Developing a simulation-based framework for healing building envelopes in healthcare design

Abstract

In healthcare facilities, with the very nature of healing at its core, designing spaces with enhanced levels of human comfort is of prime importance. Daylighting in healthcare facilities has benefited the physiological and psychological well-being of patients receiving treatment. However, many decades of scientific and technological innovation in the field of electrical lighting have resulted in providing ambient daylighting losing its priority in the overall design process. This paper evaluates the impact of building envelope design on daylighting within a patient room setting using parameters such as window-to-wall ratio, and shading mechanisms. The performance is assessed through metrics such as spatial Daylight Autonomy (sDA) and Annual sunlight exposure (ASE). By using optimization tools such as Colibri and visualization tools like Design Explorer, a wide range of building envelope options are evaluated for different orientations of patient rooms. An integral part of this research is assessing the impact of daylighting in varying climatic conditions on the melanopic lux levels regulating the circadian rhythms of the patients by using the circadian lighting software ALFA. The results derived from this simulation-based framework would aid in creating a workflow to design patient rooms in healthcare settings by focusing on daylighting.