In the last decades, several studies aimed at assessing some specified aspects of visual comfort characterizing the relationship between the human needs and the light environment, such as an available amount of light, light uniformity, light quality in rendering colors, and predicting the risk of glare for space occupants. For each of them, a (still growing) number of indices and metrics have been proposed in the literature and standards. In the present work, they are described, categorized according to common features, and finally discussed. As in the case of long-term thermal comfort indices, such visual comfort indices and their summation over a specified calculation period might be used for driving optimization processes to support a more conscious integrated design of buildings. To that purpose, the choice among the available visual comfort indices needs to be informed by an analysis of their features and implications. We present recommendations for use, and suggest areas where improvement is needed for their use in optimization processes to support buildings׳ design.

/pdf/a-review-of-indices-for-assessing-visual-comfort-with-a-view-4h1bbvp59n.pdf

A review of indices for assessing visual comfort with a view to their use in optimization processes to support building integrated design

https://open.library.ubc.ca/media/download/pdf/52383/1.0364033/4

Post-occupancy evaluation: State-of-the-art analysis and state-of-the-practice review

The influence of shading control strategies on the visual comfort and energy demand of office buildings

Experimental and simulation analysis of daylight glare probability in offices with dynamic window shades

Completing the missing link in building design process: Enhancing post-occupancy evaluation method for effective feedback for building performance

Discomfort glare in open plan green buildings

This study presents the largest-known, investigation on discomfort glare with 493 surveys collected from five green buildings in Brisbane, Australia. The study was conducted on full-time employees, working under their everyday lighting conditions, all of whom had no affiliation with the research institution.

The survey consisted of a specially tailored questionnaire to assess potential factors relating to discomfort glare. Luminance maps extracted from high dynamic range (HDR) images were used to capture the luminous environment of the occupants. Occupants who experienced glare on their monitor and/or electric glare were excluded from analysis leaving 419 available surveys. Occupants were more sensitive to glare than any of the tested indices accounted for.

A new index, the UGP was developed to take into account the scope of results in the investigation. The index is based on a linear transformation of the UGR to calculate a probability of disturbed persons. However all glare indices had some correlation to discomfort, and statistically there was no difference between the DGI, UGR and CGI. The UGP broadly reflects the demographics of the working population in Australia and the new index is applicable to open plan green buildings.

Michael Hirning

Papers

Discomfort glare in open plan green buildings

Discomfort glare in open plan green buildings

Post occupancy evaluations relating to discomfort glare: A study of green buildings in Brisbane

Prediction of discomfort glare from windows under tropical skies

Daylight performance and users’ visual appraisal for green building offices in Malaysia