Home > Sustainability > Sunlight and Daylight Assessment
Sunlight and Daylight Assessment
| In circumstances where
there is a potential adverse impact upon the current levels of
sunlight/daylight enjoyed by adjoining properties or building(s),
including associated gardens or amenity space then applications may also
need to be accompanied by a daylight/sunlight assessment. Further
guidance is provided in, for example, BRE guidelines on
daylight assessments. A sunlight / daylight assessment can be carried out to assess these impacts, and to ensure that the development in mind makes the best use of possible light available. Further guidance. |
 |
A Sunlight / Daylight Assesses whether a new development will have adequate natural lighting. If using the BRE Guidance this is deduced in the following manner.
Is there a problem?
Taking a reference point from the centre point on the lowest windows, draw line at 25 degrees upwards, does it bump in to the new building, reverse for the proposed developement. If lines are obstructed further assessment may be needed.
 |
Assessing Daylight Daylight is assessed using the Vertical Sky Component (VSC) Concept, as the diagram below shows tall building close together have a lower VSC value than say low building spaced far apart. You might call this overshadowing if you were talk ing about it in lay mans terms. Ratios of building height vs distance are used to quantify effects. Using special analytical tools these are then recorded as VSC values. |
Assessing Sunlight
When we talk about sunlight in the context of sunlight assessment we mean the suns rays. What effect will a new development have on surrounding existing properties? Will the new building cast a shadow over existing neighbours gardens for example. Sunlight is assessed using the Annual Probable Sunlight Value.
Sunlight values are assessed according to the latitude, the sun takes a different path in the say in say Aberdeen, as it does in London.
Ratios of building height vs distance are used to quantify effects. Using special analytical tools these are then recorded as VSC values.
Home > Sustainability > Sunlight and Daylight Assessment