Investigating Building Orientation And Level Of Day Light Of Commercial Buildings In Bale Robe Town

Abstract

A good performance of day lighting system with proper building orientation can maximizing daylight energy efficiency enhances occupants' wellbeing and productivity. A well-designed building with proper orientation can maximize daylight utilization, reducing the need for artificial lighting and consequently lowering energy consumption. The study was focused investigating building orientation and level of day light of commercial building in Bale Robe town. Bale Robe town is one of the fastest growing town in southern parts Oromia regional state. Robe town have been facing Commercial buildings are most frequently used should be on the side of the building facing the sun. This research design and methods such as collecting, analyzing, and combining quantitative like literature, secondary data from sectors, physical measurements, simulations and qualitative questionnaire survey, interviews, field measurements. To investigate the impact of sun position on buildings' facade and its effects on indoor and outdoor lighting, a building was examined. Physical measurements of environmental variables can compare subjective outcomes with existing criteria for success or failure. A simulation, a precise technique, involves sun and sky simulators in existing buildings, enhancing accuracy. The sample buildings were selected were chosen because they contain numerous commercial buildings with fully or partially glazed façades, and the orientation of the buildings has an impact on the level of daylight. The analysis phase involves transforming input data into quantitative and qualitative results. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed separately. The illuminance level of light was measured onsite at workspaces and recorded at 45-minute intervals. The results were then compared with standard lux levels for commercial building workspaces. Day lighting and visual comfort simulations in selected buildings were analyzed using energy plus software. Energy plus and metronome 7 were used to process climate/meteorology data. According to the data gathering and analysis, the result selected existing commercial buildings in robe town are south west faced and south east faced which is 60% and 40%. Summarizes responses to overall discomfort survey which includes from 1:00- 3:00 o’clock L.T all five buildings are discomforted time. Daylight illuminance was measured in two interior locations within each of the five buildings - one location less than 3m away from a window and the other more than 3m away. The lux meter recorded the light levels on a table at 45-minute intervals. Finally existing internal solar controls failed to provide comfortable lighting environments for most of the occupants. Recommendation should the regulations and monitoring systems regarding building orientation to improve thermal comfort. Keep the building's longer sides away from direct sun radiation.