Marc Schiler

Investigation of Evalglare software, daylight glare probability and high dynamic range imaging for daylight glare analysis

The latest glare metric, called daylight glare probability (DGP), has been developed specifically for daylight glare issues inside a building. Unlike other glare indices, DGP considers vertical illuminance values at the human eye when evaluating different levels of discomfort glare. One of the options to calculate DGP is to use a high dynamic range imaging (HDRI) technique and Evalglare glare analysis software. This paper briefly shows USC Watt Hall 3rd floor interior glare study results and explains the inconsistent glare evaluations from different glare indices. Then, an additional study thoroughly investigates Evalglare algorithms and HDR image capturing procedures. Pathological cases were set up inside the office on USC Watt Hall 3rd floor and tested to see if the results are as predicted by the algorithms.

Augmented Reality: An Application for Architecture

Virtual reality (VR) can be used as a powerful, three dimensional method to interface with computers. By wearing a head mounted audio-visual display, position and orientation sensors, and tactile interface devices, one can actively inhabit an inclusive computer generated environment. Another area of computing that has seen substantial progress is mobile computing. With computing devices diminishing in size and with options like wireless networking, a user is no longer limited to his physical desktop. Augmented reality (AR) works on similar principles as virtual reality. Yet, unlike VR where the user is immersed in a completely virtual environment, augmented reality overlays virtual objects and data on the real world. This is usually achieved using see-through head mounted displays and tracking devices. The critical problem with present augment reality systems is the lack of real-time speed and accurate tracking. Because we are overlaying information over the real world, small errors in tracking information are easily detected by the human eye. Considerable experimentation and research is currently underway surrounding the use of VR in the architectural design process. Architecture will also be affected as AR based systems become more powerful. Augmented reality based systems combined with wearable computers will become powerful new tools with a wide range of applications for architecture. This paper describes an augmented reality system as a facility management tool.

A Passive Solar Heating System for the Perimeter Zone of Office Buildings

Abstract The objective of this passive solar system is to heat the perimeter zone of an office building during the less occupied hours (6 P.M.-12 P.M. ) in order to cut down on the use of perimeter heaters. The system integrates daylighting and phase change materials for heat storage. Phase change panels are embedded in the ceiling of an office space. The top of the light shelf is coated with a specularly reflective film such that 90% of the direct solar radiation incident upon it will be reflected toward the phase change panel. The light shelf is designed to rotate about its centroidai axis parallel to the window. The theoretically determined solar areas on the phase change panel coupled with solar radiation data for the city of Montreal, Quebec, were used to determine the amount of solar energy available for passive storage for each daylight hour of a typical day of each winter month (Oct.-Mar.). Simulation included balancing solar and internal gains against losses and estimating life cycle cost benefit...

Shading Mask: a teaching tool for sun shading devices

Sun shading devices, either as parts of a building or separately placed from a building facade, affect natural lighting and ventilation, solar gain, and overall building performance. The role of sun shading devices or solar radiation control systems is taught at every school of architecture. Yet, only a few architecture students, architects, and designers have applied them to reduce glare, control light intensity, radiation, and minimize cooling load on their projects. Using a well-designed computer program to teach, and re-teach when necessary, the use of sun shading devices is more understandable, clear, and interesting than reading a book on the same topic. Having a readily available tool would also encourage architects and designers to use the shading devices as a method of conserving energy and lowering operating cost in the buildings that they design. Visual Basic 3.0 was chosen as the development language for this Windows-based program. SHADING MASK uses Edward Mazrias rectangular sun path diagrams as a basis. The program explains basic theory of solar control; generates sun path diagrams; allows the design of overhead, side, and eggcrate shading devices; calculates solar angles and shading masks; and provides case studies of actual buildings.

Predicting natural light in atria and adjacent spaces using physical models

This study intends to measure the daylight performance in atria and in the spaces adjacent to atria under exclusively clear sky conditions. It also illustrates the quantitative and qualitative available light in all orientations using physical models. A geometry of 1:1:2 for the atria was used. It was found that an atrium with the same geometry provides sufficient illumination for the upper half portion of the spaces adjacent to atria, and a low illumination level for the bottom half of the adjacent spaces. It was further found that the physical model showed that the points immediately adjacent to the rear wall (2 ft from the rear wall) in the adjacent spaces receive more illumination than the points 5 ft from the rear walls.

Response to Correspondence: Investigation of Evalglare software, daylight glare probability and high dynamic range imaging for daylight glare analysis:

The authors appreciate that Jan Wienold took the time to share his correspondence on the paper ‘Investigation of Evalglare software, daylight glare probability and high dynamic range imaging for daylight glare analysis’ and the corrigendum. The authors believe that it is important to clarify the questions asked in the correspondence. The large deviation between the measured and calculated vertical illuminance values was in fact a reason to raise the question towards the accuracy of the Evalglare calculation. When the original paper was written in 2012, Evalglare was not fully validated and more validation studies were required. However, the authors agree that Evalglare software has been well validated for its calculation accuracy by many researchers including the authors for the past several years. In the end, the findings do not question the ability of Evalglare to calculate the various indices correctly. The paper points out the disagreements between the indices and, in some cases, the discrepancy between some of the calculated values and a limited number of empirical tests. Even though it is clearly documented in the original paper, the authors should clarify that there were two separate studies performed using different methodologies. The first study ‘HDR photographs of USC Watt Hall 3rd floor for one entire day’ utilised a limited range of EV-stops ( 2) as Jan Wienold pointed out. And, vertical illuminance values were not captured while taking high dynamic range (HDR) images due to the research setting and methodology. No vertical illuminance value comparison was made here. The second study ‘HDR photographs inside an office using fisheye and normal lenses’ utilised a wider range of EV-stops ( 5). In this study, the authors measured vertical illuminance values while the HDR images were captured and compared them to calculated illuminance values in Evalglare. The authors believe that the exposure ranges used in the second study were wide enough to capture luminance ranges of the daylight conditions, except the one with the visible sun in the field of view. Other studies indicate a difficulty with the metrics when the sun is in the field of view. Indeed, several metrics have specifically stated that they do not cover that condition. To reveal some other primary cause of the large deviation, the authors could re-examine all of the equipment and software tools utilised in the original study including a camera, fisheye lens, luminance meter, illuminance sensor, HDR software Photosphere and Evalglare. But the authors do not contend that the software was wrong. The discrepancies between the metrics would remain, even if there were a problem found which affected all the metrics equally. Inconsistent evaluations between the different glare metrics were discussed by Jakubiec and Reinhart in 2012. A more recent study also confirmed that there is a significant inconsistency issue between evaluations reported by the five different Lighting Res. Technol. 2018; 50: 331–332

Effects of envelope and materiality in the built environment

PLEA, initially standing for ‘Passive andLowEnergyArchitecture’, is committed to the development, documentation and diffusion of the principles of bioclimatic design and the application of natural and innovative techniques for sustainable architecture and urban design through annual international conferences, workshops and publications. Participation in PLEA activities is open to all whose work deals with architecture and the built environment, who share PLEA’s objectives and who attend PLEA events. For many years PLEA has organized highly ranked international conferences and events across the globe. PLEA 2016 was the 32nd of these and was held in Los Angeles, the United States, organized by Cal Poly Pomona University, the University of Southern California and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo University. The theme of PLEA 2016 was Cities, Buildings, People: Towards Regenerative Environments. Authors from more than 40 countries in all continents presented 285 technical papers in 42 sessions and 5 conference tracks: Strategies, Tools and Simulation Methods, Passive Strategies for Resilient Cities, Carbon Neutral Design, Sustainable Design Education and Regenerative Design. Keynotes provide insight into the implementation of the concepts discussed in the technical sessions. Out of 285 submissions, 16 papers were selected for this special edition of Architectural Science Review. Their authors were invited to further develop their papers, which were rigorously double blind peer reviewed. Eight of these 16 papers are included in this special edition and represent practical applications and unique approaches to the issues discussed in the PLEA 2016 conference, organized according to the theme ‘Effects of Envelope and Materiality in the Built Environment’. The first paper in this edition, by Jae Yong Suk, Marc Schiler and Karen Kensek describes, through human subject tests and the analysis of High Dynamic Range Photography, the effect of reflectivity and specularity of building façades and envelopes on human visual comfort. The second paper by Navid Hatefnia, Amir Barakatib, Marjan Ghobadc and Azar Eslam Panahb proposes a technique, named numerous vectors, to calculate mean radiant temperature, even in the presence of complex geometries and specular surfaces, improving the precision of thermal comfort calculations in architectural design. In the third paper, Rajat Gupta and Matt Gregg use a building simulation approach to demonstrate the magnitude of projected summertime overheating and the effects of a warming climate on the elderly in care and extra-care facilities in the UK and potential adaptive responses. Juan Montoliu-Hernández and Jorge Rodríguez-Álvarez propose low-cost, high performance solutions for the temporary colonization of unfinished buildings that would provide affordable accommodation for evicted families in Spanish suburbs after the real estate collapse in Spain. The proposed solution takes advantage of thermal mass of the existing abandoned concrete structures to help minimizing cooling loads. Md Mohataz Hossain, Benson Lau, Robin Wilson and Brian Ford present two practical solutions to improve the indoor thermal environment of the workspaces in existing garment factories in Bangladesh. Simulation studies indicate that implementation of these strategies improve workers’ thermal comfort and well-being during work hours. Ihab Elzeyadi measured actual performance of dynamic façade shading systems using full-scale prototypes to determine their impacts on building energy savings, daylighting distribution, glare control and solar insolation. His paper concludes with guidelines for the parametric design of dynamic shade systems for the eight main ASHRAE climate zones. Claude M.H. Demers and André Potvin explored the physical and poetic relation between architecture and climate by introducing a combined tactile and numerical approach to the creation of ideas in a graduate design studio. This studio innovated by its unique combination of erosion typologies, its combined analogical and numerical simulation methodology, and the representation of the dynamic nature of erosion into architectural morphology. Sergio Altomonte, Sara Saadounia, Michael G. Kenta and Stefano Schiavon compare the satisfaction with Indoor Environmental Quality in BREEAM and non-BREEAM Certified Office Buildings in the UK. Their research indicated that BREEAM certification per se did not seem to substantively influence building and workspace satisfaction and that pairing of occupants’ responses with physical measurements led to infer that lower satisfaction in BREEAM buildings, particularly in open workspaces, might be associated with a perceived lack of control over the luminous, aural and thermal environments. Through the presentation of 285 unique papers in the PLEA 2016 conference and with the further development of the 8 papers presented in this special edition of Architectural Science Review we hope to have embraced PLEA’s tradition of scholarship, but more importantly, as Arthur Bowen one of PLEA’s founder stated 35 years ago, we hope to continue with that of social responsibility with a profound sense of urgency.

Reflectivity and specularity of building envelopes: how materiality in architecture affects human visual comfort

ABSTRACT Highly reflective and specular building envelopes have become widely adopted not only for aesthetic reasons, but also to increase building energy savings and improve occupant comfort. However, they can also make significant and sometimes unintended impact outside the building envelope. Reflected sunlight from highly specular building envelopes can cause discomfort glare to people outside buildings. A human subject study was performed in an outdoor research setting. High dynamic range imaging was used to capture exterior glare scenes and to visualize glare sources in the field of view. Collected subjective evaluation data and captured glare scenes were statistically analysed to prove the existence of exterior glare problems. Perceptible and disturbing glare levels were experienced by the participants, and strong correlations were found between visual discomfort and excessive sunlight reflections from specular building envelopes. Exterior glare scenes were also documented in downtown Los Angeles to explore existing problems.