Três Irmãos – Skyscraper Project
LIGHT PENETRATION IN TYPICAL FLOOR
In photometry, illuminance is the total luminous flux incident on a surface, per unit area. It is a measure of how much the incident light illuminates the surface.
As we carry out a study of this daylighting parameter on typical floor levels of our skyscraper project at different times in a year, we intend to understand the nature of incident light rays on typical floor levels and the effects of the skyscraper facade on the overall luminous flux entering a floor.
It is important to note that accurate weather data for the project’s location (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) was used for this study. Weather data is extracted from the ladybug’s EPW website; https://www.ladybug.tools/epwmap/.
From the daylighting studies done on the 21st of March, it is observed that the incident luminous flux at 12 pm mid-day greatly exceeds that at the start of working hours (9 am). It dramatically decreases towards the end of working hours (5 pm) but at an intensity greater than that during the morning.
This analysis is similar for other study months (21st of June and 21st of December).
Comparing daylighting study values for the illuminance parameters during each study month, it is observed that at 9 pm, the floor receives the highest luminous flux peak during June. At 12 noon, the floor receives the highest luminous flux peak during June and at 5 pm, the floor receives the highest luminous flux peak during December.
A number of factors affect the luminous intensity on the floors of the skyscraper; some of which are the facade cracks which increases the amount of light coming into the floors having the crack effects.
Another factor is the building orientation. The front facade of the skyscraper is oriented to the true north of the project’s location which receives more sunlight rays during mid-day (12 pm).
Above all the solar/sun path for that particular location greatly affects the amount of light entering each floor. For this project, the rear south facade receives lesser luminous flux because its orientation is opposed to the direct sun rays and solar path.
Package used for Daylighting studies: Honeybee by Ladybug tools.
Visual Programming platform: Grasshopper for Rhino.
