Daylighting

Daylighting treats natural light as a design material rather than whatever happens to come through a window. Where light enters, how deep it reaches, whether it causes glare and how it shifts through the day all depend on window size and position, facade depth and the colour of interior surfaces. Done well, it cuts the need for electric lighting and makes rooms simply nicer to be in.

The tools of daylighting

• Orientation: north light is soft and even, south light is strong but needs control (in the northern hemisphere).
• High windows and rooflights carry light deep into a plan.
• Light shelves and pale ceilings bounce light further in.
• Brise-soleil and eaves block high summer sun and admit low winter sun.

More is not always better. Too much glazing brings summer overheating, glare on screens and winter heat loss, which is why daylighting is always weighed against energy performance.

Daylight in rendering

Much of what makes an interior render believable is its daylight. Light set up with a sun and sky system or an HDRI should fall off gently from the window, bounce off surfaces and fill the shadows. Exposure and tone mapping keep that balance intact. Our guide on getting a realistic interior render walks through these settings.