Daylight Optimization to Leverage the Reduction in Energy Demand for Artificial Lighting in Indoor Sports Arena

Abstract

Exploratory surveys on existing indoor sports halls reveal that their designs mostly neglect daylight to rely totally or partially on artificial light, forfeiting all the benefits of natural light. Natural lighting in indoor spaces has proven to be of several immense benefits to users and owners of these spaces. Several factors have been identified that affect the quality and quantity of daylight of an enclosed space, the most significant of them all is a window to floor ratio. The study is aimed at optimizing effective daylight in indoor sports halls by evaluating daylighting provision in some existing indoor sports halls in Nigeria, taking into consideration illuminance levels and uniformity indices. Descriptive analysis was carried out, which formed the basis upon which a Climatic Based Daylight Model was developed. Three distinct daylight schemes were modelled and analyzed, and the first scheme (combination of sidelight and top-light) has successfully and optimally harnessed daylight in an indoor sport hall. The scheme attained the minimum requirements for illuminance, vertical illuminance and uniformity index, which can be replicated in environments of similar climate.