Investigation of the Impact of Window Parameters on Daylight Metrics in Schools in Tehran

The physical characteristics of a school building have a significant impact on student learning. Daylight is one of the most important elements in architecture. Adequate lighting has a significant effect on the physical and physiological health, comfort, and performance of students. Therefore, a considerable proportion of the visual quality of educational environments depends on the quality of lighting within their spaces. Nowadays, due to population growth and the extensive demand for schools, the construction of school buildings often proceeds with minimal standards, frequently without adequate consideration of daylighting. Therefore, it is crucial to design schools with sufficient and high-quality lighting. The quality of daylight within a building is directly related to windows, which serve as the primary gateways for daylight entry. Consequently, it is essential for designers to recognize the various window parameters and the impact of each on daylight metrics, and to optimize window configurations during the early design stages. The aim of this research is to identify the physical parameters of windows and the metrics used for daylight calculation, to evaluate the interaction between these components, and ultimately to present a general template for the design of windows without shading control strategies in schools in Tehran, considering the LEED v۴.۱ standard. In this study, the Rhinoceros-Grasshopper software was used to simulate a total of ۱۳۲ classroom models located in Tehran city (BSk Köppen climate). Subsequently, the Ladybug and Honeybee plugins were employed to investigate static and dynamic daylight metrics (DF, DA, SDA, CDA, UDI, and ASE) by modifying five main physical properties of windows (orientation, position, window-to-wall ratio, shape, and number) and analyzing their mutual impacts. In general, when the use of shading control elements is not feasible, placing windows on the north facade is more advantageous due to very low annual sunlight exposure (ASE). For both north- and south-facing windows, window position has the greatest influence on daylight performance, improving UDI by up to ۶۲.۹%. After window position, the number and shape of windows have a significant impact on the ASE and SDA metrics, which are among the most commonly evaluated daylight metrics in standards. The required window size to achieve the minimum daylight level on the south facade is nearly ۵۰% smaller than that on the north facade. Ultimately, this paper presents ۱۸ optimal window types for schools based on the LEED v۴.۱ rating system.

کلیدواژه ها:

Daylight ، The physical characteristics of the window ، Static and dynamic daylight metrics ، Daylighting in schools