The impact of shading by vegetation on the level of daylight in buildings: A case study

Institute of Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Kosice, 042 00 Kosice, Vysokoskolska 4, Slovakia

^* Corresponding author: zuzana.dicka@tuke.sk

Abstract

An optimal supply of daylight has a positive effect on the physical and psychological health of building users. In the working environment, daylight is a decisive aspect that significantly determines the overall work efficiency of employees. Several factors influence the internal comfort of the environment, but one of the main factors is visual comfort. Nevertheless, excessive sunlight, especially in summer, can cause discomfort. Nowadays, there is a broad spectrum of elimination options for excessive solar gain. This contribution is devoted to a less discussed elimination option, specifically the shading of buildings by surrounding vegetation and its importance in an urbanized environment. The study evaluates the administrative premises of the building for education. The illuminance measurement was performed in two offices with the same orientation. Based on the measured values, the effectiveness of the shading by vegetation element in the current environment and time is detected. The paper aims to investigate the impact of shading by vegetation on the internal visual comfort of employees, based on the concept of daylighting, and recommend appropriate measures to achieve an optimal daylight level.