Planning for Daylight and Sunlight in Buildings

The broad problems that come up in planning for daylight and sunlight in buildings are considered and the state of the art of daylight planning is reviewed. Emphasis is laid on the hygienic value of daylight and sunlight in rooms, and on city planning for good daylighting. The factors that enter into the solution of the problem of providing for adequate and suitable daylighting facilities are discussed and formula are given for the calculation of daylight illumination in buildings. By the simple expedient of a wire frame (representing the solar path) mounted on a small cardboard model of a building made to scale, the penetration of sunlight and obscuration by shadows are quickly predetermined in actual cases. A new instrument for sunlight and shadow determinations is described and illustrated. Daylight illumination measurements in a test room and in several court rooms of the County Court House, New York, are given. The application of the principles involved is illustrated by a discussion of the daylighting facilities of the new New York Court House, accompanied by data, charts and plans of the building and court rooms. A bibliography is appended.