In the bustling heart of Istanbul, a groundbreaking study is challenging the way we think about urban planning and energy efficiency. Zehra Aybike Kılıç, a researcher from Istanbul Technical University’s Department of Architecture, has been delving into the intricate dance between zoning regulations and daylight access, with potentially transformative implications for the construction and energy sectors.
Kılıç’s work, published in the Journal of Daylighting, focuses on how zoning regulations can either hinder or enhance visual comfort in residential spaces. The study, titled “A Framework for Integrating Zoning Regulations and Site Layout Design to Enhance Visual Comfort,” is a deep dive into the often-overlooked impact of daylight on urban design.
At the core of Kılıç’s research is the idea that zoning regulations, while crucial for urban planning, can sometimes inadvertently compromise daylight access. “Zoning regulations significantly influence daylight-driven site layouts by constraining design decisions,” Kılıç explains. “This study hypothesizes that zoning design rules should be structured to optimize visual comfort in buildings, ensuring that daylight access is not compromised by restrictive policies.”
To test this hypothesis, Kılıç and her team conducted a series of parametric daylighting simulations using Climate Studio for Grasshopper. They analyzed various site-layout configurations under different legal constraints, using metrics from EN 17037, a European standard for daylight in buildings. The results were eye-opening. The study found that factors like obstruction angle and light reflectance value can vary significantly with building type and orientation. Moreover, obstruction angle alone may not be a reliable indicator of daylight performance.
So, what does this mean for the future of urban planning and the energy sector? For one, it underscores the importance of integrating daylight considerations into zoning regulations. By doing so, cities can create more energy-efficient and visually comfortable living spaces. This could lead to significant energy savings, as buildings with better daylight access require less artificial lighting.
Moreover, the study provides valuable insights into the evaluation methods given in the daylight standard to assess the daylight performance of space in the context of neighborhood scale. This could pave the way for more accurate and effective daylighting strategies in urban design.
Kılıç’s work is a call to action for urban planners, architects, and policymakers. It’s a reminder that the way we design our cities can have a profound impact on our energy consumption and overall quality of life. As cities around the world grapple with issues of sustainability and energy efficiency, studies like Kılıç’s offer a beacon of hope, guiding us towards a brighter, more comfortable future.
