DAYLIGHTING IN RURAL BUILDING DESIGN: ALTERNATIVES COMPARED THROUGH MODELING ON A WINE FARM CASE STUDY

The study is part of a broader research aimed at defining design criteria for small and medium-sized wine-growing and producing farms. The goal of this paper is to benchmark the performance of different systems of windows, in order to define design guidelines useful to the exploitation of natural illumination for the improvement of visual comfort and the reduction of energy consumption. A farm representative of the wine-growing and producing sector in Emilia-Romagna is considered as a case study, with particular attention to the building portion designated for tasting activities. Six envelope solutions have been developed with specific reference to architectural composition of openings and solar radiation control systems. A first solution has openings equal to each other evenly distributed on all four sides, with total illuminating area equal to 1/8 of the plan surface (minimum value prescribed by the Health Regulation in force). This solution is compared with four variants, which share the full opening of the south front and the complete closure of the others. Between these, one provides no shield on the southern wall, while the others have different systems to direct sunlight, designed to minimize glare and prevent direct radiation of indoor spaces. The mentioned solutions have been compared using the most consolidated static and dynamic performance parameters: the Average Daylight Factor (ADF), the Daylight Autonomy (DA), le Useful Daylight Illuminances (UDI). The analysis were performed with Radiance Lighting Simulation and Visualization System, implemented through Ecotect interface. The results allowed to determine the solutions more suitable for the use of natural illumination, in consideration of an indoor minimum level of illumination defined on the basis of specific regulations and in consideration of possible glare phenomena. The study has shown the validity of solutions involving south façade glazing with appropriate shading systems, and at the same time the need for further in-depth analyses aiming at investigating the performance of windows distributed on several fronts, including heat balance, in order to achieve integrated design solutions.