A Simplified Approach for the Evaluation of the Non-Visual Potential of Daylight in Side-Lit Rooms

This article reports on the development, validation, workflow and implementation of a simplified method for evaluating the non-visual (melanopic) potential of daylight in typical side-lit rooms. The method is suitable for climatic areas with a dominant occurrence of cloudy skies. The non-visual daylight evaluation tool is based on a modified average daylight factor method. A simplified daylighting model improves the calculation of the vertical daylight factor and the passage of daylight through a vertical lighting opening. The proposed calculation method makes it possible to determine the illuminance of a vertical plane in the interior. The method is based on the uniform sky and the external diffuse horizontal illuminance at the location of interest. The outputs of the tool can also be used to quickly estimate visual levels of daylight. The article also proposes a classification of the availability of melanopic daylight in side-lit rooms, which is based on the outputs of the proposed calculation method.