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  • Daylight Terms & Metrics


    • Daylight Terms


    Here are some key terms to help you participate in conversations about daylighting and metrics. This list will grow and change as we do, so come back if you ever need a reference.

    Daylighting

    skylights, tubular daylight devices, light shelves, overhangs, redirect films, other advanced daylight products. Good daylighting can reduce a building's demand on energy either by eliminating or minimizing the need for artificial (electric) lighting. In commercial buildings, daylighting strategies can produce savings of 15-40% on electrical energy. It also contributes to occupant health and comfort, which is why daylighting can help a building achieve LEED and WELL Certification through the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) metric. A growing body of research has shown that people operating in full-spectrum, daylit conditions perform better work and are more satisfied than those who operate under electric lighting. Good daylighting is better for people and our planet.

    LEED Daylight Credit (Green Building Certification)

    LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a set of rating systems for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of green buildings developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

    LightStanza helps you simulate, analyze, and document for the LEED Daylight credit.

    Occupied Spaces

    LEED defines Occupied Spaces as enclosed spaces that can accommodate human activity. Occupied Spaces are further defined as regularly occupied or non-regularly occupied spaces based on the duration of the occupancy, individual or multi-occupant based on the quantity of occupants, and densely or non-densely occupied spaces based upon the concentration of occupants in the space. In other words, Occupied Spaces are rooms that will see regular use, like offices, conference rooms and kitchens, but excludes spaces like bathrooms and storage. There are rare exceptions that allow occupied spaces to not utilize daylight when it impairs its function, such as a sound recording studio or a specialized laboratory. LightStanza can measure and analyze daylight anywhere in your project, but if you are pursuing LEED, you only need to measure and score light in Occupied Spaces.


    SCHEMATIC FLOOR PLAN



    Workplane and Furniture

    A workplane is an imaginary plane where work is performed and illumination is specified. There are different methods for choosing how to define workplanes.

    LEED Definition: The USGBC defines the workplane at 30" above the floor, which is a standard height for table tops. If you are seeking LEED credit you will need to simulate at workplane height, 30" above the floor.

    BREEAM Definition: The Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology (BREEAM) uses CIBSE LG10 to define the workplane as the horizontal, vertical or inclined plane in which a visual task lies. The working plane is normally taken as 0.7m above the floor for offices and 0.85m for industry.

    Flexible Definition: However, not all furniture has a height of 30", .7m, or .85m. Before deciding on a workplane height, consider researching the height of the work surfaces (i.e. tables and desks) that will be used in the space for a more accurate analysis. For example, tables in science labs are often 32 to 36 inches tall. If you won't be simulating for LEED, you can model your furniture and Illuminance Grid at more accurate heights. Additionally, your performance scores will usually increase when you simulate without furniture since your room will "lighten up." Therefore it can be good modeling practice to put furniture on its own layer.


    SCHEMATIC SECTION



    Illuminance Grid

    The Illuminance Grid is a plane like the workplane, but it is made up of a grid of points and has the function of collecting light. The spacing of the points on the grid can be changed and will affect the precision and speed of computation of the results. In other words, densely spaced grids will be more accurate yet more computationally expensive than a sparse measurement grid.

    The Illuminance Grid is one of two methods used in LightStanza to measure and graphically represent daylight in a space. An Illuminance Grid will typically be defined as a horizontal plane but can be placed to measure light on any plane inside the building. For example, they can be defined to measure light on a vertical surface (wall). This function would be useful to assess daylight hitting the walls in a museum. Some users may want to collect light on the ceiling, in which case the Illuminance Grid would be horizontal, and located just below the ceiling, with the active side facing down.

    There are specific requirements for Illuminance Grids if you are pursuing LEED credit. Grids must be placed at a height of 30" above the floor, in all occupied spaces, and should have a point spacing of two feet.


    Plan view of Illuminance Grids with different spacing between points. A denser plane of points is more accurate, but more costly to compute. 2'-0" spacing is a standard for LEED.


    This plan shows how the points on an Illuminance Grid measure where daylight goes. You can see how denser data portrays where the light is in a space more accurately. However, it takes more resources to run a simulation if there are a lot of points to analyze, so choose a density that makes sense for your project and purpose.

    Renderings (Viewpoints)

    The rendering is one of two methods used in LightStanza to measure and graphically represent daylight in a space. In SketchUp, renderings are referred to as "Scenes." A rendering is an image of how a space would look with daylight in it. It's like taking a picture of the space. There are different lenses you can use to produce the rendering. LightStanza currently offers a standard perspective lens and a hemispheric (fisheye) lens. The perspective lens will produce a normal looking image as though you took a picture with a regular camera. The hemispheric lens is an ultra wide-angle lens that produces strong visual distortion intended to create a wide panoramic or hemispherical image and is most useful for analyzing glare.

    Choosing to view simulation output in renderings is a good way to check if the model is set up correctly. For example, if the camera is located in the appropriate place, you may see defects in the model construction, like a gap between the roof and wall, which would cause a light leak and contribute to faulty results.

    Renderings are the most useful way to get experiential or qualitative data, but they can offer quantitative data as well. LightStanza's false color, glare, and exposure analysis are interactive ways to get more information out of your simulations.

    Standard Perspective Rendering Pseudocolor Analysis of Rendering

    Tone mapping a rendering is a familiar way of looking at information from a camera lens.

    Standard renderings can be quantitatively analyzed, typically for glare calculations.



    2% Rule

    Here’s what the authorities behind the LM-83 have to say about it: "Blinds shall close whenever more than 2% of analysis points receive direct sun as defined below. Blinds for window groups can close in any combination, until the criterion value for each hour is achieved. This type of analysis shall be conducted for each hour of the year" (5).

    The 2% Rule applies to the sDA metric and says that when more than 2% of the analysis area (Illuminance Grid, in LightStanza’s terms) is lit with direct sun, window blinds or shades must be deployed until less than 2% of the analysis area has direct sun on it. The first step of the sDA simulation is determining the position of the window blinds using the 2% rule, followed by a step that determines illumination values once the blinds are in position. This second step is what gives you your final score.

    Annual Metrics

    Annual metrics are a way of evaluating daylight in a space across an entire year. The results are a function of hourly simulation results in conjunction with location specific climate data. There are several different metrics, all of which use the same set of data, but each have a different way of interpreting daylight and tell a different piece of the daylight story. LightStanza offers Average Illuminance (AI), Daylight Autonomy (DA), Continuous Daylight Autonomy (cDA), Annual Sunlight Exposure (ASE), Spatial Daylight Autonomy (sDA), and Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI).

    Direct Sun

    Here’s what the authorities behind the LM-83 have to say about it: "Direct sun is defined as an interior horizontal measurement of 1,000 lux or more of direct beam sunlight that accounts for window transmittance and excludes the effect of any blinds, with no contribution from reflected light (i.e., a zero bounce analysis) and no contribution from the diffuse sky component" (5).

    In other words, direct sun is light on the Illuminance Grid that is greater than or equal to 1,000 lux from a simulation that does not include reflected light or coverings like blinds, shades or other daylight products.

    Operable Blinds

    You know what window blinds are. They are included in this list because they are ubiquitous in the “real world,” but almost always overlooked in daylight simulations. To get a truly accurate understanding of daylight in your space, use operable blinds.

    Window Group

    "A window group is defined as a group of coplanar windows, with similar shadow patterns from exterior shading and obstructions, and with similar shading device type operation, which are associated with the same analysis area" (5).

    In other words, all the windows in a group should be on the same face of the building, have the same shading strategy, and be in the same room.

    Lighting Products

    Lighting products like electric lights and some types of skylights can be modeled and simulated by placing IES files. IES files are data files that describe the lighting distribution and characteristics of specific lighting products. These types of files are a standard in the electric lighting industry for describing the light characteristics of a static product.

    Material Optics

    Optical properties of materials effect how light is directed around a space. A bright wall paint will cause the same space to look very different than if it was painted with a dark or muted paint color. Similarly, not all glazing transmits the same amount of light (see figures below). Visible transmittance (VT) is the fraction of light in the visible portion of the spectrum that passes through a glazing material. A higher VT means that more light will be transmitted into a space. Accuracy in defining your materials is critical to get accurate simulation results.

    40% Window Transmittance (VT) 80% Window Transmittance (VT)
    Are these rooms the same? Even though these renderings look similar, they actually are of two very different glazing selections (40% VT and 80% VT). Renderings typically adjust for white balance (tone mapping) to be as vivid as possible. A problem with this is that models with different glazings can appear the same with standard renderings. Therefore it's important to do other analyses of your model (viewing your rendering with a false color lens or looking at the results for Illuminance Grids will show the difference more clearly).


    40% Window Transmittance (VT) 80% Window Transmittance (VT)
    These pseudocolor images show the difference between the 40% VT and 80% VT glazing selections. The room with 80% VT glazing is brighter and has more glare than the room with 40% VT.



    Complex Glazing (BSDF Materials)

    A specific application of material optics is with BSDF (Bi-directional Scattering Distribution Function) files. Using BSDF files is how you will achieve the right material optics for complex daylight products. These files are mathematical models that spread light dynamically according to material, solar angles and sky intensities.

    Standard windows and skylights can be modeled in your 3D modeling tool, uploaded to LightStanza and easily simulated within the tool. More complex fenestration, like Daylight Redirecting Films or Dynamic Glass, should be characterized as complex glazing in LightStanza.


    This section shows how material affects the behavior of light. Section A shows sunlight reflecting off and transmitting through normal glass. Section B shows sunlight reflecting off and transmitting through glass with a BSDF material applied to it, like daylight film.



    Glare

    Glare is caused by a significant ratio of luminance between the task (that which is being looked at) and the glare source. It is the result of too much direct sun entering a space. Glare should be minimized in a space as it causes occupant discomfort—think of how uncomfortable is it to drive into direct sunlight. LightStanza offers a few options for glare analysis, including pseudocolor renderings, daylight glare probability, and the ASE metric.

    Psuedocolor renderings map color to black and white image based on intensity values, in this case intensity of illuminance. This type of image is useful to get a quantitative understanding of illuminance values in your space. Illuminance values are shown in candelas per square meter (cd/m²) The candela per square metre (cd/m²) is the derived SI unit of luminance. The unit is based on the candela, the SI unit of luminous intensity, and the square metre, the SI unit of area. As a measure of light emitted per unit area, this unit is frequently used to specify the brightness of a display device.


    This pseudocolor rendering displays illuminance values in cd/m². Yellow values represent the most intense illuminance and blue values as the least intense.

    Daylight Glare Probability Guidelines:
    Imperceptible 0.0-.35
    Perceptible .35-.4
    Disturbing 0.4-.45
    Intolerable .45-1.0

    Operable Blinds

    In daylit spaces, blinds can open or close to mitigate illumination for occupant comfort. Some annual metrics (i.e. Spatial Daylight Autonomy) simulate for the use of operable blinds on windows to block sunlight when direct sun hits the Illuminance Grid. This function mimics a person opening or closing the blinds to control the amount of direct sun in the room.


    A series of renderings showing the opening and closing of blinds to control the amount of direct sun inside the space. Model from Clanton & Associates.



    Sunlight is cast back in a room and does not hit the workplane Illuminance Grid. Model from Clanton & Associates.



    Ground Plane Reflectance

    Light that enters a building doesn't enter only as direct sun. It also reflects off of trees, buildings, and other elements of the outdoor setting, including the ground plane. We recommend geolocating when you build a digital model because of this reflectance. It helps our software predict how much light will be reflected from surfaces in the setting back into your building.


    This is a section of light entering a room directly through the window, and indirectly through reflectance off the ground plane.



    Direct and Indirect Illumination

    Indirect Illumination Simulation: Most metrics, including Average Illuminance (AI), Continuous Daylight Autonomy (cDA), (Classic) Daylight Autonomy (DA), Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI), and Spatial Daylight Autonomy (sDA) use the Indirect Illumination Simulation type. In this simulation, the Illuminance Grid senses light as it would realistically exist in a space. This includes sun from direct beams of light as well as light reflected off the ground, ceiling, walls and other surfaces.




    Direct Illumination Simulation: The ASE metric uses a Direct Illumination Simulation. In this simulation type, the Illuminance Grid only senses light from direct sun and does not count reflected light. According to the LM-83, "Direct sun is defined as an interior horizontal measurement of 1,000 lux or more of direct beam sunlight that accounts for window transmittance and excludes the effect of any blinds, with no contribution from reflected light (i.e., a zero bounce analysis) and no contribution from the diffuse sky component".





    Lighting Metrics Guide


    1. Point in Time Metrics

    "Point in Time" means that lighting is only sampled at a few defined times. Point in time metrics are limited in their expressiveness, since daylight is dynamic and changes through the day, seasons, and climate.

    1B. Daylight Factor

    Daylight Factor is a daylight metric that expresses the ratio of illumination inside to the level outside. This metric only uses an overcast sky.

    Daylight Factor has helped to standardize daylight scores across different geographies since it only uses an overcast sky, but can be less useful in very sunny climates. It is used in some international green building certification systems, like BREEAM.

    It is calculated by dividing the illumination at the workplane by the illumination values outside the building and multiplying by 100. For example, if the value at a point on the Illuminance Grid is 500 lux and illumination outside is 10,000 lux, you would calculate (500/10,000)100=5. The higher the value, the brighter the space.



    2. Annual Metrics

    The remainder of this guide describes annual metrics.

    In the past decade, there has been a push to evaluate daylighting in terms of how it performs across an entire year. An annual metric is a function of hourly simulation results in conjunction with climate analysis. The climate analysis is based on typical meteorological year (TMY) climate data. This type of continuous (rigorous) analysis of a space can remove the uncertainties found in analyses that only evaluate a single point in time.


    The climate analysis is based on Typical Meteorological Year (TMY) data. This data is also encapsulated by Energy Plus Weather Data files.


    The Annual Sunlight Exposure (ASE) and Spatial Daylight Autonomy (sDA) metrics simulate 10 hours a day between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm. These times comes from the requirements for the LEED v4 certification compliance path set forth by the USGBC and are inflexible.

    Most of the annual metrics, including Continuous Daylight Autonomy (cDA),(Classic) Daylight Autonomy (DA), and Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI), simulate illuminance values hourly during daylight hours (from sunrise to sunset).


    The Annual Sunlight Exposure (ASE) and Spatial Daylight Autonomy (sDA) metrics measure 3,650 data points: 10 hours a day between 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., every day of the year.


    Annual Metrics can help identify daylight related issues in your model. Standard metrics have been proposed by the scientific community to characterize lighting for an entire year. These are:

    2A. Average Illuminance

    Average Illuminance is the simplest annual metric. First, it measures illuminance levels at each point in your space during daylight hours over the course of one year.



    Then it averages the hourly values, which are represented as a percent on each point of the Illuminance Grid. This is the first step of every simulation except for ASE.


    The average illuminance value of this point over the course of one year is 312 lux.



    2B. Continuous Daylight Autonomy (cDA)

    This measures how much of the time a room's lighting needs can be met by daylight alone. It provides partial credit when the minimum threshold is not met. For example, if a point receives 15 fc (~150 lux) of light and its target illumination is 30 fc (~300 lux) it would get partial credit. 300 lux (cDA300) is a common threshold. This metric is useful for exploring potentials of electric lighting with dimming systems.

    First, it measures illuminance values of each point at every daylight hour in the year. Once we know the point's illuminance at each hour, we assess whether or not it meets the illuminance threshold. It gets full credit for each hour it meets the threshold, and partial credit based on how close the illuminance value is to the threshold.




    Partial credit is offered for illuminance that does not meet the minimum threshold in the cDA metric.

    This point scores 71%. This score represents the percent of time the point the minimum illuminance threshold, with partial credit given for values below the threshold.



    That is the process for one point. We do it for every point on the grid, then give you your simulation results, which include your overall score shown as a percent and a grid detailing illumination levels.





    2C. Daylight Autonomy (DA)

    This metric is similar to Continuous Daylight Autonomy (cDA), except no partial credit is given. For example, if a point receives 15 fc (~150 lux) and its target illumination is 30 fc (~300 lux) it would receive no credit. A common threshold for the lighting requirement is 300 lux which would be written as DA300. This metric is useful when looking at potentials for on/off electric switching systems with no dimming options.

    Once we know the point's illuminance at each hour, we assess whether or not it meets the illuminance threshold. It gets full credit for each hour it meets the threshold. In this metric, it does not receive any credit for values under the minimum threshold.


    After the illuminance values are measured hourly, we check to see if the values meet the minimum illuminance threshold.

    The point we looked at gets a final score, which represents the percent of time it meets or exceeds the minimum illuminance threshold.



    That is the process for one point. We do it for every point on the grid, then give you your simulation results, which include your overall score shown as a percent and a grid detailing illumination levels.


    Detail of final Daylight Autonomy results.





    2D. Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI)

    This metric describes the percentage of the hours in a year that a point in space is within a range of acceptable illuminance values. Values that are too high or too low are not counted. Common thresholds are 10 footcandles as a minimum, and 250 footcandles as a maximum (UDI 10,250).

    First, it measures illuminance values of each point at every daylight hour in the year. Then it evaluates each value to see if it is within the range of acceptable values. If it is too high or too low, it is not counted.






    The point we looked at gets a final score, which represents the percent of time it meets or exceeds the minimum illuminance threshold.


    This point is within the useful range of daylight for 44% of one year.
    The rest of the time it is either too bright or too dark.

    That is the process for one point. We do it for every point on the grid, then give you your simulation results, which include your overall score shown as a percent and a grid detailing illumination levels.


    Detail of final Useful Daylight Illuminance results.


    LEED v4 Metrics:

    LEED v4 uses the next two metrics to evaluate projects and assign credit.

    2E. Annual Sunlight Exposure (ASE) (LEED v4 Option 1)

    The ASE metric is a simplified daylight simulation that only looks for direct sun with operable blinds left open throughout the year. It measures illuminance values at each point based on a direct sun simulation, which does not include ambient or redirected light.


    Illuminance values in an ASE simulation will typically be either 0 (no direct sun) or in the thousands (direct sun). They are never a middle value because this simulation doesn't measure ambient or redirected light. The point is either in direct sun or not.

    Once we know the illuminance values at this point, we assess whether or not it is in direct sun and count the number of hours in a year that it is. The ASE metric allows each point to be in direct sun for no more than 250 hours of the year.


    This graphic shows one point on an Illuminance Grid at several hours in the year. When it is in direct sun, it is yellow; when it is not, it is gray.

    This point is in direct sun for 212 hours in the year, which is under the 250 hour limit. It will be represented as green on the Illuminance Grid.


    Total hours of direct sun.




    That is the process for one point. We do it for every point on the grid, then give you your simulation results, which include your overall score shown as a percent and a grid detailing where the direct sun is.


    5% of the points on this grid are in direct sun for more than 250 hours in the year.


    Legend for ASE scoring.

    There are two sets of criteria for interpreting ASE results. Both sets of values refer to the percent of points on the Illuminance Grid that are in direct sun for more than 250 hours. The first is using the criteria set out by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) in the LM83-12 document. It sets out results as follows:

    0-2.99% - clearly acceptable
    3-6.99% - nominally acceptable
    7-9.99% - undefined per LM83
    10-100% - unsatisfactory


    The second set of criteria is set out by LEED v4:

    0-10% - acceptable
    10.01-100% - unacceptable (you will receive no daylight credit, regardless of your sDA score)

    The first compliance path (up to 3 credits and 1 exemplary credit possible) for LEED v4, requires your ASE score to be 20% or less. If it is 10% or less, it will go toward an exemplary LEED v4 Daylight Credit Option 1 point. If your space is over 20% you get zero daylight credits no matter what your sDA metric score is. If it passes this criteria, it goes on to be evaluated using the sDA metric, which determines whether the space gets zero, two or three credits.

    The USGBC recently made some clarifications regarding the LEED v4 daylight rating system and alternative strategies for Option 1 credit. Here are the major changes to note:

    1. Spaces with an automated dynamic facade system OR under 250 square feet will now be exempt from ASE.
    2. You can now achieve daylight credit for spaces with an ASE score between 10 and 20%, and an extra point for spaces below 10%! You can check out the full rundown here. LightStanza has been updated to reflect these changes.

    If the space gets zero credits with its ASE/sDA calculations, Option 2 is another less stringent LEED v4 compliance path that is similar to LEED 2009 and can lead to two credits.



    Bedford Investments Commercial Properties, Bedford Building
    The Bedford Building, Winnipeg

    Above is an example of a situation where illuminance grid points within the orange graphic would be in direct sunlight, scoring illuminance values in the thousands. If a work plane at 30 inches above the floor was in the space above, too much of this throughout the year would be problematic for inhabitants.

    2F. Spatial Daylight Autonomy (sDA) (LEED v4 Option 1)

    * The sDA metric requires operable blinds.

    The sDA metric scores a space's daylighting in conjunction with manual blind operation in a two-step simulation process. The first determines the position of the blinds (whether they are open or closed) and the second measures daylight levels with the corresponding position of the blinds.

    Blind positions are determined by how much direct sun gets into the windows. If more than 2% of the area inside receives direct sun, blinds close in groups until the percent drops to below 2%. Illuminance for the space is then calculated with the blinds on their determined position for each hour of the day. The final sDA score is a formula taking these raw illuminance values as input.

    Step 1: Determine Blind Position

    The first step of the sDA calculation determines whether the blinds are open or closed, depending on the direct sunlight in the space and a 2% allowance.


    Conceptual illustration of blind control at 10 am and 5 pm. When too much direct sun gets into the space, the blinds on the window that it shines through are closed.

    Window Groups

    The sDA metric requires that occupants control blinds in terms of groups. A window group is defined as a group of coplanar windows, with similar shadow patterns from exterior shading and obstructions, and with similar shading device type and operation, which are associated with the same analysis area (Illuminance Grid). This means that all windows that are on the same facade with the same external shading devices (overhangs, awnings, lattices, etc.) will be in a group, and that the blinds on every window in this group will open and close together.

    The blinds operation of each window group is distinct from that of other groups, but every window in the same group will behave the same way. These pairs of plans and elevations show how windows are grouped.

    In pair A, all the windows are in the same group because they are 1. on the same plane, 2. have the same external shading strategy (which in this case is none), and they all correspond to the same analysis area.

    In pair B, each window is in its own group because they are all on different planes (facades). Their different orientations will allow light to enter the room in different ways so they will behave independently of each other.

    In pair C, the top windows make up Group 1 and the windows on the bottom make up Group 2. Even though all the windows are on the same plane, the top windows (Group 1) have no shading and the bottom windows (Group 2) have an awning over them.


    Three sets of plan and elevation describing window groups.

    Direct Sun Allowance (The 2% Rule) for Blind Operation

    Operable blinds will open and close during a simulation depending on the percentage of points on the Illuminance Grid that are hit by direct sun. For example, the sDA metric allows for 2% direct sun in a space, meaning that if more than 2% of the points on an Illuminance Grid receive direct sun, it will "close" the blinds and take the illuminance values with closed blinds instead.

    Note: For LEED v4, there is a loophole regarding the sDA metric that exempts you from having to use operable blinds if your ASE score is below 7%. This is due to the belief that a low Annual Sunlight Exposure (ASE) score indicates effective hourly solar control—though in reality, a good annual score does not guarantee that every hour will be comfortable.

    The following three images are plan views of an Illuminance Grid with 100 points. In the first image, only two points on the grid are hit by direct sunlight. In other words, there is only 2% direct sunlight in the space, so the blinds don't have to be drawn.

    In the second image, 28% of the Illuminance Grid is hit by direct sunlight. Since this is greater than the 2% that the sDA metric allows, this simulation will assume the blinds are closed and blocking the sun.

    The last image shows the same day and time as the second, now with the blinds closed. This is the data that will be scored by the sDA metric.


    Direct Sun Exposure: Plan view of a space at three instances illustrating the two percent rule and and blind use for the sDA metric.



    Sunlight is cast back in a room and does not hit the workplane Illuminance Grid. Model from Clanton & Associates.

    Let's look at this concept in a model. Here is an Illuminance Grid with one point that is red, signifying that it is illuminated to more than 1,000 lux.



    A rendering of the space at the same time reveals that the clerestory blinds are open. If they were closed, it would eliminate the red point. But since the sDA metric allows for up 2% of the grid to be hit by direct sun, this one point is permissible and the blinds can stay open.

    Climate and Solar Angle

    Exposure to direct sunlight, and therefore operation of blinds, also depends on climate and solar angle.

    Climate: Since using the operable blinds tool will open or close blinds based on how much direct sun enters your space, it makes sense that sky conditions will affect their motion. When it is cloudy, blinds can stay open because the daylight that enters is not as intense as direct sun. When it is sunny, blinds will usually have to close, because the daylight that enters is too intense.

    Solar angle: The position of the sun in the sky will affect how much light gets into your space. For example, let's say it's June 21st and your building is on the equator. The room that you are measuring light in has one window on the southern exposure. The blinds will stay open all day even if it's sunny, because the sun will pass directly over your building from east to west and never enter the space.

    Now take that same building and move it to Boulder, CO (40 degrees north). In the same climate conditions (sunny all day) the blinds will close for a significant portion of the day, because the sun will be at a lower position in the sky, meaning its rays are more horizontal and will penetrate into the space.

    The following images show how operable blinds affect illumination levels in a space. This is shown for June 21st and December 21st.

    June 21st

    Row A shows a series of renderings of a building without operable blinds.
    Row B shows a plan view of the an Illuminance Grid in a space without operable blinds.
    Row C shows a series of renderings of operable blinds opening and closing according the sDA metric.
    Row D shows the same plan view, but this time the space has operable blinds.
    Model from Clanton & Associates.


    December 21st

    Row A shows a series of renderings of a building without operable blinds.
    Row B shows a plan view of the an Illuminance Grid in a space without operable blinds.
    Row C shows a series of renderings of operable blinds opening and closing according the sDA metric.
    Row D shows the same plan view, but this time the space has operable blinds.
    Model from Clanton & Associates.

    Limitations of Using Horizontal Illuminance Grids for Triggering Blind Operation

    No metric is perfect, and there are ways there could be more than 2% direct sun in the space without triggering the blinds to close. The image below shows the light from a clerestory window sliding in between points on an Illuminance Grid, which means it won't register. If you are concerned there is more than 2% direct sunlight in the space, consider using a denser point spacing on your Illuminance Grid.

    There is also a somewhat controversial loophole for the sDA metric in its applications to LEED v4 noted in the section on the 2% Rule. If your ASE score is below 7%, you don't have to simulate blinds for the sDA metric. A low ASE score indicates effective solar shading, but can't guarantee that every hour will be lit to comfortable levels.


    Model from Clanton & Associates.

    Another limitation of this metric is that it doesn't look at direct sun on the walls, because it doesn't make contact with the Illuminance Grids.


    This space is very bright, but the workplane Illuminance Grid doesn't show any direct sun (red squares) because the light is cast deep into the room instead of down onto the floor. Model from Clanton & Associates.

    Step 2: Run Simulation with Blinds in Position and Score

    The first step of the simulation determined whether the blinds are open or closed. The second step of the simulation determines the level of illumination at each point and at each hour after the blinds are in position. For LEED V4, a point must meet a minimum illuminance of 300 lux (28 footcandles) for at least 50% (1825 hours) of the year: sDA (300, 50%).


    Illumination values of a single point at several hours.

    Once lighting levels at the point are recorded for each hour, they are evaluated according to the minimum threshold (300 lux.) This is why the formula is written sDA 300, 50%.


    The orange dots here show the hours that the point meets the minimum illuminance threshold of 300 lux. The gray dots show hours that the point does not meet the illuminance threshold at that hour.



    Total hours of illumination above 300 lux.

    The point must meet the minimum threshold for at least 1,825 hours (or 50% of the time) to be counted in the final evaluation. This point meets the threshold for 1,937 hours, so it passes.


    Since the point meets 300lux for 53% of the time, it is acceptable.

    That is the process for one point, and every point on the Illuminance Grid is measured this way. Your final simulation results are the percent of points on the workplane with daylight illuminance above the minimum threshold for half the time.


    Percentage of points that meet the 50% threshold.

    Your final score is the percent of points on the grid that meet the minimum illumination threshold for 50% of the time.

    LEED v4 Daylight Credits:
    0-55% - unacceptable (no credit)
    55-75% - nominally acceptable (up to 2 credits)
    75-100% - preferred (up to 3 credits)

    3. Illuminance Calculations (LEED v4 Option 2)

    Another way to get LEED v4 Daylight Credit is through Option 2. This option doesn't allow as many points as the Option 1 ASE and sDA annual calculations, but remains available if your Option 1 results do not get enough points. Here is how LightStanza determines Option 2 credit:

    Step 1: Calculate illuminance intensity for sun (direct component) and sky (diffuse component) for clear-sky conditions.

    a. Select one day within 15 days of September 21st and one day within 15 days of March 21st with the clearest sky conditions using average sky cover. Sky cover is the amount of the sky dome in tenths (i.e. 1 is 1/10 coverage) covered by clouds of obscuring phenomena at the hour indicated. These values are from the EnergyPlus database.

    b. Find the average of the hourly value for the two selected days.

    Step 2: Measure illuminance at 9am and 3pm with previously-determined clear-sky conditions. Illuminance values must be between 300 and 3,000 lux to achieve credit.

    Once LightStanza has gone through each of these steps using your model's location, it will generate output that shows how much of your space is between 300 and 3,000 lux at the 9am and 3pm time points. Then it will tell you how many LEED v4 Daylight Credit points can be achieved through Option 2.

    For more information on LEED v4 credits, click here.


    sDA 1: Meet the Metric

    The sDA Metric: Is this a sufficiently daylit space?

    Welcome to the reboot of our series on Spatial Daylight Autonomy (sDA), where we will be discussing sDA as a new, annual metric for a more accurate measure of daylight. In Part 1 of our series we will explain what an annual metric is, the difference between how much daylight a space is getting versus the portion of daylight that is usable, and why this distinction is important. An annual metric is a function of hourly simulation results across an entire year in conjunction with climate analysis. The climate analysis is based on typical meteorological year (TMY) climate data. This type of continuous (and intuitive) analysis of a space can remove the uncertainties found in analyses that only evaluate a single point in time by accounting for hourly and seasonal changes in daylight availability and sun angle. LEED v4 prioritizes annual metrics for daylight credits, which is an improvement over the 2 solar positions simulated for LEED 2009 and the single ratio used for Daylight Factor. Although, LEED v4 does still offer a second option of 2 solar positions, excluding blinds, if sDA scores are too low.


    Daylight availability can change by the hour, making annual hourly measurements a more accurate indicator of how much daylight is available to a space compared to point in time metrics.

    While there are multiple annual metrics, sDA is the first one to use hourly daylight measures in conjunction with manual blind operation use. As pictured below, blinds are used by building occupants to control glare and maintain visual comfort, so acknowledging occupants’ influence on available daylight is crucial for calculating an accurate score.


    Blinds used by building occupants to control glare.

    By not accounting for blind use, annual metrics other than sDA are overestimating the amount of usable light and underestimating energy consumption. The image below shows that even with available daylight, electricity is often used in place to avoid direct sunlight. This not only increases use of electricity, but it also negates window benefits by allowing heating and air conditioning to escape when we’re not using the windows for daylight.


    If blinds, along with the fenestration, are not properly simulated, energy consumption can be underestimated and human benefits can be exaggerated in a building’s sDA score.

    If your software doesn’t show blinds operating, your score is inaccurate. It is necessary to use a dynamic software simulation that accounts for how occupants may interact with their daylit environment: after all, what do lighting levels mean without considering the people experiencing them?


    sDA 2: Overview of sDA Calculation

    The sDA metric scores a space’s daylighting in conjunction with manual blind operation in a two-step simulation process, which we will briefly outline in this blog post and go over in more detail in following posts. The first determines the position of the blinds (whether they are open or closed) and the second measures daylight levels with the corresponding position of the blinds. Blind positions are determined by how much direct sun gets into the windows. When a space receives too much direct sun, blinds close in groups until the amount is sufficiently decreased (Step 1).


    Step 1. Blind Operations: Blinds, either electronically or manually controlled, contribute greatly to the quality and quantity of light. In the figure above, we see that as the sun’s position changes, different groups of blinds are used to maintain visual comfort in the space. Facades that use dynamic glass or redirect film to control for direct sun do not need blinds.

    Realistic illuminance for the space is then calculated using a simulation of the blinds in their determined position from step 1 for each hour of the day. The sDA score is calculated using a formula that takes these raw illuminance values as input (Step 2). The score is the percent of points on the grid that meet the minimum thresholds.


    Step 2. Scoring: Annual metrics like sDA determine the level of illumination at each point and at each hour after the blinds are in position., these metrics take thousands of time points of illuminance data comprising potentially millions of light readings and thousands of blind positions and compact them into a single value.

    In the next several parts of the sDA series, we will cover blind operations and scoring in detail.


    sDA 3: Terminology

    Workplane

    A workplane is an imaginary plane where work is performed and illumination is specified. The standard height for the workplane is shown in the image below, but there are different methods for choosing how to define workplanes.


    Schematic Section

    LEED Definition: The USGBC defines the workplane at 30″ above the floor, which is a standard height for table tops. If you are seeking LEED credit you will need to simulate at workplane height, 30″ above the floor.

    BREEAM Definition: The Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology (BREEAM) uses CIBSE LG10 to define the workplane as the horizontal, vertical or inclined plane in which a visual task lies. The working plane is normally taken as 0.7m above the floor for offices and 0.85m for industry.

    Flexible Definition: However, not all furniture has a height of 30″, .7m, or .85m. Before deciding on a workplane height, consider researching the height of the work surfaces (i.e. tables and desks) that will be used in the space for a more accurate analysis. For example, tables in science labs are often 32 to 36 inches tall.



    Illuminance Grid

    The workplane is a type of Illuminance Grid since it is made up of a grid of points and has the function of collecting light. The spacing of the points on the grid can be changed and will affect the precision and speed of the computation of the results. In other words, densely spaced grids will be more accurate yet more computationally expensive than a sparser point spacing. In the image below, we see how different spacing between points affects the daylight measurement. 2′-0″ spacing is standard for LEED, but choose an appropriate density that makes sense for your project and purpose.


    Plan view of Illuminance Grids with different spacing between points. A denser plane of points is more accurate, but more costly to compute.

    An Illuminance Grid will typically be defined as a horizontal plane but can be placed to measure light on any plane inside the building. For example, they can be defined to measure light on a vertical surface such as a wall. This function can be useful in assessing situations like daylight hitting artifacts in a museum. Some users may also want to collect light on the ceiling, in which case the Illuminance Grid would be horizontal, and located just below the ceiling, with the active side facing down.


    sDA 4: Step 1. Blinds Operations

    The first step of the sDA calculation determines whether the blinds are open or closed, depending on how much direct sun gets into the space. Within this step, the windows must first be categorized into groups and then the position of the blinds is determined hourly.

    Form Window Groups: Windows must be controlled in groups. A window group is defined as a "group of coplanar windows, with similar shadow patterns from exterior shading and obstructions, and with similar shading device type and operation, which are associated with the same analysis area" [Illuminance Grid] (IES LM-83-12 Section 2.2.6).

    This means that all windows that are on the same facade with the same external shading devices (overhangs, awnings, lattices, etc.) will be in a group, and that the blinds on every window in this group will open and close together. The blinds operation of each window group is distinct from that of other groups, but every window in the same group will behave the same way.

    The image below shows how windows are grouped. In pair A, all the windows are in the same group because they are 1. on the same plane, 2. have the same external shading strategy (which in this case is none), and they all correspond to the same analysis area. In pair B, each window is in its own group because they are all on different planes (facades). Their different orientations will allow light to enter the room in different ways so they will behave independently of each other. In pair C, the top windows make up Group 1 and the windows on the bottom make up Group 2. Even though all the windows are on the same plane, the top windows (Group 1) have no shading and the bottom windows (Group 2) have an awning over them.


    Three sets of plan and elevation describing window groups.

    Determine the position of the blinds or shades at each hour using the 2% rule: Once window groups are established, the position of their blinds is based on the 2% Rule, which is when “2% or more of the analysis points receive direct sunlight” (IES LM-83-12 Section 2.2.6). If more than 2% of the points on the Illuminance Grid receive direct sun, the blinds will close to bring it below the 2% threshold, and the sDA score will come from the illuminance values with closed blinds instead. Some blinds may stay open, and LightStanza calculates how to simulate with the optimal combination of open and closed blinds to maximize daylight without exceeding the 2% threshold.

    The following three images are plan views of an Illuminance Grid with 100 points. In the first image, only two points on the grid are hit by direct sunlight. In other words, there is only 2% direct sunlight in the space, so the blinds don’t have to be drawn. In the second image, 28% of the Illuminance Grid is hit by direct sunlight. Since this is greater than the 2% that the sDA metric allows, this simulation will assume the blinds are closed and blocking the sun. The last image shows the same day and time as the second, now with the blinds closed. This is the data that will be used to score the sDA metric.


    Direct Sun Exposure: Plan view of a space at three instances illustrating the two percent rule and blind use for the sDA metric.

    These steps are specific to the sDA simulation. In the next post, we will provide examples of operable blinds in action.


    sDA 5: Blinds Operations Examples

    Let’s look at examples of blinds operations. The below image shows a space that has windows with daylight (upper) and view (lower) components. The daylight and view windows are separated into different window groups since the view window has an overhang above it, while the daylight window is exposed. This image shows, though, that the groups act independently, namely that the daylight window remains open while the view window is closed. As a result, some direct sunlight is cast back into the room, but not an excessive amount.


    Model from Clanton & Associates

    Let’s look at this in more detail, in accordance to measuring grids as prescribed in LM-83. Below is an Illuminance Grid of this same space with one point that is red, signifying that it is illuminated to more than 1,000 lux (ie it is receiving direct sunlight). This indicates at least one blind group is open. If all blind groups were closed, it would eliminate the red point. But since the sDA metric allows for up 2% of the grid to be hit by direct sun, this one point is permissible and the blinds can stay open.


    A rendering of the space at the same time reveals that the clerestory blinds are open.

    Now let’s see how the Illuminance Grid changes over the course of a day, with and without operable blinds. The image below shows how operable blinds affect illumination levels in a space on a simulation of December 21st. Row A shows a series of renderings of a building without operable blinds. Row B shows a plan view of the Illuminance Grid in a space without operable blinds. Row C shows a series of renderings of operable blinds opening and closing according the sDA metric. Row D shows the same plan view, but this time the space has operable blinds.


    Model from Clanton & Associates

    An animated simulation of operable blinds in the workspace can be seen below. As the area of direct light increases to over 2% of the total space, blinds close to decrease the area and create a more visually comfortable environment.


    Inside and outside views of the space are illustrated for the analysis period on March 21st.

    How is exposure to direct light affected by solar angle? The position of the sun in the sky will affect how much light gets into your space. For example, let’s say it’s June 21st and your building is on the equator. The room that you are measuring light in has one window on the southern exposure. The blinds will stay open all day even if it’s sunny, because the sun will pass directly over your building from east to west and never enter the space.

    Now take that same building and move it to Boulder, CO (40 degrees north). In the same climate conditions (sunny all day) the blinds will close for a significant portion of the day, because the sun will be at a lower position in the sky, meaning its rays are more horizontal and will penetrate into the space.

    Next up, we will discuss how to score the sDA metric.


    sDA 6: Step 2. Scoring

    The first step of the simulation determined whether the blinds are open or closed. The second step of the simulation determines the level of illumination at each point and at each hour after the blinds are in position. For LEED V4, a point must meet a minimum illuminance of 300 lux (28 footcandles) for at least 50% of the year: sDA (300, 50%).

    Obtain illuminance levels at each hour using a climate-based simulation. This step is common to all annual metrics using a 10 hour per day “analysis time period extending from 8 am to 6 pm according to local clock time” (IES LM-83-12 Section 2.1.2) . The only difference with sDA is that it measures illuminance for the space with the blinds in their determined position for each hour of the day.

    Process illuminance data according to the sDA metric. Each annual metric has a unique way of processing the illuminance data. The sDA metric checks each point on an Illuminance Grid to see if its illuminance is at or above 300 lux for at least 50% of the year during the analysis period with the blinds in operation. With the daily 10 hour analysis period as stated above, “50% represents 1,825 hours per year” (IES LM-83-12 Section 2.2.6).

    Below, Figure 1 shows the measured illuminance for one point, and every point on the Illuminance Grid is measured this way.


    Figure 1. The orange dots show the hours that the point meets the minimum illuminance threshold of 300 lux. The gray dots show hours that the point does not meet the illuminance threshold.

    All of the time points that meet the 300 lux threshold are summed together and are compared to the number of time points that do not meet this illumination threshold (Figure 2).


    Figure 2. Total hours of illumination above 300 lux.

    The point must meet the minimum threshold for at least 50% (1,825 hours) of the annual analysis period to be counted in the final score (Figure 3).


    Figure 3. Since the point meets 300 lux for 53% of the time, it is acceptable.

    The final score is the percent of points on the grid that meet the minimum illumination threshold for 50% of the time (Figure 4). An sDA score greater than 55% achieves 2 points, and a score greater than 75% achieves 3 points. So in the example below (Figure 4), an sDA score of 68% will achieve 2 points.


    Figure 4. Percentage of points that meet the 50% threshold.

    LEED v4 Scorecard Update: The USGBC recently made some clarifications regarding the LEED v4 daylight rating system and alternative strategies for Option 1 credit. Here are the major changes to note:

    1. Spaces with an automated dynamic facade system OR under 250 square feet will now be exempt from ASE.
    2. You can now achieve daylight credit for spaces with an ASE score between 10 and 20%, and an extra point for spaces below 10%!

    You can check out the full rundown here. LightStanza has been updated to reflect these changes.

    Will Whiteneck wrapping up his presentation on Annual Sunlight Exposure with a LightStanza demo. Will spoke on the intricacies of the different ways to produce an accurate ASE score, comparing methods like rtrace, 3-phase, 5-phase, and a novel "geometric" technique that significantly improves processing speed while achieving the same level of accuracy when compared to the other techniques.

    LightStanza at the 16th Annual International Radiance Workshop


    2:10 PM, Wednesday, August 23rd
    WSB, University of Oregon
    70 NW Couch Street
    Portland, Oregon 97209

    Will Whiteneck, LightStanza's Director of Technology, and Dan Glaser, PhD, Principal of LightStanza, presented on Approaches to Calculating Annual Sunlight Exposure in LightStanza at the 16th Annual International Radiance Workshop in Portland, Oregon.

    For more information about the event, click here.


    The images above show what Will discovered when testing annual direct sunlight patterns. The left image shows all sun rays, and the right image shows sun rays culled by geometry.


    On Monday, the Radiance Workshop crew found a great place to see the Total Solar Eclipse. It was a fitting natural phenomenon to prepare the workshop attendees for a week of sessions that cover daylight (pun intended)!


    Dan on his way from PDX to Downtown Portland by way of fold-up bicycle, of course.


    Greg Ward, Andy McNeal, and Taoning Wang show off their Voodoo Donuts, or lack thereof!

    Design by RNL Design, Denver, CO

    LightStanza was an IBPSA Building Simulation 2017 sponsor! At their booth, Sydney and Dan shared the latest updates (we now use the 5-phase method for annual calculations!) and offered event discounts, a free 1-year subscription to LightStanza PRO, and some LS swag.

    LightStanza Principal Daniel Glaser, PHD was also a speaker for the event, along with Ken Hall of Gensler and Derek Felschow of Point Energy Innovations. They presented on The Value of Daylight Modeling on Monday, August 7th. Click here for details.


    San Francisco skyline captured by Dan on his bike ride down the hill into the conference.


    Hitting rush hour bicycle traffic on Market Street.


    Sydney and Professor Prasad Vaidya of CEPT University in front of the LightStanza booth. She is helping him prepare to teach LightStanza to his students.

    Fort Collins Utilities Administration Building LEED Platinum Ceremony


    On June 8th, the USGBC Colorado's Northern Branch celebrated the completion of the Fort Collins Utilities Administration Building, which is Colorado's first completed LEED v4 Platinum project. Click here for full details about the event.

    LightStanza was the LEED Daylight Compliance software for the project, helping the team achieve LEED Platinum level. The software produced results with too much glare when only clear glass was used on the model, so the RNL Design team chose and applied Daylight Redirecting Film in LightStanza to help the building achieve LEED daylight credits.


    LightStanza rendering of the Fort Collins Utilities Administration Building.

    Fort Collins Utilities Administration Building 3D model in LightStanza, showing illuminance values with regular clear glass.


    Above is the completed Utilities Administration Building, showing the real-life performance overhangs that were tested in LightStanza.


    Here you can see two different daylight strategies being used in the building's kitchen area. Overhangs were used throughout the building's exterior, while redirecting light louvers redirected light upwards and into the space throughout conference and open office areas.


    Sydney attended the ceremony and particularly enjoyed looking at the artwork that was incorporated throughout the building.

    Glaser and Nelson Led another 2-Day Daylighting Course at the Pacific Energy Center

    LightStanza was invited back to the Pacific Energy Center this summer for two days of exploration and training!

    LightStanza's Founder and Principal Daniel Glaser and Product Lead Sydney Nelson presented a two-day class at the Pacific Energy Center this June. These sessions broke barriers and empowered designers, architects, engineers, and more in the realm of robust and complex daylighting as industry standards and methods continue to evolve.

    The class were held at:
    Pacific Energy Center
    851 Howard St.
    San Francisco, CA 94103

    Day One: Contemporary Ways to Design with Daylight
    June 13, 2017
    1:00 PM - 5:00 PM PST

    Description:
    The Contemporary Ways to Design with Daylight class introduced attendees to the value and uses for modern daylight simulation tools, and put them into context with historic methods to teach when, where, and how to use available daylight metrics. Along with daylight design’s effect on energy savings and occupant health, the class discussed the new LEED v4 metrics and how to achieve a good score along with overall high quality daylight design. Speakers answered questions such as:
    1. What can you do with daylighting simulation & analysis software that traditional methods can’t provide?
    2. How are standards changing for daylighting and does this mean for analysis tools?
    3. What are the best practices for daylight modeling?
    4. How much energy savings does daylighting bring today?

    * This class was worth 3.75 AIA Continuing Education Units.


    Day Two: LightStanza Training Workshop
    June 14, 2016
    Part One (Basic Software Training): 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM PST
    Part Two (Advanced Software Training): 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM PST

    Description:
    Day Two covered a range of analysis methods using the web-based LightStanza software. The 2-part (basic and advanced) day-long workshop taught attendees how to iterate with point-in-time and annual analysis as well as LEED v4 output using both simple and advanced 3D geometry. Those attending the class learned the strengths and limitations of web-based daylight analysis, how to work with materiality, how blinds can be effectively modeled, and more. This training was meant to empower users of all backgrounds in order to make quality daylighting accessible for everyone.

    * Each class was worth 3 AIA Continuing Education Units.


    Dan and Sydney outside of the Pacific Energy Center in Downtown San Francisco. They had big smiles after completing two successful days of daylighting courses.

    The LightStanza Crew at Rocky Mountain Green 2017!

    April 27, 2017
    Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel
    1550 Court Pl
    Denver , CO 80202

    Daniel Glaser, Will Whiteneck, Josh Newsom, and Sydney Nelson of LightStanza all attended the 10th Annual Rocky Mountain Green Conference that took place April 26-28 in Denver. Hosted by USGBC Colorado, the annual Rocky Mountain Green Conference unites hundreds of industry leaders, experts and professionals to inspire, connect and advance sustainable building within the region.

    The team demonstrated the latest version of the software at the company booth and attended many of RMG's engaging presentations to keep up-to-date with the growing sustainable building industry!

    The fast-paced day only allowed time for a quick selfie at the booth! Pictured from left to right: Daniel Glaser, Principal; Will Whiteneck, Director of Technology; Sydney Nelson, Product Lead; Josh Newsom, Software Engineer.

    Will and Josh wind down after a long day of networking and green building education.

    LightStanza and Stuart Shell of Forte Building Science Presentat at AIA Omaha

    March 29, 2017
    NE Extension Office - Douglas County
    8015 W Center Rd
    Omaha, NE 68124


    Daniel Glaser and Sydney Nelson of LightStanza joined Stuart Shell of Forte Building Science to present on daylighting in the cloud for AIA Omaha's EATS Lunch Seminar #1. They spoke about using a daylighting tool for increased occupant health and all-encompassing design decisions.

    To learn more about the event, click here.


    Sydney started the presentation by explaining why daylighting is so important in every project.


    Stuart focused on the topic of circadian rhythm


    Dan explained different daylight analysis types and how to use them.


    Sydney and Dan enjoyed presenting for and speaking with the diverse group of AIA Omaha members that attended.

    LightStanza IBPSA NYC Chapter at HOK

    January 12, 2017
    Networking 5:30 - 6:00 PM ET
    Presentation 6:00 - 7:30 PM ET
    HOK
    1065 Avenue of the Americas, 6th Floor
    New York, NY 10018
    Room: Central Park


    Daniel Glaser, the Founder and Principal of LightStanza, presented A Complete Picture of Daylight at HOK in New York City this January!

    The significance and urgency of proper daylighting in buildings is undeniable.

    Daylighting is arguably the primary, experiential and physiological connection occupants have with a building. In addition, it's the simplest and most cost-effective means of reducing a building's electrical energy use. Yet ironically, it's often the most misunderstood and underutilized system in a building's design.

    In this seminar, we critically discussed how annual metrics and other methods of daylighting analysis & simulation can help you understand how daylighting is conceptualized, collaborated on and executed in buildings. This includes why annual metrics are necessary, what the metrics mean in terms of daylight design, what qualities of daylighting the metrics miss, and how blinds affect the score and experience of daylight. This talk went beyond reciting formulas to help attendees define metrics in meaningful terms that they can visualize, understand, and use in every-day practice.

    We took a close look at the new LEED v4 daylight credits (EQc7), and the differences in the requirements from LEED v2009 (IEQ c8.1) We discussed the pitfalls of mis-informed projects, and potential problems if you don’t do basic daylighting analysis, as well as best practices of daylight modeling. Attendees learned how to achieve the LEED credits without sacrificing overall good daylight design, and how to use new technology to drive daylight beyond LEED. We covered several principles of analysis including solar geometry, sky conditions, annual climate data, sampling, material properties, glare and shade controls, daylight harvesting and energy modeling implications.

    This seminar emphasized the value of using daylighting tools to get the best results, and empowering non-specialists to make informed decisions for integrated design.

    The learning objectives were:
    1. Attendees will be able to analyze and compute the new LEED v4 annual metrics - Spatial Daylight Autonomy (SDA) and Annual Sunlight Exposure (ASE) - and their significance to daylight design, and their context in the evolution of daylighting metrics.
    2. Attendees will compare daylighting and sun-control strategies to produce daylighting design solutions for a typical space, and will engage in an integrated design process to understand how building form, siting, and blind operation enable effective daylighting solutions.
    3. Attendees will identify daylighting analysis concepts and review case studies examined using these new metrics that will allow them to design daylighting strategies that go beyond LEED requirements and help contribute to the well-being of occupants.
    4. Attendees will learn the potential problems of mis-informed projects, the pitfalls of designing without basic daylighting analysis, and the essential steps for accurate and complete modeling with daylight tools.

    To see the recorded webinar for this event, click here.

    To see full details of the event, click here.


    Dan's fold-up bike was handy for traveling, and was a great way to see the city quickly. Above is the view from a bike path in Midtown.


    Here's another view from a much more crowded NYC bike path!


    After his final meeting, Dan biked from Midtown to Laguardia to head back to Colorado.

    LEED v4 Daylighting Presentation at AIA in Washington DC

    January 10, 2017
    6:30-7:30 PM
    District Architecture Center
    421 7th Street NW, Washington DC 20004

    Daniel Glaser, Principal of LightStanza, gave a presentation on new techniques for achieving the LEED v4 daylighting credit to kick off the new year!


    There was a great turnout of ambitious designers, consultants, engineers, and more at the District Architecture Center in early January.


    Outside of his presentation, Dan enjoyed biking along the peaceful bike paths that surround the city. This photo is taken on the Capital Crescent Trail in between Georgetown and Bethesda.

    To see full details of the event, click here.

    LightStanza Presents New Advances in Climate-Based Metrics and Web Programming for Daylight Analysis

    December 16, 2016
    UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design
    Berkeley, CA

    Daniel Glaser and Sydney Nelson of LightStanza were happy to visit the UC Berkeley campus to give a lecture and facilitate discussion on new daylighting metrics and the software that is associated with them.


    Sydney visited Strada before the talk, Dan and Evy's frequently-visited coffee shop when they were UC Berkeley students.


    Dan was excited about the refreshments - vegan donuts!


    Dan explains daylighting metrics at the school he once attended.


    Sydney walks students and staff through the steps needed to generate LEED v4 scores with simulation software.


    After the talk, Dan enjoyed catching up with one of his old professors, Prof. Ed Arens (Director of the Center for the Built Environment) and current graduate student Mohammad Keshavarzi.

    December Class at the Pacific Energy Center

    LightStanza was invited back to the Pacific Energy Center this winter for two days of exploration and training!

    LightStanza's Founder and Principal Daniel Glaser and Product Lead Sydney Nelson presented a two-day class at the Pacific Energy Center this October. These sessions broke barriers and empowered designers, architects, engineers, and more in the realm of robust and complex daylighting as industry standards and methods continue to evolve.

    Day One: Contemporary Ways to Design with Daylight

    December 13, 2016
    1:00 PM - 5:00 PM PST

    Description:
    The Contemporary Ways to Design with Daylight class introduced attendees to the value and uses for modern daylight simulation tools, and put them into context with historic methods to teach when, where, and how to use available daylight metrics. Along with daylight design’s effect on energy savings and occupant health, the class discussed the new LEED v4 metrics and how to achieve a good score along with overall high quality daylight design. Gensler's Ken Hall presented a case study on using a daylighting tool to design a commercial building, and SerraLux's Chris Hergenrother discussed how they use simulation tools for product R+D. Speakers answered questions such as:
    1. What can you do with daylighting simulation & analysis software that traditional methods can’t provide?
    2. How are standards changing for daylighting and does this mean for analysis tools?
    3. What are the best practices for daylight modeling?
    4. How much energy savings does daylighting bring today?

    Day Two: LightStanza Training Workshop

    December 14, 2016
    Part One: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM PST
    Part Two: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM PST

    Description:
    Day Two covered a range of analysis methods using the web-based LightStanza software. The 2-part (basic and advanced) day-long workshop taught attendees how to iterate with point-in-time and annual analysis as well as LEED v4 output using both simple and advanced 3D geometry. Those who attended the class learned the strengths and limitations of web-based daylight analysis, how to work with materiality, how blinds can be effectively modeled, and more. This training was meant to empower users of all backgrounds in order to make quality daylighting accessible for everyone. There were be two case studies using LightStanza, the first by Derek Felschow of Point Energy Innovations during the morning session and the second by Tim Metcalfe of Wasco Skylights during the afternoon session.


    Dan and Sydney were excited to welcome a full and eager classroom on Days 1 and 2.


    One of the guest speakers on the first day was Ken Hall of Gensler. He presented an engaging case study on his work with the San Francisco Airport.


    Sydney provided an introduction to more advanced subjects by going through the basics of daylight modeling


    Derek Felschow also gave a great presentation on Point Energy Innovations' strategies for optimizing daylight design with simulation software.


    Students learned how to generate their own results with the streamlined LightStanza LEED v4.


    Tim Metcalfe of Wasco Skylights explained how he uses software to compare different products as a sales representative.


    Chris Hergenrother from SerraLux showed how SerraGlaze could be compared to other products with LightStaza.


    Sydney, Evy, and Dan were excited to have completed a successful course at the Pacific Energy Center!

    LEED v4 Daylighting Presentation in Colorado Springs

    December 1, 2016
    3:30 - 5:00 PM MT
    GH Phipps Inc
    496 Nevada Mesa View
    Colorado Springs, CO 80907

    On December 1st, the USGBC Colorado Southern Branch presented industry experts Dane Sanders of Clanton & Associates, Inc. and Dan Glaser of LightStanza, who discussed the LEED v4 EQc7 "Daylight Credit."

    Through graphics and animations generated from innovative simulation tools, presenters discussed the strengths and limitations of the new metrics promoted in LEED v4. Presenters went beyond reciting formulas to help participants define these metrics in meaningful terms they can visualize, understand and use in their every-day practice. Issues and topics explored included annual climate, dynamic blinds, the quantification of "goodness", and energy modeling implications.

    This presentation was worth 1 GBCI BD+C LEED Specific continuing education unit.

    To read full details about this event, click here.

    Factory Tour & Presentation - Colorado Building Enclosure Council

    December 7, 2016
    10:30 AM - 12:30 PM MT
    RavenWindow
    3950 Kearney Street
    Denver, CO 80207

    On Wednesday, December 7th, Dan Glaser was a panelist at the final 2016 monthly meeting for the Colorado Chapter of the Building Enclosure Council at RavenWindow in Denver, CO. The chapter includes architects, engineers, contractors, manufacturers, and others with an interest in building enclosures.

    "The Council's goal is to promote the exchange of information and encourage discussion on matters concerning building enclosures and related science, such as training, education, technology transfer and local issues and cases."

    The schedule was as follows:
    10:30 AM - 11:10 AM   Daylighting/Dynamic Glazing Presentation
    11:10 AM - 11:30 AM   Panel Discussion + Q&A with Industry Experts (TBD)
    11:30 AM - 12:00 PM   Factory Tour
    12:00 PM - 12:30 PM   Networking + Light Lunch


    The presentation took place on a snowy winter day in Denver, but Dan came prepared with his fat bike!

    LightStanza Presentation at Rocky Mountain Lights 2016

    Hosted by the Illuminating Engineering Society-Rocky Mountain Section, Rocky Mountain Lights 2016 was held at the EXDO Event Center in Denver, CO on September 15th! Admission was open to the general public with complimentary Continuing Education Courses throughout the day. LightStanza's Principal Daniel Glaser presented "A Complete Picture of Daylight."

    A Complete Picture of Daylight

    Spaces lit with natural light have been linked with productive, healthy and happy occupants. Daylighting can be difficult without the right tools to help visualize how the sun interacts with a space. Join us to learn about ways to investigate and use daylight effectively in your designs, how occupants use blinds, and whether the levels of natural light in your space minimize electric lighting use and glare.

    In this seminar, Glaser introduced different methods for looking at daylight, from renderings to IES LM-83 daylighting metrics, which have been adopted by LEED v4. These techniques can inform and help you create great daylighting in your buildings. He discussed the strengths, limitations, assumptions, and controversy over each technique, including answers to questions such as:
    Why are annual metrics necessary?
    What do the metrics mean in terms of daylight design?
    What qualities of daylighting do the metrics miss?
    How does occupant behavior and the use of blinds affect both the daylighting "score" and experience of daylight?

    This seminar informed attendees about how to pursue the LEED daylight credits and how to use new technology to drive daylight beyond LEED. They also learned several principles and concepts of daylight analysis including solar geometry, sky conditions, annual climate data, sampling, material properties, glare and shade controls.

    Learn more about Rocky Mountain Lights here.

    Pacific Energy Center Spring Seminar: A Complete Picture of Daylight


    Thursday, June 9th, 2016

    Pacific Energy Center
    851 Howard St.
    San Francisco, CA 94103

    To view the slides from this presentation, click here.

    This talk was presented by Dr. Daniel C. Glaser, Founder and Principal of LightStanza.

    The IES San Francisco and the Pacific Energy Center presented a Daylighting Spring Education Seminar: A Complete Picture of Daylight. This course included a 2 hour presentation with in-class exercises on daylighting metrics, followed by a 30-minute demonstration of cloud-based daylight analysis.

    Spaces lit with natural light have been linked with productive, healthy and happy occupants. Daylighting can be difficult without the right tools to help visualize how the sun interacts with a space. Those who attended learned about ways to investigate and use daylight effectively in their designs, how occupants use blinds, and whether the levels of natural light in a space minimize electric lighting use and glare.

    In this seminar we introduced different methods for looking at daylight, from renderings to IES LM-83 daylighting metrics, which have been adopted by LEED v4. These techniques can inform and help you create great daylighting in your buildings. We discussed the strengths, limitations, assumptions and controversy over each technique, including answers to questions such as:


    1. 1. Why are annual metrics necessary?
    2. 2. What do the metrics mean in terms of daylight design?
    3. 3. What qualities of daylighting do the metrics miss?
    4. 4. How does occupant behavior and the use of blinds affect both the daylighting "score" and experience of daylight?

    Participation in this seminar informed how to pursue the LEED daylight credits and how to use new technology to drive daylight beyond LEED. Participants learned several principles and concepts of daylight analysis including solar geometry, sky conditions, annual climate data, sampling, material properties, glare and shade controls. An iterative daylight design example then illustrated trade-offs of various strategies.

    Click here to see the original announcement for this event.



    Dan arriving to present at the Pacific Energy Center on his handy fold-up bicycle.


    There was a great turnout for the seminar. Audience members were eager to become experts on daylighting metrics!


    After the presentation, the in-class exercise taught participants how to generate sDA scores from scratch.

    Interoperability & Precision in Daylight Modeling

    Thursday, May 19, 2016
    6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

    Asia Conference Room
    RNL Design
    #A200, 1050 17th St.
    Denver, CO 80265

    To view the slides from this webinar, click here.

    This talk was co-presented by Daniel Glaser and Sydney Nelson.

    With the increasing demand for, and execution of green-buildings through standards such as LEED, Architecture 2030, Net Zero Energy Building, and the WELL Building Standard, the need for proper integration of energy and daylighting tools is of critical importance. Unfortunately, many current energy and lighting tools in the marketplace are interoperable, and as a result, over-represent or misrepresent the effects of daylighting. Energy tools not only limit the geometric expressiveness of a lighting tool-- stripping out mullions, wall thicknesses, and other essential details from daylight models, but also do not model occupant behavior or provide detailed lighting calculations.

    For the presentation, Daniel Glaser and Sydney Nelson addressed how to use daylight modeling tools with a focus on precision through annual metrics like Spatial Daylight Autonomy and Annual Sunlight Exposure, as well as the importance of blinds operation, daylight glare probability, and other details specific to daylight. Then they led an open discussion on interoperability among contemporary tools. Streamlining and sharing of daylighting analysis into energy tools is a missing link that has prevented energy modeling and simulation from providing both a more holistic and realistic understanding of energy use in building. By focusing on electric lighting and daylighting separately, designers, engineers, and architects are able to achieve true accuracy and all-encompassing analysis for vastly improved individual and collaborative outcomes.


    Sydney presenting strategies for precise daylighting techniques, using a model by Cuningham Group Architecture.

    LightFair International 2016

    April 26-28th, 2016
    San Diego Convention Center
    San Diego, CA USA

    Dan and Evy of LightStanza enjoyed being involved in LightFair International 2016 at the San Diego Convention Center!


    Evy at the Daylighting Pavilion on Wednesday. She was surprised by the very small amount of daylighting exhibitors.


    Dan at LightFair on Tuesday. While there, he enjoyed seeing the increasing flexibility of light.


    The most impressive light at the conference came from the bright San Diego sunshine.

    How LEED v4 Will Radically Change Daylighting Workshop & Tour

    Rocky Mountain Green 2016
    Thursday, April 21, 2016

    Part 1: The Workshop

    DaVita World Headquarters: 16th St.
    Denver, CO 80202

    1:00 pm - 3:00 pm MT

    This talk was co-presented with Tom Hootman (MKK Consulting Engineers), and Dane Sanders (Clanton & Associates).

    The significance and urgency of proper daylighting in buildings is undeniable. Daylighting is arguably the primary experiential and physiological connection occupants have with a building, and is the simplest and most cost-effective means of reducing a building's electrical energy use. Yet ironically, it is often the most misunderstood and underutilized system to be integrated into a building's design. Why? Four industry experts will address this question, offering unique perspectives on the radical concepts embedded in the LEED BD+C v4 EQc7 "Daylight Credit". An architect specializing in net-zero energy building design, a professor of daylighting with expertise in glare, a daylighting consultant, and a software developer of cloud-based daylighting tools will share insights and provide practical advice in four visionary talks on how LEED v4 (EQc7) will change how daylighting is conceptualized, collaborated on and executed in buildings.

    Through graphics and animations generated from innovative simulation tools, presenters discussed the strengths and limitations of the new metrics promoted in LEED v4. Presenters went beyond reciting formulas to help participants define these metrics in meaningful terms they can visualize, understand and use in their every-day practice.

    The Following Issues were explored:

    The Workplane:

    LEED BD+C v4 EQc7 requires you to only measure light at the workplane. What are the implications of only looking at light at a horizontal plane 30" above the floor? Presenters discussed the benefits of analyzing light in other critical areas, such as the ceiling and wall, and the issues of glare in these contexts.

    Annual Climate:
    The nuances of daylight given subtle changes in climate are not obvious. As demonstrated by LEED v4's vastly improved precision of climate, presenters illustrated how different regions can impact the same design in profoundly different ways. In addition, novel concepts using sunrise and sunsets, ranges of climate that go beyond LEED v4 will be presented.

    Dynamic Blinds:
    Unknown to many, LEED v4 has a model of occupant behavior for opening and closing the blinds, depending on daylight position and availability which both directly and indirectly affect the scores. Presenters discussed the assumptions built into the model, how realistic they are and how they compare with motorized automated blinds.

    The 'Goodness' of Quantification:
    LEED v4 has several cut-offs built into its calculations, such as only scoring positively when exactly half or more of the year exceeds a threshold. Presenters illustrated cases where these boundaries meet, exceed, or contradict design expectations.



    Part 2: The Tour

    Museum of Contemporary Art
    1485 Delgany St.
    Denver, CO 80202

    3:00 pm - 4:00 pm MT

    This tour led by Glaser, Hootman, and Sanders, and highlighted the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art's daylighting strategies.



    Dan and Tom Hootman of MKK Consulting Engineers at the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art for Thursday's Daylighting Tour.


    Dane Sanders of Clanton & Associates talks daylighting strategies inside of Denver's acclaimed museum.


    On Friday, Sydney Nelson and Will Whiteneck of LightStanza enjoyed their time as at Rocky Mountain Green as sponsors for the event.

    NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I Grantee Workshop

    March 14-16, 2016

    Hyatt Regency
    Crystal City, VA

    Light Foundry's Daniel Glaser and Evy Ibarra attended and presented at the National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Phase I Grantee Workshop in Crystal City, Virginia. At the conference they shared and explored their research and development since receiving the prestigious NSF-SBIR Grant in January.

    To learn more about this conference, click here.


    Dan enjoyed riding his nifty 16" wheeled fold up bicycle along Capital Crescent Trail between Montgomery County and Crystal City every day during the conference.


    Without a bicycle, Evy explored DC's Metro.


    Daniel Glaser speaking with Keynote Speaker for the event, Tom Chi.

    How LEED v4 will Radically Change Daylighting

    Friday, November 20, 2015
    9:30 am - 10:30 am ET

    Greenbuild 2015
    Washington Convention Center
    801 Mount Vernon Pl. Northwest
    Washington, DC 20001

    How to Achieve Well Daylit Classrooms: Case Studies

    Friday, November 6, 2015

    USGBC Colorado Green Schools Summit 2015
    Arvada Center
    6901 Wadsworth Blvd.
    Arvada, CO 80003

    Register here.

    More information on the USGBC Colorado Green Schools Summit

    This presentation was co-presented with Dane Sanders (Clanton & Associates) and Sukreet Singh (Cuningham Group).

    Daylighting classrooms are becoming increasingly significant for providing visual and physiological comfort for occupants, and balancing these needs with energy efficiency. Coordinating LEED v4 and other daylighting metrics (including, why, how, and when to use) is key to this effort. Tradeoffs will be discussed such as how the benefits of fenestration may compete with security and practicality of different types of blinds. Unique perspectives from an architect, consultant, simulation expert, and teacher will be presented through school case studies where daylight analysis were and were not incorporated into the design process to optimize an overall daylighting strategy for the project.

    Daylight Deconstructed at Visual Interest

    Friday, September 25, 2015
    12:30 pm - 1:30 pm MT and
    3:30 pm - 4:30 pm MT

    Visual Interest: Final Friday
    3444 Brighton Blvd.
    Denver, CO 80216

    1 GBCI CE hour

    Taming Radiance

    Tuesday, August 18, 2015
    9:00 am - 9:45 am ET

    14th International Radiance Workshop
    Consortium for Building Energy Innovation (CBEI)
    Philadelphia Navy Yard
    4960 South 12th St.
    Philadelphia, PA 19112

    Despite its power, Radiance is complex, fragile, and limited by machine resources. These aspects have been the barrier to its wider adoption in the building industry. Daniel Glaser will demonstrate LightStanza, a flexible, collaborative and scalable Web Application which will prove to make Radiance accessible to all.

    More information on the Radiance Workshop

    Daylight Deconstructed: A Visual Understanding of Sustainability Metrics and How to Apply Them

    Thursday June 25, 2015

    Pacific Energy Center
    851 Howard Street
    San Francisco, CA 94103

    AIA 1.5 LU/HSW Hours

    Spaces lit with natural light have been linked with productive, healthy and happy occupants. Daylighting can be difficult without the right tool that can help you visualize how the sun moves across a space. Join us to learn about ways to investigate and use daylight effectively in your designs, how occupants use blinds, and whether the levels of natural light in your space minimize electric lighting use and glare. Participating in this seminar will inform you about pursuing the LEED daylight credits and how to use new technology to drive daylight beyond LEED.


    Dan's fold-up bike made it through airport security and all the way to the Pacific Energy Center in downtown San Francisco!

         



     

    Streamlining Daylight Analysis in the Cloud

    Friday June 26, 2015
    9:00 am - 3:00 pm PT

    Pacific Energy Center
    851 Howard Street
    San Francisco, CA 94103

    Create extraordinary daylighting without spending weeks learning a complicated new software!

    This hands-on workshop is for both designers who want to strip away the complexity of running daylight analysis and experts who want to get exposure to a web-based platform for Radiance-based daylight simulations. By the end of this workshop you will know how to quickly perform daylight analysis for a space and use this information to understand and optimize occupant comfort.

       


    LEED V4 Daylight Metrics and LightStanza: Daylight in the Cloud (Webinar)

    Friday May 8, 2015
    12:30 - 2:30 pm MT

    From the comfort of your own office (because it's a webinar)

    This webinar was hosted by our very own Dr. Daniel Glaser.

    The first half was about the LEED v4 Daylight Credit (EQc7) and the new metrics that it is scored with, Annual Sunlight Exposure (ASE) and Spatial Daylight Autonomy (sDA). We discussed its strengths, limitations, assumptions and controversy over ASE and sDA. This included why annual metrics are necessary, what the metrics mean in terms of daylight design, what qualities of daylighting the metrics miss, and how blinds affect the score and experience of daylight. We compared the new metrics with established annual metrics such as Daylight Autonomy and Useful Daylight Illuminance. The seminar went beyond reciting formulas to helping you define metrics in meaningful terms you can visualize, understand and use in your every-day practice.

    In the second half we introduced LightStanza, an innovative cloud-based daylighting simulation software powered by Radiance. It allows users to change materials and orientations in a flexible Web Application. Topics included model upload, running simulations, generating visual scores and reports, renderings, annual metrics and glare analysis, and LEED documentation.

    To watch this webinar on demand, click here and choose number 8.

    LightFair International 2015

    May 4-7, 2015

    Jacob J. Javits Convention Center
    655 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001
    New York City, New York

    The LightStanza team is happy to have attended LightFair International this year. We gave two talks while there (see details below).

    Monday, May 4:

    9:00 am - 12:00 pm (ET)
    Room 1E12
    "Cloud-Based Lighting Tools—New Ways of Looking at Daylight"

    2:00 pm - 5:00 pm (ET)
    Room 1E08
    "Find the Sweet Spot—Electrical Lighting Design with Daylight Analysis"

    Rocky Mountain Green 2015

    Thursday April 2, 2015
    10:15 am - 4:00 pm

    Rocky Mountain Green
    Hyatt Regency Denver
    650 15th Street
    Denver, CO 80202

    "LightStanza as Track 3 Sponsor"


    Friday April 3, 2015
    9:00 am - noon

    Rocky Mountain Green
    XCEL Building
    1800 Larimer Street
    Denver, CO 80202

    "Seeing the Light in LEED: A Daylight Workshop"





    Project's more info here

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    View Project

    Project's more info here

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    View Project

    LightStanza Visitor


    Last Friday, Sydney had a good reason to open the blinds! This doe made a surprise visit to the LightStanza office, stopping outside of Sydney's workstation to snack on a tasty bush. In a town like Boulder, CO, windows are great for beautiful views of the Flatirons and the furry mountain-dwellers that come down to visit every once in a while.

    LEED v4 Scoring Updates


    The USGBC recently made some clarifications regarding the LEED v4 daylight rating system and alternative strategies for Option 1 credit. Here are the major changes to note:

    1. Spaces with an automated dynamic facade system OR under 250 square feet will now be exempt from ASE.
    2. You can now achieve daylight credit for spaces with an ASE score between 10 and 20%, and an extra point for spaces below 10%!

    You can check out the full rundown here. LightStanza has been updated to reflect these changes.

    The Fort Collins Utilities Administration Building is Complete!


    On June 8th, the USGBC Colorado's Northern Branch celebrated the completion of the Fort Collins Utilities Administration Building, which is Colorado's first completed LEED v4 Platinum project. Click here for full details about the event.

    LightStanza was the LEED Daylight Compliance software for the project, helping the team achieve LEED Platinum level. The software produced results with too much glare when only clear glass was used on the model, so the RNL Design team chose and applied Daylight Redirecting Film in LightStanza to help the building achieve LEED daylight credits.


    LightStanza rendering of the Fort Collins Utilities Administration Building.

    Fort Collins Utilities Administration Building 3D model in LightStanza, showing illuminance values with regular clear glass.


    Above is the completed Utilities Administration Building, showing the real-life performance overhangs that were tested in LightStanza.


    Here you can see two different daylight strategies being used in the building's kitchen area. Overhangs were used throughout the building's exterior, while redirecting light louvers redirected light upwards and into the space throughout conference and open office areas.


    Sydney attended the ceremony and particularly enjoyed looking at the artwork that was incorporated throughout the building.

    LightStanza Announces New Software Version!


    The LightStanza Team is excited to announce a new easy-to-use streamlined software with enhanced reliability and full LEED v4 compliance. By signing up, you will have access to sweeping animations, a complete library of advanced daylight products, the most accurate and complete LEED v4 scorecard on the market, which includes all of the recent scoring updates, false color images and daylight glare probability scores, renderings, and customizable point-in-time and annual illuminance grids with the click of a button. Get started today!

    Here are some of the key features:

    1. Advanced Daylight Product Library: Apply advanced materials like dynamic glass to your windows to optimize your designs and simulate with cutting-edge accuracy.

    2. Animations: Watch the sun sweep across your designs with the click of a button with animations of your model’s performance at the time ranges and intervals of you choice.
    Fisheye animation made on the fly!

    3. Certification-Quality Report Card: Simulate strict calculations in accordance with LEED/LM-83 standards, which are submittable to the USGBC for LEED v4 Daylight Credits. LightStanza will generate scores for both LEED v4 Options 1 and 2 so that you can submit the one that achieves the most points, and it takes into account the most recent scoring addendum.

    LEED v4 Daylight Credit Scorecard.

    4. Generate point-in-time analysis on the fly: Make point-in-time illuminance grids and renderings anywhere in your model at any time of the year!

    5. Customizable Annual Grids: Generate annual analysis with the occupancy and target illuminance values that best suit your project goals!

    6. Online 3D Viewer and Editor: Use the material paint bucket tool to choose between different material types and properties, rotate and geo-locate your model for the best daylight design and accurate weather data, turn layers on and off, and more with the easy-to-use 3D Model Editor!

    7. View your scores in 3D: The online 3D viewer allows you to view your simulation results in the context of your 3D model. Easily switch between 2D and 3D analysis modes for a streamlined and well-informed design process.

    LightStanza provides analysis for all types of buildings throughout all stages of the design process!

    8. Blinds Operation: When generating your reports, you can be sure that you are accounting for human factors and simulating with full LEED v4 Compliance. LightStanza uses IES LM-83-specified blinds operation by automatically grouping windows, controlling them independently, and providing an optimal score for the annual sDA calculation.

    9. Download and share your results: Download options allow you to download your results and share them with clients, colleagues, or even the USGBC for LEED v4 Daylight Credit!

    Ned Day

    In late June, the LightStanza team packed up, jumped on the bus, and headed to the tiny town of Nederland, CO for a nice change of scenery. They started the workday at the trendy Salto Coffee Works. Then they grabbed lunch at the quaint Mountain People's Co-op, and ended their day at the beautifully-daylit Nederland Community Library.

    Kelsey loved escaping Boulder for the day and being outside in the middle of the mountains. She thought it was a great chance to recharge and take it a little easy. Will enjoyed the scenery on the bus ride through Boulder Canyon.

    Everyone agreed that Ned Day, or "Bring your Mountain to Work Day" as Dan might call it, must become an annual ordeal!


    Focused team at Salto Coffee Works.


    Kelsey and Sydney have a design discussion at the library.


    Waiting for the bus back to Boulder after a fun day!

    LightStanza in Denver

    It is always an adventure when the LightStanza team heads next door to Denver, and the two most recent trips did not disappoint!

    First, Kelsey, Sydney, and Dan carefully packed their "paper computer" and headed to leading green firms in the Denver area. Kelsey and Sydney had spent weeks designing and building a "paper computer prototype" of the LightStanza software with a major focus on user experience, and it was time to put it to the test. Once they were in Denver, they set it up and took notes as volunteers at the firms they visited "used" the paper computer, making it clear what could use improvement and what worked well.

    Kelsey Hanzlik, who skillfully crafted the paper prototype, had this to say about the process: "I loved the chance to try my hand at something I hadn’t done before, and it was awesome collaborating with clients to build something we are confident in." Dan Glaser commented, "Paper is a great medium for developing great UX."

    This process had a huge impact on the user-centric design of the software, and the team looks forward to transforming it from paper into a new and improved LightStanza interface!


    Sydney and Kelsey on the Light Rail headed to their first Denver stop.

    Later in the month, Dan and Sydney headed back to the RiNO district of Denver to catch up with some friends at architectural firms in the area. As always, the artwork that surrounded them was too great to ignore!


    You won't catch Dan in Denver without his folding bike!


    Sydney was all smiles after a great meeting.


    One of the many attention-grabbing murals in the RiNO district of Denver.

    Peter Rabbit

    Windows are good for many things, like providing the daylight needed to reduce electric lighting costs, or helping building inhabitants maintain circadian rhythm and overall health with abundant natural light and outdoor views. Here at the LightStanza office, windows are also great for making friends! This summer, Sydney has grown quite fond of her new bunny friend named Peter who comes to visit her window on a daily basis.

    LightStanza urges you to always keep the benefits of a great window in mind!


    The bunny first discovers his lush new home.


    Peter Rabbit says hello to the LightStanza team...


    Then gets comfortable in the shade.

    The Team Bikes Boulder

    LightStanza's Principal and Founder Daniel Glaser is an environmentally-motivated bicycle enthusiast who encourages the team to opt for Boulder's bike paths when getting to and from local business meetings.

    This summer the team did just that! Below is a photo Dan took of Will and Sydney on their way to Gettliffe Architecture to meet with talented architects who share a passion for daylight.


    LightStanza Attends A Light Affair

    Evy Ibarra represented LightStanza at the 2016 Bay Area event A Light Affair in downtown San Francisco. She particularly enjoyed this year's selection of seminars on light layering and understanding color metrics for LEDs.

    To learn more about the event, click here.





    There were many new innovative electrical lighting products and custom lighting fixtures that use the LED technology. The image above shows Eureka Lighting's demo booth with an array of innovative fixtures.

    LightStanza Presents IES TM-30-15 Education Class

    We are excited to have been invited to teach another educational daylighting seminar! This IES TM-30-15 Education Class was presented by The IES San Francisco and the Pacific Energy Center on June 9th in downtown San Francisco. Read more about the event here.

    Lunch & Learn Presentation with Davis Partnership

    Dan and Sydney enjoyed presenting an overview of why good daylighting is so important at Davis Partnership Architects' new office in River North Art District, Denver.

    The presentation provided an overview of ways to balance optimal daylight while mitigating glare.

    LightStanza and RNL Design Author Education @USGBC Webinar

    Daniel Glaser and Sydney Nelson of LightStanza joined Dominic Weilminster, Katie Finnegan, and Colin Inderwish of RNL Design in Denver, CO to present the considerations and tools for high-performance envelope design, using the Fort Collins Utilities Administration building as a case study. This webinar was filmed as part of the USGBC's Education Series, which can be viewed online for continuing education credits (LEED Specific BD+C GBCI). To view the webinar, click here.

    SerraLux's SerraGlaze on LightStanza

    LightStanza's Material Library just got bigger! Log on to My.LightStanza.com to try out our newest addition.

    SerraGlaze by SerraLux is a daylight enhancing product for windows that preserves the view. This thin interior film employs micro-structured technology to redirect natural daylight deeper into interior spaces


    Here is an example of a scaled model with SerraGlaze installed in the clerestory position in the left space, and Plain Glass in the right space. You can now simulate this effect on your 3D models in LightStanza!

    Light Foundry Receives NSF-SBIR Grant

    The team at Light Foundry is excited to announce that they recently received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Grant on. To learn more about this prestigious award, click here.

    Light Foundry's Daniel Glaser and Evy Ibarra also attended and presented at the National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Phase I Grantee Workshop in Crystal City, Virginia. At the conference they shared and explored their research and development since receiving the prestigious NSF-SBIR Grant in January.

    To learn more about this conference, click here.


    Dan enjoyed riding his nifty 16" wheeled fold up bicycle along Capital Crescent Trail between Montgomery County and Crystal City every day during the conference.


    Without a bicycle, Evy explored DC's Metro.


    Daniel Glaser speaking with Keynote Speaker for the event, Tom Chi.

    2016 New Years Resolutions

    LightStanza Founder and Principal Daniel Glaser joined six other Colorado Tech leaders in setting big goals for 2016, including broadening user base and increasing team strength within a small business model. Read more here.

    LightStanza in Net Zero Buildings Magazine

    Read Net Zero Buildings Magazine's take on our daylighting software in their November 2015 issue here. Starting on page 46, the article, titled Modernizing Daylight Modeling, explores how applications like LightStanza are changing today's architectural landscape.

    LMN Architects Blog about LightStanza

    In his 3 part blog post on cloud based daylight simulations, Apoorv Goyal writes, "Lightstanza is a great tool since you can upload the model to the online website and let multiple simulations run at the same time."

    Read more of his review here.


    Daylight in the Cloud Webinar in 2015 Honor Roll

    Arpan Bakshi of Foster + Partners credited Dr. Daniel Glaser of LightStanza in the Honor Roll of 2015 presenters for the Performance Network's webinar series. For this talk, Dr. Glaser spoke on LEED V4 Daylight Metrics and their relation to LightStanza.

    To view all presenters on the 2015 Honor Roll, click here.

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