Significance of daylight in the design and construction of buildings

Abstract

Other than being highly significant for the comfort of people, an optimum use of daylight in buildings also contributes to a more rational use of heating and air-conditioning systems. Energy-efficient buildings containing passive and active systems for the use of solar energy would not be possible without sunlight The issue of significance and control of lighting in existing buildings during design and construction of new ones on neighbouring plots is increasingly considered on an international scale. Laws and regulations on the use of daylight currently applied in Europe and the USA, are compared in the paper.