Assessing daylight, sunlight and overheating in the built environment.

The pursuit of sustainable development and compact urban form has the potential to create attractive neighbourhoods where walking and cycling become realistic alternatives to the daily car commute. One of the challenges of building at higher densities however is the concomitant reduction in sky views; as buildings get taller and closer together it becomes increasingly difficult to access adequate natural light from the sun and sky.

‍

By testing the impacts created by a proposed development against recognised standards and norms GV8 is able to determine both the magnitude and significance of the impacts that would register on neighbouring properties. When engaged at an early stage in the design process GV8 is able to rapidly iterate through massing options to help identify a development form which strikes an optimised balance between density and daylight.

The provision of light and air is key to the creation of attractive interior spaces and attractive accommodation is key to the long term success of all buildings.

GV8 uses advanced computational methods to test the levels of daylight which would be provided within interior spaces. When engaged at an early stage in the design process GV8 is able to rapidly iterate through design alternatives to find a design configuration that maximises the proportion of rooms which achieve good levels of interior daylighting. GV8 is also able to test the levels of sunlight amenity which would be provided within outdoor recreation spaces.

GV8 focuses on mitigating urban overheating risks, exacerbated by climate change and urban development trends like compact living spaces and extensive glazing. Utilizing dynamic thermal simulation based on CIBSE TM52 and TM59, we predict and address these risks in various climate scenarios. Our early interventions in design help avoid expensive retrofits, ensuring sustainable and comfortable urban environments.