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Enlighten Building Space with Natural Light


Daylight or earthly light or natural light has a great impact on human body. This dynamic light enters through our eyes and is sent via the to the regions of the brain responsible for hormone production. Conversely, if exposure to artificial light decreases, it stimulates the natural production of melatonin. Assuring sufficient daylight for daily works has become a challenging issue. One of the problem is which can be an obstacleto enter sunlight into the space. Besides, is also a matter of concern. Such two ​

​elements are discussed here which can ensure of our body.

  1. Clerestory Windows

Figure 1: Components of plain and clerestory window

[endif]--Clerestory windows can be great for natural ventilation, natural lighting and passive solar heating strategies. They are vertical windows, located high in the walls, extending up from the roofline, designed to let sunlight and breezes inside the home. They can be used in conjunction with high mass walls and floors, properly designed and positioned to store solar heat during the sunny parts of the day and to heat the house during the coolest parts of the day. However, clerestories should be properly designed and positioned to avoid serious overheating and heat loss problems. ![endif]--

2.Movable Shading Devices

[endif]--![endif]--[endif]--The movable shading devices can be controlled both to permit winter sun and to block direct summer sun. Vertical blinds and venetian blinds are widely used as movable shading devices both to prevent and to control undesirable daylight and solar radiation ![endif]--![endif]--

Figure 2: Vertical Blinds
Figure 3: Venetian Blinds

Vertical Blinds- The vertical blinds are internal shading devices which are used in commercial and residential buildings. They are easy to operate, either manually or automatically. They can provide convenient opening and closing to allow for the light conditions that is wanted at any given time and easily slide out of the way so they can be used as the door and the window. The vertical blinds include a sliding mechanism where each individual blind vane is attached to a sliding piece that is inserted into the track that runs along the head rail of the blinds. When puling the blind wand open or closed, the blind slats slide in unison one way or the other on the track. The operation of turning the blinds open or close is a bit more complex. While turning the blind wand, the attached gear turns and causes the axle that runs the length of the head rail to turn. Each blind is also connected to a small gear mechanism that is turned by the spinning axle which helps to open or close by individual gear. That’s how the blinds are turned into a pulling motion. The need for daylight and solar radiation control, energy efficiency and beautiful view may be achieved by vertical blinds integrated on large windows or patio doors.

Venetian Blinds- Venetian blinds are mainly used in commercial buildings. They can help to adjust the daylight penetrated through the glass to the interior. They are made up of separate, equally-spaced horizontal louvers. Venetian blinds work on a friction clutch. To release them, the cords are pulled towards the middle. This releases the clutch mechanism. Holding all the cords means they slides both sides at once. There are two stings on one side which each of these control a different side in the raising and lowering of the blinds. Sometimes, these are combined in one string and the bottom. On the other side, there is the rod or looped string, usually at the left side which is used to close the rotation of the slats. However, the venetian blinds are effective on providing privacy, visual and thermal comfort. In the context of the climate of Bangladesh or any region of monsoon climate, these shading devices can help to ensure thermal comfort by controlling solar heat gain, precipitation etc. As they are movable, they offer more advantages than fixed shading devices.

References

  1. https://www.bakkerelkhuizen.com/knowledge-center/the-effect-of-light-on-performance/?_e_pi_=7%2CPAGE_ID10%2C8481891097

  2. http://www.house-energy.com/Windows/Clerestory.html

  3. https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,,-200312,00.html?_e_pi_=7%2CPAGE_ID10%2C9751110406

  4. https://www.hunker.com/13413675/how-do-vertical-blinds- work?_e_pi_=7%2CPAGE_ID10%2C3982727244

  5. http://www.heyletsdecorate.com/id20.html

  6. Kirimtat, A., Koyunbaba, B. K., Chatzikonstantinou, I., & Sariyildiz, S. (2016). Review of simulation modeling for shading devices in buildings. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 53, 23-49.


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