Daylighting systems and building physics

The transparent facade (resp. skylights) as most important part of the building envelope determines the energy consumption as well as the visual and thermal comfort within the building.In our projects requirements such as glare control, sun shading, guiding natural light into the depth of the interior while assuring a pleasant ambience are at the centre of our attention. During this process many systems have been developed that are partly patented as there are specular light guiding blinds, the “Fish” system, light pipes, heliostats, various prismatic panels and others.Any task related to daylighting such as sun shading, the total energy transmission (g-value), surface temperatures, energy consumption (building pass) and thermal comfort are an integral part of our considerations. Similar to that process when developing artificial lighting systems our services range from formalising the idea to developing the concept, detailed construction and supporting the manufacturer prior to mass production.This higher level of planning reliability is beneficial to client and industry alike.

From concept to site supervision

We tailor our services to suit your individual requirements. Of course we cover the full range of typical design phases from conceptual design via detail design, construction documentation, specification, site supervision to complaints management prior and of warranty period. We also offer conceptual advise or working on specific design phases only. Our design teams have many years of experience and are well versed in dealing with tight schedules and budgetary restraints.

Studies of exposure to Direct Sunlight

No matter what you would like to know with regards to direct sun exposure we are the professional partner  for you.   How much sunshine is there on a certain property considering the shading effect of adjacent buildings, trees, mountains etc.?What is the best method to control daylighting systems subject to facade aspect and exposure to sunlight?What effect do reflections of sunlight on other specular surfaces (facades) of adjoining buildings have on your building or on motorists?At what time and for how long is the sunshine within the interior?How do certain shading devices reduce the duration of exposure to sunlight?Our longstanding experience and in-house software enables us to cover just about any aspect and to provide tailored answers and professional solutions.





Appraisal of Daylighting


Utilising daylight is a complex task. Besides various standards and guidelines there are a multitude of recommendations regarding this topic. Ultimately we have to determine the amount of natural light and its distribution, sun shading, glare control and the visual link to the outside. These criteria are subject to different weighting depending on the application (office, museum, hospital, courtyard, atrium, etc.).How much natural light is required and how much is optimal?Does the solution in your project meet these requirements?Does an existing installation comply with all standards and regulations?As part of our services we also offer you analysis and appraisal of existing installations as well as available concepts. Subject to your specific requirements we tailor the specifics for such an appraisal.




Model Simulation in the Artificial Sky

Daylighting openings and daylighting solutions can hardly be changed once construction has been completed – or only at a very high cost. Simulation and analysis in the artificial sky provide the perfect means to base such important decisions prior to realisation. It is possible to simulate just about any possible daylighting scenario in the artificial sky. The sky can be adjusted in terms of brightness, light distribution, colour temperature and sunlight in a perfect manner. Thus the interiors simulated in such scale mock-ups can be viewed three-dimensionally under real conditions such as type of light, brightness and with real surface characteristics. This method is far superior to any digital simulation currently available.




Digital Simulation of Daylight

Of course we can also offer digital simulations and visualisations of daylighting solutions and room appearances. We work with the optimal software in order to achieve realistic images and precise results of computations (photometric values).