commercial buildings. Only in the extreme north of Alaska
Daylight Design Concept and Integration Process. The
or Canada, due to the dark winter months, is there a lack
daylight design process shall include the following steps;
of sufficient sunlight for daylighting purposes. The average
Concept, Design Basis
illumination level under overcast skies at latitude of 50 is
Building Orientation and Form
7500 lux. This is about 15 times more illumination than
Daylighting the Perimeter
that required to perform average indoor tasks.
Daylighting the Core
Daylight in building design is recognized as a valuable
Windows and Glazing identification and selection
means of improving energy effectiveness in commercial
buildings. Refer to IESNA RP-5-99: Daylighting Conference
Shading, daylight controls and visual comfort
Proceedings, May 1998. The research and design
Utilization of a Daylight Design Software, e.g. BDA
communities recognize it as a valuable way of providing
Mechanical Coordination
tenants access to outside views. It has been identified in
Auxiliary Lighting Integration
case studies and research that humans value their ability
to maintain a visual link to the outside. This linkage re-
enforces individuals with the sense of connectedness and
comfort that the temporal and physical natural
environment provides.
The standards in this section have been established to
ensure adequate acoustic qualities in Federal buildings.
Daylight Design Criteria. Daylighting is essentially a
systems integration challenge for a multi-disciplinary
Design Criteria for Building Spaces. Every element
design team. It is important that daylighting consider-
of a built space, including its shape, surfaces, furniture,
ations involve the participation and cooperation of the
light fixtures and mechanical systems contribute to its
owner/tenant, architect, electrical lighting designer,
acoustical characteristics. Four key concepts govern the
mechanical systems engineer, interior designer, operation
perceived quality of office acoustics:
and maintenance staff and the construction team. Day-
lighting is unique in that it requires designers to address
Appropriate levels of speech privacy. Speech privacy
multi-disciplinary qualitative issues, in addition to the
refers to the degree to which a conversation cannot be
usual technical issues. For lighting to be truly effective, it
overheard in an adjacent space. Lawyers, doctors, human
must provide a comfortable and healthy visual environ-
resources officers, executives and others whose position
ment that will support the activities of the occupants.
requires them to discuss sensitive information require
confidential speech privacy, that is, a setting where, when
Even when excellent daylighting components or
a door is closed, the content of a conversation cannot be
technologies are selected, poor integration can lead to
overheard. Professional staff members whose position
unreliable building performance and uncomfortable work
requires extended periods of concentration require normal
environments. Critical design elements include building
speech privacy, where the content of conversation in
orientation, fenestration size, lighting and control systems
adjacent spaces cannot be overheard without making an
optimization and commissioning.
effort, providing freedom from distraction. Little or no
75
ARCHITECTURAL
AND
INTERIOR
DESIGN
3.4
Special Design Considerations
Revised March 2005 PBS-P100
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