A comparison between the daylighting and energy performance of courtyard and atrium buildings considering the hot climate of Saudi Arabia

Abstract Daylighting is a healthy and energy-efficient building design strategy that has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers. This study investigates daylighting and the energy performance of courtyard and atrium office buildings, considering different window-to-wall ratios (WWR) applicable to the hot climate of Saudi Arabia. In such a climate, it is recommended to reduce window area and use shading devices in addition to the shaded daylighting elements such as courtyards and atria. This study analysed several cases in this regard and found that the examined courtyard and atrium building configurations presented equivalent cooling and artificial lighting energy performance in general. As for daylighting performance, the most balanced option of those examined was the use of a moderate WWR value of 30%, given that shading devices were used. This moderate value provided a better balance between daylight availability and glare reduction. Increasing WWR to 40% or 50% would only increase cooling energy demand and visual discomfort through glare.

[1]  Mohammed Ayoub,et al.  100 Years of daylighting: A chronological review of daylight prediction and calculation methods , 2019 .

[2]  Lisa Heschong,et al.  Approved Method: IES Spatial Daylight Autonomy (sDA) and Annual Sunlight Exposure (ASE) , 2012 .

[3]  Gaetano Zizzo,et al.  A set of indices to assess the real performance of daylight-linked control systems , 2017 .

[4]  Bassam Abu-Hijleh,et al.  Courtyard housing in midrise buildings: An environmental assessment in hot-arid climate , 2012 .

[6]  John Mardaljevic,et al.  Climate-Based Daylight Modelling for compliance verification: Benchmarking multiple state-of-the-art methods , 2019, Building and Environment.

[7]  Martin Tenpierik,et al.  Energy performance and thermal comfort of courtyard/atrium dwellings in the Netherlands in the light of climate change , 2014 .

[8]  Aris Tsangrassoulis,et al.  Multi-criteria decision analysis to select the optimum position and proper field of view of a photosensor , 2014 .

[9]  C. Reinhart,et al.  Development and validation of a Radiance model for a translucent panel , 2006 .

[10]  P. Fecondo,et al.  The ELENA Programme in the Province of Chieti - A Public Private Partnership Best Practice Improving Energy Efficiency of Buildings and Public Lighting Systems , 2015 .

[11]  H. Taleb,et al.  Assessing different glazing to achieve better lighting performance of office buildings in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) , 2020 .

[12]  S. Szokolay,et al.  Introduction to Architectural Science: The Basis of Sustainable Design , 2004 .

[13]  Marco Beccali,et al.  Assessment of the Entropy of Spatial and Time Distributions of Rooms Daylighting: A Possible Tool for a Sustainable Design , 2015 .

[14]  Mamdooh Alwetaishi,et al.  Impact of glazing to wall ratio in various climatic regions: A case study , 2017, Journal of King Saud University - Engineering Sciences.

[15]  R. G. Mistrick,et al.  Climate-Based Daylight Modeling (CBDM) for an atrium: An experimentally validated novel daylight performance , 2017 .

[16]  Begum Sertyesilisik,et al.  An Investigation into Energy Performance with the Integrated Usage of a Courtyard and Atrium , 2016 .

[17]  Jianxin Hu,et al.  Assessing Daylight Performance in Atrium Buildings by Using Climate Based Daylight Modeling , 2015 .

[18]  M. Taleghani,et al.  Energy performance and summer thermal comfort of traditional courtyard buildings in a desert climate , 2019, Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy.

[19]  L. Doulos,et al.  Minimizing energy consumption for artificial lighting in a typical classroom of a Hellenic public school aiming for near Zero Energy Building using LED DC luminaires and daylight harvesting systems , 2019, Energy and Buildings.

[20]  Alejandro Ferrero,et al.  Daylight control and performance in office buildings using a novel ceramic louvre system , 2019, Building and Environment.

[21]  Francesca Fragliasso,et al.  Why are daylight-linked controls (DLCs) not so spread? A literature review , 2016 .

[22]  M. Yaghoubi,et al.  The Optimum Window-to-Wall Ratio in Office Buildings for Hot‒Humid, Hot‒Dry, and Cold Climates in Iran , 2019, Environments.

[23]  Enedir Ghisi,et al.  An Ideal Window Area concept for energy efficient integration of daylight and artificial light in buildings , 2005 .

[24]  U. Berardi,et al.  Thermal performance characteristics of unshaded courtyards in hot and humid climates , 2015 .

[25]  Emad Mushtaha,et al.  Effect of using different light pipe parameters on the daylight quality in buildings: The case of Jordan , 2016 .

[26]  Chin Haw Lim,et al.  Potential of shading devices and glazing configurations on cooling energy savings for high-rise office buildings in hot-humid climates: The case of Malaysia , 2016 .

[27]  Y. Bian,et al.  Analysis of daylight metrics of side-lit room in Canton, south China: A comparison between daylight autonomy and daylight factor , 2017 .

[28]  I. Budaiwi,et al.  Energy performance of windows in office buildings considering daylight integration and visual comfort in hot climates , 2015 .

[29]  F. Goia.  Search for the optimal window-to-wall ratio in office buildings in different European climates and the implications on total energy saving potential , 2016 .

[30]  Mattheos Santamouris,et al.  Performance prediction and design optimisation of an integrated light pipe and artificial lighting system , 2016 .

[31]  A. Freewan.  IMPACT OF EXTERNAL SHADING DEVICES ON THERMAL AND DAYLIGHTING PERFORMANCE OF OFFICES IN HOT CLIMATE REGIONS , 2014 .

[32]  Juan J. Sendra,et al.  Energy efficiency and lighting design in courtyards and atriums: A predictive method for daylight factors , 2018 .

[33]  Laura Bellia,et al.  Daylit offices: A comparison between measured parameters assessing light quality and users' opinions , 2017 .

[34]  O. Asfour,et al.  Solar and Shading Potential of Different Configurations of Building Integrated Photovoltaics Used as Shading Devices Considering Hot Climatic Conditions , 2018, Sustainability.

[35]  Abdelsalam Aldawoud,et al.  Comparative analysis of energy performance between courtyard and atrium in buildings , 2008 .

[36]  Aris Tsangrassoulis,et al.  On the energy efficiency of a prototype hybrid daylighting system , 2005 .