The lighting scheme should be tailored to visual tasks

... as reading, writing, teaching with multimedia, or utilizing traditional resources.

Lighting scheme for sustaining concentration

Observation and surveillance play crucial roles in the learning process. Therefore, the lighting scheme should be tailored to various visual tasks, such as reading, writing, teaching with multimedia, or utilizing traditional resources. Additionally, maintaining an appropriate level of lighting is essential for sustaining concentration. In the pursuit of an energy- and climate-optimized school building, the primary goal should be maximizing the utilization of natural daylight. Unimpeded views of the outside environment from every vantage point in the room contribute to enhanced concentration.

To avoid glare, it is advisable to steer clear of pronounced luminance contrasts within the direct field of vision of students. When tables and chairs can be rearranged, careful consideration should be given to ensuring that all students face different directions in relation to the windows. The design of room geometries and floor plans aligned with the long side of the building ensures uniform illumination and an unobstructed view.

During periods with insufficient natural daylight, the artificial lighting plan should ensure uniform illumination from all sides while minimizing contrast, glare, and undesirable reflections on blackboards or screens. The integration of occupancy sensors can help reduce electricity consumption for artificial lighting. For classrooms where multimedia presentations occur, blackout options should be available to control lighting conditions.

Interior climate requirements

Individuals establish diverse connections with the buildings they inhabit. These relationships may be shaped by factors such as ownership, tenancy, or prolonged use, such as in office spaces. The degree of personalization and identification with a building hinges on the frequency and duration of usage. Certain everyday activities occur in spaces where forming a unique bond is less likely, such as in service buildings or large-scale cultural, educational, and congress facilities, where the user numbers are substantial and variable.

Visitors, customers, or occasional users typically have no say in the design of such environments. Consequently, the interior climate requirements and control systems differ significantly between buildings with centralized control and those allowing individual adjustments. Ideally, people feel more at ease in spaces where they can manage the interior climate themselves, whether by opening windows, adjusting individual sunshades, or modifying thermostat settings on radiators.

However, the extent of individual controllability diminishes with a higher number of occupants in a room, as catering to every person's preferences becomes impractical. When users have an influence on the ambient climate and it aligns with their expectations, they may be more accepting of conditions like higher temperatures in summer. Conversely, expectations regarding comfort aspects such as temperature and air quality are substantially higher in cooled and mechanically ventilated buildings without individual controls.

The implementation of DIN EN 15251, addressing indoor air quality, thermal environment, lighting, and acoustics, introduces the concept of user adaptiveness as a design parameter for the first time. This standard differentiates between buildings with mechanical heating and cooling (static comfort model) and those without (adaptive comfort model). It specifies minimum and maximum values for indoor operative temperatures during heating and cooling periods to ensure thermal comfort in mechanically heated spaces.

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Long term optimization of comfort

The formulation of interior design concepts necessitates effective communication among the various members of the planning team across multiple levels within a complex planning process. Additionally, the development of sustainable concepts is influenced by numerous boundary conditions stemming from the building's function and the specific needs of its users. Consideration of location factors is also crucial to ensure long term optimization of comfort, energy efficiency, and maintenance.

At the core of an interior design concept lies the meticulous selection of passive and active energy efficiency measures, with careful consideration of their interdependencies. These measures should be evaluated across all levels of the overall system, encompassing structure, internal layout, facade, technical services, and coordination with the building as a whole. An interdisciplinary team, comprising specialists from various areas, collaborates to integrate their diverse experiences.

Recognizing that there are no universal solutions for architecture, technical fitting-out, or energy concepts, sustainability should be integrated into the design process from the outset as a guiding principle for action and planning. The initial design phases play a pivotal role in shaping the climatic characteristics of the building, and modifications at later stages can incur increased costs. Therefore, understanding the relationships between all building and design parameters and aligning them with the design brief is essential.

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Robust quality management

The tightening of legislation and the rise in energy prices are prompting clients and users to prioritize solutions with better long-term economies. In architecture competitions, it is crucial to raise awareness among clients and juries about the energy-efficiency quality of a design, which should be evident without the need for intricate calculations.

In terms of project realization, sustainable building involves implementing functional, social, economic, and ecological requirements throughout the entire life cycle of the construction project. Unlike other industries, the construction sector operates under the direct influence of weather and involves the collaboration of numerous trades.

Robust quality management principles are advised throughout the multifaceted construction process to pursue predefined goals and agreements. A quality management system relies on clearly defined specifications for quality control measures and audits, overseen by the design and construction teams. Comprehensive records of the design and construction phases provide a valuable basis for the optimal operation of the building, serving as a repository of information throughout its life cycle.

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Design for illumination

Visual comfort is of paramount importance in sports activities, demanding even illumination, freedom from glare, and careful consideration of surface characteristics in interior design. Achieving a consistent level of daylight throughout the entire width of the hall is typically facilitated by incorporating a strip of high-level windows along the building's side, fostering a connection with the external environment.

If the interior space has significant depth, additional windows on both sides or rooflights may be required to ensure proper daylight illumination and minimize the need for artificial lighting.

To optimize the utilization of daylight or artificial lighting, it is essential to employ light-colored surfaces. However, these surfaces should feature a matte finish to prevent distractions caused by glare or reflections, thus contributing to an environment conducive to sports activities.

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Tips and Guidelines

Enhancing visual comfort is crucial for boosting concentration, particularly in spaces occupied during the day. Office buildings, in particular, face the challenge of optimizing daylight utilization while minimizing solar heat gains during the summer. The design of the facade, floor plan, and the careful selection of interior materials and colors contribute to increasing the level of daylight within the building. The utilization of the room and its geometry significantly influences the potential for utilizing natural light, consequently impacting the need for artificial lighting.

In offices designed for individuals and small groups, a low room depth is generally advantageous for optimal natural lighting. However, in open-plan offices, the potential for leveraging daylight diminishes, necessitating the use of supplementary artificial lighting. This, in turn, raises internal loads and the associated cooling requirements.

Addressing acoustics can present a challenge when integrating thermal mass into the energy concept. The need for sound-attenuating elements conflicts with the inclusion of thermal mass. Ceiling-mounted acoustic systems may have limited effectiveness and should not be uniformly employed throughout the building. Sound-absorbing elements, such as baffles, offer a viable option for enhancing room acoustics without significantly impacting heat transmission.

These elements can be strategically mounted without compromising the contact between the thermally active mass and the interior climate. While radiant ceiling panels can also serve as acoustic elements, their design should be carefully considered to ensure compatibility with both acoustics and thermal requirements.

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