An Intro To Daylighting Control
Building a home or office in a location that has severe heat and sun can require special skills and knowledge. An architect who designs homes and offices for these areas often must rely on many organic elements to create a space that is both energy efficient and comfortable. Designing a home in this type of area requires that sun control be included in the overall design of the space.
The use of architecture to control the sun has been a practice performed for thousands of years. In areas where there is severe heat and arid climates, the buildings had to be able to repel heat and maintain a comfortable temperature for the residents. Many people have found that utilizing some of these same techniques has resulted in energy savings and enhancement of the environment.
When a home has been architecturally designed for the sun, the windows will not face direct sunlight. Windows absorb a great deal of heat. This heat increases the temperature in a room. When the heat is dispelled in the windows, the insulation around the windows becomes hotter. Reducing or changing the style of the windows that are used on sunny sides of a building can help to reduce energy costs.
Many architects are designing spaces using solar energy to control the sun. By installing solar panels in new buildings, the power of the sun is being used effectively. The costs of energy are reduced substantially when solar energy is used in lieu of gas and electricity.
Many homes reduce the amount of electricity to a room that is receiving sunlight. When lighting is not necessary, but lights are left on, the costs for energy use increase. By using sunlight effectively the costs for lighting can be reduced. The design of the home can take advantage of all of the elements to create a dynamic and energy efficient home.
Architects that work in hot, arid locations often spend extra time researching the sun and its effect on buildings and space. In many cases, they create designs that provide extra protection to the interior of a building. Using materials that repel heat and light, while keeping interiors cool is one of the major focuses of their endeavors.
In most hot climates, architects will include an exhaust fan in the attic of a space that automatically is activated when the temperature rises. This fan blows the hot air from the building before it reaches the inhabitants of the structure. Using this technique helps to maintain a constant temperature throughout the building and keep the walls of the building from becoming overheated.
Using heat resistant, tinted dual pain windows also helps to control the sun. The windows are usually installed with further insulation such as retractable heat resistant blinds. When activated, the windows and blinds maintain a constant temperature in a room.
Some buildings are also designed to have independent cooling systems as part of their architectural sun control. When a room is not in use, the air conditioning does not function in that room. When an individual enters the room, a motion sensor that is attached to the main control unit activates the cooling system. sun control system takes many aspects of design and architecture to a more advanced level than for regular designs.




