Publication
Daylight should be a significant source of illumination for all spaces with daylight opening(s). Daylight is strongly favoured by building occupants as a way to adequately illuminate the indoor surfaces, and to save energy for electrical lighting. Daylight can provide significant quantities of light indoors, with high colour rendering and variability, changing through the day and the seasons. Daylight openings provide views and connection to the outside and contribute to the psychological well-being of occupants. A daylight opening can also provide exposure to sunlight indoors, which is important, for example, in dwellings, hospital wards and nurseries. In a space, where activities comparable to reading, writing or using display devices are carried out, a shading device should be provided to reduce visual discomfort. The standard addresses daylighting performance over the year. Daylight should illuminate spaces during a significant fraction of the annual daylight hours over the year. Daylight provision depends firstly on the availability of daylight outside (i.e. the prevailing climate at the site) and, thereafter, the environment surrounding the building, the components immediate around the daylight opening and the configuration of the interior spaces. This standard encourages building designers to assess and ensure successfully daylit spaces. It also allows building designers and developers to target ambitions with respect to daylighting, as well as addressing other issues related to daylight design, such as view out, protection against glare, and exposure to sunlight.