Quantification of luminous comfort with dynamic daylight metrics in residential buildings

This study was conducted with an idea that practical daylighting design and control should reduce the energy consumption without eroding residents' satisfaction with luminous environment. In this research, a dynamic daylight metrics average DA(300) (Daylight Autonomy) and a static metric uniformity were tested to quantify occupants' luminous comfort by using statistical analysis with the data from questionnaire survey and climate-based simulation of 108 unit cases. These two metrics were found able to be complementary to each other and the benchmarks of uniformity level and Ave. DA(300) are 0.112 and 29.6% respectively. Luminous comfort zone was also proposed and the units with higher value of these two metrics, in comfort zone 2, have a great potential of energy saving by compromising daylighting performance. This research makes possible to predict residents' luminous comfort without the post-occupancy evaluation and guide the facade energy-efficient design at the early stage. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.