Advanced Daylighting Examples

About These Examples Contributors

This document contains examples of Christopher Meek, daylighting design for common space University of Washington IDL types and visual comfort criteria. Each Weinstein A|U Architects and Urban exampltihthile contains photographic Planners documentation of the space, a narrative description of the daylighting design Perkins + Will, Seattle intent, key concepts, and architectural components.

Contents Editors

Open Office: Toplighting Amy Cortese-Renbarger Existing Building: Sidelighting Retrofit Barbara Hamilton Large Meeting Room: Top and Sidelighting Gymnasium: Toplighting Open Office: Sidelighting and Controls Conference Room: Dynamic Shading Open Office: Toplighting Photo: C. M e ek/UW IDL

Project: Kenmore City Hall Architect: Weinstein A|U Overview Key concept s in successf fllully top lihtilighting for open office areas include: Open offices provide an ideal opportunity for bringing in daylight from above (toplighting). • Design and specify apertures that provide This allows for the uniform distribution of for effective sunlight and daylight diffusion. daylight illumination regardless of position This can be accomplished with diffusing relative to perimeter windows. It has the laminated glass, prismatics, white acrylics, distinct advantage of allowing for quality fiberg lass pane ls, d iffus ing po lyca rbo na tes, light distribution even where office or tubular daylighting devices. workstation “cubicle” panels are tall. •Ensure proper sizing and placement of The best toplighting opportunities are apertures to ensure effective light present where open office areas occur in distribution under the most common sky single story structures or are on the top floor conditions (clear or overcast). with direct access to rooftop skylights. •Prov ide illum ina tion a t key ver tica l surfaces, including perimeter walls.

•Provide high reflectance values to avoid excessive contrast, especially at the ceiling plane. [continued on next page] Open Office: Toplighting

Open Office Toppglightin g Zone Typical Side Lighting Light Diffusing Skylights Zone

hoto: C. Meek/UW IDL Meek/UW hoto: C. Drawing: Weinstein A|U P

Sky-lit open office area with all general The inclusion of toplighting at the upper lighting controlled off via photo-cell. High floor open office nearly doubles the efficiency accent and aisle way lighting functionally daylit area of the building. provides sparkle and focal points. Re-lites through provide offices enables views to the exterior.

Project Information Daylighting Strategy

Project: Kenmore City Hall • Diffuse skylights at upper floor open office Architect: Weinstein A|U area illuminate the center of the office floor plate. Lig hting Des igner: WSP Flac k + Kurt z • Laminated glass skylights with light diffusing Completed: 2010 inner-layer. Skylights sized to 4% of floor Location: Kenmore, WA area (excluding perimeter daylight zone). Daylighting studies helped identify these ratios. Design Goals • High reflectance interior surfaces in the • Diffuse ambi ent dayli ght dist rib ut ed across upper volume of the office. entire open office area sufficient to meet • Automated photo-responsive dimming to off, general lighting requirements during more with manual over-ride on general lighting. than 50% of occupied hours. • Operable windows for daylight, views, and • Complete control of direct beam sunlight to natural ventilation. avoid glare and overheating. • High efficiency accent lighting at corridor for • Views to the exterior for all occupants. visual sparkle and focus. Existing Building: Sidelighting Retrofit Photo: C. Me e k/UW IDL

Project: Perkins+Will Seattle Office Architect: Perkins+Will Overview

Nearly all existing buildings offer the potential Key concepts in successfully sidelighting to use daylight as a source of illumination. This retrofits include: is especially the case with buildings constructed prior to 1950. Retro-fits and renovations can • Understanding the existing patterns of provide an opportunity to realize substantial diffuse daylight and sunlight at each of the lighting power savings and reduce heating and areas included in the retro-fit or cooling loads by increasing window renovation. performance, iitincorporating ddlihtiaylighting strategies, and integrating lighting controls. •Using space planning principles and low partition heights that put occupants within This existing office building tenant improvement the daylight zones and afford views. designed by Perkins+Will provides new high performance glazing, optimized interior space •Provide automated or manual glare planning, light reflective surface finishes, and window coverings to ensure effective glare zoned perimeter electric lighting with photo control. sensor control to create an extremely energy efficient and high quality lighting system. •Provide high reflectance finishes to enhance daylight inter-reflectance within the interior volume.

[continued on next page] Existing Building: Sidelighting Retrofit

New High Performance Operable Windows Dra P w h oto: C. Meek/UW IDL ing: Perkins + Will

The Seattle office of Perkins+Will occupies As part of their tenant improvement, the second floor of the Galland Building, Perkins+Will provided new operable high- originally constructed in 1906. The existing performance windows. This enabled high floor plate offers 12’-0” ceilings and a visible light transmission with better solar relatively shallow perimeter to core control and a lower U-Value. This combination dimension offering the potential to use of increased thermal performance and light daylight as the primary source of admittance saves energy on heating, cooling, illumination during day time hours. and lighting. The operable sashes enable cross ventilation and passive cooling.

Project Information Daylighting Strategy

Project: Perkins+Will Seattle Office Tenant • Open offices at the perimeter rather than Imppgrovement and Glazing Retrofit small private offices. Location: Galland Building, Seattle, WA • Low partition heights to preserve views and Architect: Perkins+Will to avoid blocking daylight distribution to the interior workstations. Completed: 2008 • High reflectance interior surfaces, especially at the “back wall” to balance the brightness Design Goals of views to the exterior.

• Diffuse ambient daylight distributed across • Automated photo-responsive electric lighting entire open office area sufficient to meet system with occupant controls. general lighting requirements during more • Exterior venetian blinds on west facing than 50% of occupied hours. windows to block glare from low angle • Complete control of direct sunlight and glare sunlight and reduce cooling loads. with manual roll-down fabric shades. • High reflectance manually adjustable roll- • Views to the ext eri or for all occupant s. down fabric shades to shield low angle sunlight and to block glare from sunlight on adjacent buildings. • New high performance low-e replacement windows to increase thermal comfort.

[continued on next page] Existing Building: Sidelighting Retrofit Photo: C. Meek/UW I D L

New high-performance windows and daylight from two sides provide sufficient daylight to maintain ambient illumination with no electric lights on at the open office area. Exterior Venetian Blinds (West Elevation)

High Surface Reflectance Electric Light “Back Wall” Fixture Locations

New High Performance Glazing Low ruot/UW IDL Light Reflective Workstation

B Primary Daylight Ceiling and Panel Heights Control Zone “Back Wall”

Secondary Daylight Control Zone Secondary Daylight Primary Daylight Diagram: Amanda Control Zone Control Zone New Manual

Drawing: Perkins + Will Drawing: Roller Shades for Glare N Control Photo control zones are grouped relative to daylight availability. Electric light sources The combination of low office workstation are automatically dimmed when daylight is partition heights and a light-colored “back present. Manual over-rides give users the wall” allow for daylight control zones ability to manually turn electric lights off throughout open office area. The electric when not needed. Photocells are located in- liggghting is controlled in individual zones to plane with electric light fixtures in each allow for adjustments based on available zone. daylight. Large Meeting Room: Top and Sidelighting Photo: C. Meek/UW ID L

Project: Kenmore City Hall Architect: Weinstein A|U Overview

Meeting rooms and public assembly facilities Key concepts in successfully combining must be flexible to accommodate a wide sidelighting and toplighting for visual task range of vi sual task s. However this does not areas iildnclude: preclude the use of daylight as the primary source of daytime illumination. • Perimeter glazing generally provides effective daylight distribution roughly twice This large meeting room is illuminated from the head height of glazing. both toplighting and sidelighting. South facing perimeter glazing provides daylight •Balance perimeter illumination with a illumination to about two-thirds of the second source of daylight when possible meeting room. A diffuse, slot skylight via clerestories, skylights, or other vertical washes the “back wall” with light, balancing glazing. the brightness of the perimeter glazing and illuminating the back third of the meeting •Provide exterior solar shading to reduce room. Fixed exterior shading blocks direct cooling loads and control glare from direct sunlight during times when the building is sunlight. likely to be in cooling mode. •Prov ide manual or autttomated bliblidnds and Interior roll-down shades allow for space shades to ensure visual comfort and to darkening as needed. allow for flexibility and A/V requirements.

[continued on next page] Large Meeting Room: Top and Sidelighting

Diffusing Glass Skylight Toplighting Zone Washes “Back Wall” Motorized Darkening Shades

EtExteri or S Slolar ShdiShading with Integrated PV Array Back Wall Sidelighting Zone

High Ground Reflectance Concrete Patio

Drawing: Weinstein A|U Photo: C. Meek A linear skylight in the Large Meeting Room/Council Chambers extends into an adjacent Lobby and Gallery space, providing daylight illumination at / UW IDL areas that have no access to perimeter glazing. All ambient electric light sources are off in this image.

Project Information Daylighting Strategy

Projjyect: Kenmore City Hall •Glazing oriented due south to allow for Architect: Weinstein A|U control of direct sunlight during cooling months with fixed exterior overhangs. Lighting Designer: WSP Flack + Kurtz • A linear, diffuse skylight supplements and Location: Kenmore, WA balances perimeter vertical glazing allowing Completed: 2010 for effective daylight illumination across the entire meeting room. DiDesign GGloals • High reflectance interior surfaces on the ceiling, skylight well, and ground surface • Diffuse ambient daylight distributed across outside the meeting room. the meeting room/council chambers sufficient • Automated photo-responsive electric lighting to meet general lighting requirements during with manual over-ride for A/V mode. more than 50% of occupied hours. • Intuitive switching enable occupants to turn • Space darkening for A/V purposes. off electric lighting when unnecessary. • Views to the exterior for all occupants. • Vacancy sensors (manual on/auto off) • Sense of transparency. ensure electric lights are off when the meeting room is un-occupied. Gymnasium: Toplighting eek/UW IDL M Photo: C. Project: Kenmore City Hall Architect: Weinstein A|U Overview Key concepts in successfully toplighting for high-bay open v olu me ar eas include :

High-bay single story, open volume spaces • Design and specify apertures that provide such as gyms, warehouses, and big-box for effective sunlight and daylight retail provide an easy and effective diffusion. This can be accomplished with opportunity to save lighting power by using diffusing laminated glass, prismatics, white daylight from above. acrylics, fiberglass panels, diffusing ppyolycarbonates, or tubular day yglighting Simple analysis can identify optimum devices. skylight to floor area ratios based on site location, climate, and prevailing sky •Ensure proper sizing and placement of conditions. Since daylight is delivered apertures to ensure effective light diffusely from above, integration with distribution in clear vs. overcast climates. electric lighting systems is often relatively simple. When done at critical visual task •Provide illumination at key vertical areas, toplighting can allow diffuse daylight sur faces including per imeter walls . with no direct sunlight, providing a very low potential for glare. •Provide high reflectance values to avoid excessive contrast, especially at the ceiling plane.

[continued on next page] Gymnasium: Toplighting Ima g e: C. Meek/UW IDL Photo: C.

M Faasecoolse color im agin gsg sh ow saas a an ev en eek/UW IDL distribution of luminance throughout the gym, even with no electric light sources on under overcast skies. Light surface finishes in the upper volume of the space provide for increased daylight inter-reflectance.

Gymnasium/Field House

Drawing: Weinstein A|U

Project Information Daylighting Strategy

Project: Mercer Island Boys and Girls Club • Pyramidal diffuse acrylic skylights with a Architect: Weinstein A|U 50% visible light transmission (Tvis of 0.50) completely diffuse all direct sunlight while Lig hting Des igner: WSP Flack + Kurt z transmitting overhead sky dome and Location: Mercer Island, WA overcast illumination. Completed: 2010 • Daylight simulations identified skylight placement and sizing for optimum distribution of illumination on key surfaces Design Goals including the ceiling walls and floor. • High reflectance upper wall, ceiling, and • Diffuse ambient daylight distributed across floor to enhance inter-reflection within the entire open office area sufficient to meet volume. general lighting requirements during 75% of daylight hours. • Automated photo-responsive multi-level switching, with manual over-ride on general • Complete control of direct sunlight. lighting. • Low contrast with good visibility for active • A band of translucent panels reveals the tasks. ground p lane to the west and provid es a subtle visual connection to the outdoors. Shadows from trees are visible, but no direct sunlight is admitted.

[continued on next page] Gymnasium: Toplighting

Performance Simulation

• The target illumination is 50fc with an LPD of 1 w/sf. • Illuminance data were calculated based on average gymnasium horizontal illumination expected at 30” above the gym floor. • An annualized calculation was completed to determine both expected interior illuminance values and resulting

lighting power savings based on a three-step switching tein A|U s lighting system. • Due to satisfaction with the daylighting, users frequently leave electric lights off even when less than 50 fc of

illumination is present, increasing lighting power savings. Wein Drawing:

Lighting Energy Savings: 49.7% (Considering a Work Schedule of 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM) Open Office: Sidelighting and Controls Photo: C. Me e k/UW IDL

Project: University of Washington Integrated Design Lab Overview Key concepts in successful sidelighting for Daylighting through vertical windows from one open office areas include: side is the most common strategy for office areas. To realize maximum lighting power •Shallow building section allows open office savings, space planning and interior workstations within a distance less than two workstation organization must be optimized. times the head height of the window. This means placing workstations within daylight zones and keeping partitions low •Orient glazing to allow control of direct beam wher e they are parallel to daylight sources . sunlight during occupied times.

In this case, daylight provides the primary •Provide window coverings that enable source of ambient illumination with localized complete sun control, while maintaining task lighting via fluorescent desk lamps when diffuse daylight performance. needed. Overhead direct/indirect pendants with dimming ballasts and photocell control •Provide light reflective vertical surfaces automaticallyygp reduce light output and turn off opposite glazing to enable a balanced fixtures when ambient illumination exceeds composition of bright surfaces. 20fc. •Specify photo-controls to provide comfortable transitions between daylight and night time electric illumination “scenes.”

[continued on next page] Open Office: Sidelighting and Controls

Photo Sensors and Direct/Indirect Ambient Electric Light Fixtures Decorative Pendant and Circulation Lighting

Manual 2” White IDL t/UW IDL o

Venetian Blinds W High Low Reflectance Workstation Supplementary “Back Wall” Panel Heights Task Lighting Image: C. Meek/U Image: C.

Diagram: Amanda Bru This false color luminance map illustrates how high reflectance walls Daylight Control Zone Low Light Level can help avoid the “cave effect” by Aisle Zone balancing the brightness of the A 13’-0” window head height enable effective daylight perimeter glazing and reducing distribution across all workstations in this open office. contrast.

Project Information Electric Lighting Integration

Project: University of Washington • Installed lighting power density of 0.6w/sf. Integrated Design Lab • Automated photo-responsive dimming to off, Tenant Improvement: Jones Tsukamaki/UW with manual over-ride on general lighting. IDL • Operational lighting power density below Shell and Core: The Miller Hull Partnershi p 0.25 W/sf (due to photo controls). Photocontrols: WattStopper/Legrand • Ambient lighting dims to 10% (minimum) Location: Seattle, WA light output, before turning off to avoid jarring and unexpected transitions in electric Completed: 2009 light levels. Light fixtures are re-energized at low light output. Design Goals • Daylight provides high ambient light levels during daylight hours and the low electric • Diffuse ambient daylight distributed across lighting design illumination (20fc set point) entire open office area sufficient to meet allows for lower light levels at night. general lighting requirements during more than 75% of occupied hours. • Private office areas and “quiet rooms” are placed away from the daylight zone due to • Complete control of direct sunlight. intermittent occupancy. • Daylight and views to the exterior for all • High efficiency decorative pendants along occupants. the aisle way provide focal points and rhythm while giving a sense that the office is “open.” Conference Room: Automated Blinds Phot o s: C. Meek/UW IDL

Direct Beam Sunlight General Meeting Mode: A/V Mode Darkening Glare Glare Control and Maintained View With Diffuse Daylight

Overview

Key concepts for automated shading: Dynamic Shading Systems allow for flexibility and control of daylight intensity •Optimizes daylight performance where and distribution. Automation can provide solar orientation is not conducive to optimized performance based on weather control through fixed shading devices. station control or user input. A key benefit of automated shading systems is that they do •Can be programmed to provide “scenes” not require on-going user attention to for A/V or other spaces with variable visual maintain performance over time. Blinds can comfort criteria. be programmed to respond to dynamic variables including sky condition and outdoor •Can substantially reduce cooling loads and air temperature. This allows blinds to be system size. deployed at optimum slat angles when direct sunlight is present an d re trac te d duri ng •Provide predictable performance overcast days and retracted during overcast throughout the year, without relying on days. One of the challenges with manual continual occupant adjustment. blind and shade systems is that they are often deployed in the “worst case scenario” •Provide light re-directing capability to position since occupants tend to deploy maintain high-quality light distribution. shade when glare is present, yet do not immediately retract blinds when the glare •Can be internal or external depending on source is no longer present. performance goals.

[continued on next page] Conference Room: Automated Blinds

Electric Light Fixture with Integrated Photocell

Direct Sunlight

MtMotori ze d“Dlihtd “Daylight Diffuse Daylight Optimized” Blinds with Glare Control

Projection Surface

A/V Mode : Amanda Bruot/UW IDL Darkening eek/UW IDL m M Diagra

Motorized blinds provide glare control and darkening in a small conference room A/V Darkening with

with extensive west-facing glazing. Electric Lighting On Luminance Maps: C.

Project Information Daylighting Strategy

Project: University of Washington • Motorized interior venetian blinds to control Integrated Design Lab Offices glare on extensive west southwest glazing. Blinds: Warema/Iris Window Coverings • Manual control to optimize blinds settings for Tenant Improvement: IDL/Jones Tsukamaki glare control, view, A/V darkening, and diffuse daylight redirection. Shell and Core: The Miller Hull Partnership • Ceiling cloud to receive diffuse daylight and Location: Seattle, WA indirect electric light sources. Completed: 2009 • Motorized blinds help reduce solar gains duringggp cooling periods. Design Goals • High reflectance walls help to reduce contrast and provide a projection surface for • Diffuse ambient daylight distributed across LCD projector. entire open office area sufficient to meet general lighting requirements during more than 75% of occupied hours. •Comppg/lete control of direct sunlight and A/V Darkening. • Views to the exterior.