Abstract:

Sustainability and new high-performance architectural design issues in graduate programs have been changing rapidly relative to new developments in this area of study. Reducing buildings’ energy demand and improving building performance and process are the key needs emphasised by the new model of sustainable development. And there is a predominant impact of solar radiation on performance of buildings. There is growing evidence that proper daylighting of building spaces results in productivity gains, increased well-being of users and fewer health problems. Our views on healthy and comfortable daylit built environments can be changed by the latest scientific findings. The conclusions from teaching state-of-the-art sustainability methods and tools in the subject "Intelligent Building" are presented in this paper.

The subject explores:
- the relationship between decisions undertaken by architects at the beginning of a building life cycle and the performance quality and sustainability of buildings;
- methods of evaluating architectural solutions like building form, its orientation for daylight, facade, and shading systems at the earliest stages of design.

This paper presents new and innovative simulation methods, techniques and tools for analysing quality of daylighting that are useful to architects and should be used in education. The process of daylit high performance building design is complex, many parameters must be considered and some of design aims can contradict. The state–of–the–art computer daylight analytical tools have the ability to provide useful knowledge leading to appropriate design decisions and their influence on the actual design of buildings increases.

Keywords:

Daylight, daylighting strategies, daylighting simulation studies.