Optimum utilization of daylighting in office buildings

Abstract

Maximizing day light usage to occupant's comfort level is a modern energy saving technique for most aspect of a sustainable building management system. Due to tropical climate condition in Sri Lanka using a high window to wall ratio is not an effective method of daylight harvesting in modern buildings. This research introduces experiential optimization of daylight usage in an office building tor educe energy in t he occupant's comfort zone. Using the software Design-Builder 4.8 with energy plus to demonstrate the dynamic role of simulation tool in this case study. The selected case is a four-story building of total area of 3441 square meters and external window area of 1053 square meters overall. The longest side of the building oriented to east-west. There is a problem of direct sun light and heat inside the building according to its high window to wall ratio. This research helps to determine the consequence of effect of direct sunlight simulation and total energy to be compared with three stages. Optimize the day light harvesting providing 1.5 meters width sunshades along with providing three types of window films. Best optimization results of 6 7% energy saving f or the sunshade along with reflective tint comparatively a ssume that all the windows closed in basic model.