Daylighting in buildings in Iceland: What evaluation methods are suitable for Nordic daylight - Analyzing the need for requirement update in Iceland building regulations

Þórðardóttir, Tinna Kristin

4. Term

Lighting Design

2016

2016-05-26

62

Efterhånden som byer vokser sig tættere, bygninger bliver højere, og byggematerialer udvikler sig, bliver det vigtigt at sikre sunde og bæredygtige indendørs miljøer. Dagslys spiller en central rolle for menneskers sundhed og trivsel og påvirker samtidig energiforbruget. Vurdering af dagslys i bygninger sker gennem standarder, regler og bæredygtighedscertificeringer, som varierer fra land til land. For at sikre gode dagslysforhold er det nødvendigt med en informeret reguleringsproces og tilstrækkelige krav. Denne afhandling har to formål: at gennemgå metoder til at vurdere dagslys i bygninger og vurdere deres egnethed til Islands særlige nordiske lysforhold, samt at undersøge, om de islandske byggeregler bør opdateres, da de mangler klare krav til godt dagslys. Arbejdet omfatter et litteraturstudie af Islands geografiske forhold, arkitektur- og byplanhistorien i Reykjavik, en analyse af metoder til dagslysvurdering samt en gennemgang af byggeregler i Island og Norge og to internationalt anerkendte bæredygtighedscertificeringer. Derudover blev der gennemført kvalitative interviews med lysdesignere og arkitekter for at belyse fagfolks viden, erfaringer og bekymringer. Climate Based Daylight Modeling (CBDM), en nyere, simuleringsbaseret metode, blev vurderet som bedst egnet til nordiske lysforhold. Interviews pegede dog på, at metoden på nuværende tidspunkt er for ny og kompleks til at blive indført som standard i Islands relativt lille branche. Hypotesen blev bekræftet: De islandske byggeregler anses generelt for at være forældede, især i lyset af de øgede teknologiske muligheder og byggeteknikker, der kan understøtte bedre dagslysdesign.

As cities grow denser, buildings get taller, and materials evolve, it is vital to ensure healthy and sustainable indoor environments. Daylight is key to people’s health and well‑being and also affects energy use. Each country evaluates daylight in buildings through its own standards, regulations, and sustainability certifications. An informed regulatory process with adequate requirements is essential to secure good daylight conditions. This thesis has two aims: to review methods for evaluating daylight in buildings and assess their fit for Iceland’s unique Nordic light, and to consider whether Iceland’s building regulations should be updated, as they lack clear standards for good daylighting. The work includes a literature review on Iceland’s geography, the history of architecture and urban planning in Reykjavík, an analysis of daylight evaluation methods, and a review of building regulations in Iceland and Norway alongside two internationally recognized sustainability certifications. Qualitative interviews with lighting designers and architects were conducted to understand professional knowledge, views, and concerns. Climate Based Daylight Modeling (CBDM), a newer simulation‑based method, was judged the most suitable for Nordic conditions. However, interviews indicated it is currently too new and complex to adopt as a standard in Iceland’s relatively small industry. The hypothesis was confirmed: Iceland’s building regulations are generally considered outdated, especially given the growing availability of technology and construction techniques that support better daylight design.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]

Daylight ; Sustainability ; Nordic daylight ; evaluation methods ; Daylight factor ; Climate based daylight modeling ; Building regulations

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Þórðardóttir, Tinna Kristin:

• Daylighting in buildings in Iceland: What evaluation methods are suitable for Nordic daylight? Analyzing the need for requirement updates in Icelandic building regulations (2016)