Investigating the Influence of Atrium Wall Inclination on Daylight Performance in Different Latitudes Using Climate-Based Daylight Modeling

Abstract

With the emergence of climate-based daylight modeling and dynamic daylight metrics, daylight simulation now encompasses a range of sky conditions and sun angles throughout the year. This study investigates the influence of atrium wall inclination angles on the daylight performance of adjoining rooms in different latitudes. Using DesignBuilder (version 7.0.2.006) software with Radiance and Daysim engines, the performance of spatial daylight autonomy (sDA) is simulated in 35 different atriums categorized into five groups with varying plan sizes and floor numbers. Wall inclination angles range from 30° northward to 30° southward. The study covers eight latitudes (60°N to 45°S), with a case study validating the findings. The results indicate that changing the inclination angle significantly impacts sDA distribution of adjacent rooms, while its effect on the average sDA of an entire floor is negligible. Inclining toward the south in the northern hemisphere and north in the southern hemisphere can increase the average sDA in adjacent spaces on the lowest floor by up to a maximum of 7%. However, the asymmetric daylight distribution in inclined atriums allows for prioritizing areas based on their daylight requirements.