Factors to consider when designing natural lighting

Natural light is not only bringing health to people but also helping in saving energy. There are factors to consider for a good natural lighting design:

• Geographical factors of buildings, including the region, site and direction of the building. For buildings in tropical climates, be careful not to let direct sunlight into the building cause glare and heat. Surrounding buildings should also consider nearby buildings, shade or obstructions, to use light more efficiently. In addition, we should take advantage of the openings to take light from the south and north, restrict the east and west
• Building form: The larger the buildings surrounding surface area, the more light will enter the building
• Glazing: For Vietnam’s tropical climate, the glazing ratio should be limited in order to reduce the heat from outside. Glazing specification should be suitably selected. Combine the use of sunshade solutions such as shading, double skin
• Window height and location: place windows high in the wall of each floor help daylight to penetrate deeply into the interior
• Other solutions: using light shelves, clerestories and using properly skylights for daylighting with solar controls (size & orientation)

ISD team with extensive experience in optimizing natural lighting design can confidently help businesses save operating costs through natural lighting solutions.