Daylight Enhancement Strategies Through Roof for Heritage Buildings

Enhancing daylighting in heritage buildings is a complex challenge that requires a delicate balance between preserving architectural integrity and improving visual comfort. This paper investigates enhancing daylight in heritage buildings, balancing preservation and visual comfort. It focuses on a 1905 heritage building undergoing reconstruction, addressing insufficient daylight on the ground floor and glare on the first floor. The study investigated novel design solutions by using simulation and optimization approaches. A multi-objective optimization algorithm, called JDEMO Algorithm (a multi-objective self-adaptive differential evolution algorithm), was utilized to obtain Pareto optimal results, and integrated with performative simulations using ClimateStudio (CS) plug-in for Grasshopper. Strategies include altering skylight glazing materials, surface materials, and using Tubular Daylight Guidance Systems (TDGS). Results show TDGS with larger diameters improve Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI) and reduce Spatial Disturbing Glare (sDG). Material selection impacts daylight distribution, emphasizing the importance of skylight glazing materials. While specific to one case, this research has wider implications for heritage preservation and daylighting. By innovating sustainable design, it contributes to preserving heritage buildings while enhancing visual comfort.