal to or better than 0.5 degrees. The algorithm uses the elevation and azimuth angle of sun calculated to an accuracy of 0.0003 degrees as input. The algorithm positions the heliostat to ensure a continuous reflection of sunlight into a predetermined direction for the purpose of indoor illumination. The position of the sunlight reflected into the predetermined direction is marked on a vertical grid-board placed orthogonal to the intended reflection direction. Ideally the sunlight positions marked throughout the day will all be in one location. The reflected sunlight deviated from the intended direction by only 0.28 degrees.

Most shading device systems installed in windows or glass walls are used only for protection from overheating and glare, neglecting other possible functions, such as increasing the daylight level in the space or collecting solar energy. The blinds are usually made of opaque or translucent materials, and if they are partially open/closed or completely closed, a direct view to the outside is blocked. A balance between a sufficient amount of daylight and protection from overheating of the space in summer is not often achieved due to inappropriate control of the blinds’ tilt angle. There is also a need for specific guidance for the selection and design of shading device systems in the windows. This research develops a general decision-making framework (DMF) that can be used by architects and manufacturers of shading devices. The general DMF is a guide for the user in analyzing shading device performance in the process of selection/design of the shading device. This research also develops a specific DMF to better understand and validate the general DMF. The specific DMF, based on illuminance and luminance, is used for an analysis of daylighting performance of shading devices to select the best possible existing system or new system among several alternatives. Architects or manufacturers of shading devices, as the users of the DMF, analyze various systems of blinds applied on a particular building and at a given location. The users of the DMF can apply either an experimental procedure or computer simulation that provides information about illuminance and luminance levels in the space. Based on the analysis of the results of the experiments or simulations, the user of the DMF decides which blinds to select. The specific DMF proposes a methodology for both the analysis of the daylighting performance and for the process for making a decision based on the results of the analysis. A case study is conducted in order to validate the DMF. Three types of shading devices are tested: an existing system, a patented system, and a new system, proposed by this research. The shading devices are installed in an office space located in Roanoke, Virginia. The software Autodesk VIZ 4 is used to simulate daylighting performance. The output information, such as illuminance and luminance levels in the space, is used as a basis for making the decision about which type of blinds to apply. A new system of shading device, which has a triangular cross section and is made of clear plastic with a silver coating on one side, shows better performance than the existing shading device and the patented shading device, given the research limitations. By using the specific decision-making framework, a shading device manufacturer/designer is able to understand the shading device daylighting performance from his design-imposed criteria. Selection of the shading device, given the designer's daylighting objectives, is better achieved. Existing shading devices are also able to be analyzed from a building designer's perspective. This analysis is based on the designer-imposed daylighting criteria. The specific decision-making framework helps the designers of the buildings, together with the clients, select the most appropriate shading device based on daylighting performance. The decision-making framework is a model for development of decision-making software that will help designers of buildings, facades, and shading device systems in the selection/design of shading device systems in all phases of the design. / Ph. D.

In light of today's technological developments, the world has become more interested in everything that is quantifiable. In the field of architecture, this phenomenon has affected the design process, in terms of neglect human requirements related to the lived experience. This research is concerned with studying the intersection between what is quantifiable and what could contribute to improve the living experience. Research in disciplines such as art, architecture, and psychology assert that geometries with pure mathematical expression are visually pleasing. The present research aims to integrate these geometric relationships with daylight when formed by the edge of light and shadow, resulting from direct sunlight entering a room through roof openings and presenting on a northern wall. The goal of this research is to develop an initial prototype for a proof of concept that enables architects to consider humanistic, aesthetic criteria for geometry and daylight. The research progresses through three stages. First, the researcher describes a method to assess the geometry of lines resulting from the boundary between light and shadow when falling on a sunlit wall. Second, the researcher applies the described method to a random sample of roof opening configurations using digital modeling and a simulation of the sun's movement. Thirdly, the researcher extracts a regression equation that describes the relationship between the resulting shadow lines on the walls and the configuration of the roof openings. This regression analysis will form an initial step to developing a decision-support tool that predicts the purity of shadow lines during the early stages of the design process. / Doctor of Philosophy / Many architects acknowledge that the buildings we design today lack beauty. This research discusses the possibility of creating a program that considers visual beauty in architectural design. Many disciplines have offered praise about pure geometric shapes. The aim of this research is to develop a prototype that helps architects use these geometric shapes in architectural design specifically in the use of daylight inside rooms. To elaborate, when the sun moves, in its rising and setting, lines of shadows appear within the space that belong to pure geometric shapes. These pure forms are a source of visual beauty because they are derived from nature; as a result, our bodies have a physiological and psychological response when seeing them. The study is based on testing a hypothesis that asserts the higher the degree of purity of the lines used in the design of a room, namely the north-facing wall and roof openings, the higher will be the purity of the shadow lines resulting from the movement of the sun.

Wu Wei. / "November 2002." / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

In the hospital building, where patients seek medical treatment and hospital staff provide continuous support, creating a healing environment is an imperative. However, it appears that the ultimate aim to create a healing environment is not given due attention by healthcare designers. Patients’ negative experiences of the existing physical environment of a hospital building describing as depressing, confusing, dull, little natural light, stressful, noisy causing sleep deprivation, anxiety, isolation and physical restraint were noted in many studies of the built environment. Most of these criticisms are also experienced by the patients in the case studies of hospital buildings in Malaysia, particularly on thermal (too warm) and visual (glare) discomfort. Therefore, the term ‘Healing Architecture’ is adopted to invoke a sense of a continuous process; creating an environment physically healthy and psychologically appropriate for patients’ well-being. A majority of the literature on the healing environment has reached a consensus that the physical aspects of built environment could contribute indirectly to the health outcomes of patients and staff in a hospital building. These include shorter length of stay, reduced stress and increased patients’ satisfaction. Among the physical aspects, daylighting is considered one of the most influential factors to achieve visual comfort contributing to a healing environment. The thesis aims to explore daylighting performance of a four-bed ward by means of a parametric study of design variables in order to achieve the visual as well as thermal comfort in creating a healing environment. Conflicting issues of ‘physical to physical’ (e.g. daylight vs. solar heat gain) and ‘physical to psychological’ (e.g. daylight vs. undesirable glare) are analysed. With the theme of daylight and health, previous studies related to the factors of the physical environments in hospital buildings that influence health outcomes are reviewed. The physical factors affecting daylighting to achieve visual comfort are also analysed. Reviews of the project briefs of the completed public hospital buildings in Malaysia are also conducted and seven hospitals are selected as the case studies to investigate daylighting conditions of the existing four-bed ward environment. Triangulation by means of analyses through questionnaire, measurement and computer simulation is the method adopted for the investigation. Available simulation programs are reviewed for suitability and compatibility of the study. The simulation software (validated) used for the study is Integrated Environmental Solutions – Virtual Environment (IES–VE). Based on the qualitative and quantitative analyses, it can be concluded that visual comfort in the existing four-bed ward environments of public hospital buildings in Malaysia is not achieved. Factors contributing to the failure are that the conflicting priorities (i.e. ‘physical vs. physical’ and ‘physical vs. psychological’) were not analysed by healthcare designers when designing a window (size and position), there is clear evidence of glare and daylighting design failed to meet the daylight factor (DF) requirement of 1% at the (innermost) bed-head. The finding is that a healing environment in the four-bed ward is not achieved. The results of the analysis also confirmed that the key physical factors affecting daylighting in the hospital ward are orientation, window design (size and position), external shading device, glass transmittance and indoor surface reflectances. Parametric studies of daylighting design variables on the ‘base case’ unit are formulated in order to find the remedy as well as to arrive at design guidelines. The Subang TRY weather data set is used and examined and found the two worst conditions days of the year: the hottest (day 60) and the cloudy (day 299). Evaluation criteria for measuring thermal as well as visual comfort are established to critically analyse the consequences of the variants in the permutations. A total of 186 simulations are run to appraise the comfort condition of the computer model of the four-bed ward environment. The simulation of daylighting conditions in a four-bed ward environment would take into consideration the magnitude of solar heat gain of one exposed wall (opaque wall and glass window) for the two selected worst days of the year and the ‘best’ orientation (other enclosing elements are taken as adiabatic). The results of the parametric study are analysed by adopting the process of elimination for the selection of variants. The variants of design variables that satisfy the evaluation criteria for comfort criteria set in the study are identified. Design recommendations are made and guidelines on how best to achieve visual comfort through daylighting design strategies in the hospital ward environment in the future are established. The findings arrive at two crucial conclusions in creating a healing environment. Firstly, visual comfort can be achieved through appropriate daylighting design.The second is that in order to achieve visual comfort in the four-bed ward environment there is a need to find a balance between the acceptable magnitude of solar heat gain and satisfying the requirement of daylighting (i.e. the acceptable limit of glare not exceeding a luminance ratio of 10 and 1% DF).

In the hospital building, where patients seek medical treatment and hospital staff provide continuous support, creating a healing environment is an imperative. However, it appears that the ultimate aim to create a healing environment is not given due attention by healthcare designers. Patients’ negative experiences of the existing physical environment of a hospital building describing as depressing, confusing, dull, little natural light, stressful, noisy causing sleep deprivation, anxiety, isolation and physical restraint were noted in many studies of the built environment. Most of these criticisms are also experienced by the patients in the case studies of hospital buildings in Malaysia, particularly on thermal (too warm) and visual (glare) discomfort. Therefore, the term ‘Healing Architecture’ is adopted to invoke a sense of a continuous process; creating an environment physically healthy and psychologically appropriate for patients’ well-being. A majority of the literature on the healing environment has reached a consensus that the physical aspects of built environment could contribute indirectly to the health outcomes of patients and staff in a hospital building. These include shorter length of stay, reduced stress and increased patients’ satisfaction. Among the physical aspects, daylighting is considered one of the most influential factors to achieve visual comfort contributing to a healing environment. The thesis aims to explore daylighting performance of a four-bed ward by means of a parametric study of design variables in order to achieve the visual as well as thermal comfort in creating a healing environment. Conflicting issues of ‘physical to physical’ (e.g. daylight vs. solar heat gain) and ‘physical to psychological’ (e.g. daylight vs. undesirable glare) are analysed. With the theme of daylight and health, previous studies related to the factors of the physical environments in hospital buildings that influence health outcomes are reviewed. The physical factors affecting daylighting to achieve visual comfort are also analysed. Reviews of the project briefs of the completed public hospital buildings in Malaysia are also conducted and seven hospitals are selected as the case studies to investigate daylighting conditions of the existing four-bed ward environment. Triangulation by means of analyses through questionnaire, measurement and computer simulation is the method adopted for the investigation. Available simulation programs are reviewed for suitability and compatibility of the study. The simulation software (validated) used for the study is Integrated Environmental Solutions – Virtual Environment (IES–VE). Based on the qualitative and quantitative analyses, it can be concluded that visual comfort in the existing four-bed ward environments of public hospital buildings in Malaysia is not achieved. Factors contributing to the failure are that the conflicting priorities (i.e. ‘physical vs. physical’ and ‘physical vs. psychological’) were not analysed by healthcare designers when designing a window (size and position), there is clear evidence of glare and daylighting design failed to meet the daylight factor (DF) requirement of 1% at the (innermost) bed-head. The finding is that a healing environment in the four-bed ward is not achieved. The results of the analysis also confirmed that the key physical factors affecting daylighting in the hospital ward are orientation, window design (size and position), external shading device, glass transmittance and indoor surface reflectances. Parametric studies of daylighting design variables on the ‘base case’ unit are formulated in order to find the remedy as well as to arrive at design guidelines. The Subang TRY weather data set is used and examined and found the two worst conditions days of the year: the hottest (day 60) and the cloudy (day 299). Evaluation criteria for measuring thermal as well as visual comfort are established to critically analyse the consequences of the variants in the permutations. A total of 186 simulations are run to appraise the comfort condition of the computer model of the four-bed ward environment. The simulation of daylighting conditions in a four-bed ward environment would take into consideration the magnitude of solar heat gain of one exposed wall (opaque wall and glass window) for the two selected worst days of the year and the ‘best’ orientation (other enclosing elements are taken as adiabatic). The results of the parametric study are analysed by adopting the process of elimination for the selection of variants. The variants of design variables that satisfy the evaluation criteria for comfort criteria set in the study are identified. Design recommendations are made and guidelines on how best to achieve visual comfort through daylighting design strategies in the hospital ward environment in the future are established. The findings arrive at two crucial conclusions in creating a healing environment. Firstly, visual comfort can be achieved through appropriate daylighting design.The second is that in order to achieve visual comfort in the four-bed ward environment there is a need to find a balance between the acceptable magnitude of solar heat gain and satisfying the requirement of daylighting (i.e. the acceptable limit of glare not exceeding a luminance ratio of 10 and 1% DF).

In the hospital building, where patients seek medical treatment and hospital staff provide continuous support, creating a healing environment is an imperative. However, it appears that the ultimate aim to create a healing environment is not given due attention by healthcare designers. Patients’ negative experiences of the existing physical environment of a hospital building describing as depressing, confusing, dull, little natural light, stressful, noisy causing sleep deprivation, anxiety, isolation and physical restraint were noted in many studies of the built environment. Most of these criticisms are also experienced by the patients in the case studies of hospital buildings in Malaysia, particularly on thermal (too warm) and visual (glare) discomfort. Therefore, the term ‘Healing Architecture’ is adopted to invoke a sense of a continuous process; creating an environment physically healthy and psychologically appropriate for patients’ well-being. A majority of the literature on the healing environment has reached a consensus that the physical aspects of built environment could contribute indirectly to the health outcomes of patients and staff in a hospital building. These include shorter length of stay, reduced stress and increased patients’ satisfaction. Among the physical aspects, daylighting is considered one of the most influential factors to achieve visual comfort contributing to a healing environment. The thesis aims to explore daylighting performance of a four-bed ward by means of a parametric study of design variables in order to achieve the visual as well as thermal comfort in creating a healing environment. Conflicting issues of ‘physical to physical’ (e.g. daylight vs. solar heat gain) and ‘physical to psychological’ (e.g. daylight vs. undesirable glare) are analysed. With the theme of daylight and health, previous studies related to the factors of the physical environments in hospital buildings that influence health outcomes are reviewed. The physical factors affecting daylighting to achieve visual comfort are also analysed. Reviews of the project briefs of the completed public hospital buildings in Malaysia are also conducted and seven hospitals are selected as the case studies to investigate daylighting conditions of the existing four-bed ward environment. Triangulation by means of analyses through questionnaire, measurement and computer simulation is the method adopted for the investigation. Available simulation programs are reviewed for suitability and compatibility of the study. The simulation software (validated) used for the study is Integrated Environmental Solutions – Virtual Environment (IES–VE). Based on the qualitative and quantitative analyses, it can be concluded that visual comfort in the existing four-bed ward environments of public hospital buildings in Malaysia is not achieved. Factors contributing to the failure are that the conflicting priorities (i.e. ‘physical vs. physical’ and ‘physical vs. psychological’) were not analysed by healthcare designers when designing a window (size and position), there is clear evidence of glare and daylighting design failed to meet the daylight factor (DF) requirement of 1% at the (innermost) bed-head. The finding is that a healing environment in the four-bed ward is not achieved. The results of the analysis also confirmed that the key physical factors affecting daylighting in the hospital ward are orientation, window design (size and position), external shading device, glass transmittance and indoor surface reflectances. Parametric studies of daylighting design variables on the ‘base case’ unit are formulated in order to find the remedy as well as to arrive at design guidelines. The Subang TRY weather data set is used and examined and found the two worst conditions days of the year: the hottest (day 60) and the cloudy (day 299). Evaluation criteria for measuring thermal as well as visual comfort are established to critically analyse the consequences of the variants in the permutations. A total of 186 simulations are run to appraise the comfort condition of the computer model of the four-bed ward environment. The simulation of daylighting conditions in a four-bed ward environment would take into consideration the magnitude of solar heat gain of one exposed wall (opaque wall and glass window) for the two selected worst days of the year and the ‘best’ orientation (other enclosing elements are taken as adiabatic). The results of the parametric study are analysed by adopting the process of elimination for the selection of variants. The variants of design variables that satisfy the evaluation criteria for comfort criteria set in the study are identified. Design recommendations are made and guidelines on how best to achieve visual comfort through daylighting design strategies in the hospital ward environment in the future are established. The findings arrive at two crucial conclusions in creating a healing environment. Firstly, visual comfort can be achieved through appropriate daylighting design.The second is that in order to achieve visual comfort in the four-bed ward environment there is a need to find a balance between the acceptable magnitude of solar heat gain and satisfying the requirement of daylighting (i.e. the acceptable limit of glare not exceeding a luminance ratio of 10 and 1% DF).

In the hospital building, where patients seek medical treatment and hospital staff provide continuous support, creating a healing environment is an imperative. However, it appears that the ultimate aim to create a healing environment is not given due attention by healthcare designers. Patients’ negative experiences of the existing physical environment of a hospital building describing as depressing, confusing, dull, little natural light, stressful, noisy causing sleep deprivation, anxiety, isolation and physical restraint were noted in many studies of the built environment. Most of these criticisms are also experienced by the patients in the case studies of hospital buildings in Malaysia, particularly on thermal (too warm) and visual (glare) discomfort. Therefore, the term ‘Healing Architecture’ is adopted to invoke a sense of a continuous process; creating an environment physically healthy and psychologically appropriate for patients’ well-being. A majority of the literature on the healing environment has reached a consensus that the physical aspects of built environment could contribute indirectly to the health outcomes of patients and staff in a hospital building. These include shorter length of stay, reduced stress and increased patients’ satisfaction. Among the physical aspects, daylighting is considered one of the most influential factors to achieve visual comfort contributing to a healing environment. The thesis aims to explore daylighting performance of a four-bed ward by means of a parametric study of design variables in order to achieve the visual as well as thermal comfort in creating a healing environment. Conflicting issues of ‘physical to physical’ (e.g. daylight vs. solar heat gain) and ‘physical to psychological’ (e.g. daylight vs. undesirable glare) are analysed. With the theme of daylight and health, previous studies related to the factors of the physical environments in hospital buildings that influence health outcomes are reviewed. The physical factors affecting daylighting to achieve visual comfort are also analysed. Reviews of the project briefs of the completed public hospital buildings in Malaysia are also conducted and seven hospitals are selected as the case studies to investigate daylighting conditions of the existing four-bed ward environment. Triangulation by means of analyses through questionnaire, measurement and computer simulation is the method adopted for the investigation. Available simulation programs are reviewed for suitability and compatibility of the study. The simulation software (validated) used for the study is Integrated Environmental Solutions – Virtual Environment (IES–VE). Based on the qualitative and quantitative analyses, it can be concluded that visual comfort in the existing four-bed ward environments of public hospital buildings in Malaysia is not achieved. Factors contributing to the failure are that the conflicting priorities (i.e. ‘physical vs. physical’ and ‘physical vs. psychological’) were not analysed by healthcare designers when designing a window (size and position), there is clear evidence of glare and daylighting design failed to meet the daylight factor (DF) requirement of 1% at the (innermost) bed-head. The finding is that a healing environment in the four-bed ward is not achieved. The results of the analysis also confirmed that the key physical factors affecting daylighting in the hospital ward are orientation, window design (size and position), external shading device, glass transmittance and indoor surface reflectances. Parametric studies of daylighting design variables on the ‘base case’ unit are formulated in order to find the remedy as well as to arrive at design guidelines. The Subang TRY weather data set is used and examined and found the two worst conditions days of the year: the hottest (day 60) and the cloudy (day 299). Evaluation criteria for measuring thermal as well as visual comfort are established to critically analyse the consequences of the variants in the permutations. A total of 186 simulations are run to appraise the comfort condition of the computer model of the four-bed ward environment. The simulation of daylighting conditions in a four-bed ward environment would take into consideration the magnitude of solar heat gain of one exposed wall (opaque wall and glass window) for the two selected worst days of the year and the ‘best’ orientation (other enclosing elements are taken as adiabatic). The results of the parametric study are analysed by adopting the process of elimination for the selection of variants. The variants of design variables that satisfy the evaluation criteria for comfort criteria set in the study are identified. Design recommendations are made and guidelines on how best to achieve visual comfort through daylighting design strategies in the hospital ward environment in the future are established. The findings arrive at two crucial conclusions in creating a healing environment. Firstly, visual comfort can be achieved through appropriate daylighting design.The second is that in order to achieve visual comfort in the four-bed ward environment there is a need to find a balance between the acceptable magnitude of solar heat gain and satisfying the requirement of daylighting (i.e. the acceptable limit of glare not exceeding a luminance ratio of 10 and 1% DF).