3.4 Apertures and Objects

The wall and aperture inputs, shown to the right, allow the user to define a number of architectural features for each façade of the space. The user selects which Surface to add architectural features to using the Surface pull-down menu. This menu contains an option for each of the four walls (east, south, west, and north), the roof, and one for each monitor wall if a monitor exists. Once a façade is selected, the user can define any number of windows or blocks on that facade. When the roof is selected, a reflected ceiling plan will be shown in the display window, otherwise an interior elevation of the selected surface is shown.

Windows

The window inputs allow the user to define any number of window or skylights, as long as they fit, onto any surface of the model.

Window # – This pull-down menu indicates which window is currently being viewed. Each window defined is numbered starting with 1 and then 2, and so on. Up to 36 windows can be defined for each façade. Beyond this, it is possible to define more but the isometric and elevations will not display them due to limitations in excel.

Copy… – This pull-down menu allows the user to copy a window definition from a previously defined window. The copied window will appear directly on top of the original and will need to be moved to an available (non-overlapping) position.

Distance from Left Wall (Distance from West Wall) – This field sets the window’s distance from the left wall when viewed as an interior elevation or as a reflected ceiling plan. The scale on the interior elevation plot illustrates this dimension. When the roof surface is selected the value becomes the distance from west wall or the X distance, as seen in the Figure below.

Sill Height (Distance from South Wall) – This field sets the height of the bottom of the window above the floor. If the roof surface is selected, this sets the distance of the skylight to the south wall or the Y distance.

Window Height (Skylight N/S Length) – This field sets the height of the current window or the North-South length of the skylight when on the roof surface.

Window Width (Skylight E/W Length) – This field sets the width of the current window or the East-West lenght of the skylight when on the roof surface.

Transmittance – This field sets the visible transmittance of the window or skylight. All generic glazing transmittances are modeled as monochromatic and use typical double pane clear glass front and back reflection characteristics. The transmittance can be set to 100% when using a BSDF or other material as a window treatment to apply that material to the window itself. Colored glazing or more specific glazing definitions can be modeled this was by creating the glazing material in the material database and applying it as a treatment. See more information below and in the Material Database Editor section.

Window Treatment (Skylight Treatment) – This field defines any window treatments to be applied to the window selected. The user can choose between 4 default treatments or can apply any material imported into the project from the Material Database Editor section. The default treatments are: n for no treatment, b for venetian blinds (blind size can be set on the Advanced Options page), s for woven fabric shades, or t for translucent (diffusing) glass. If blinds, shades or any other material is applied as the window treatment, the treatment can then be controlled using manual or automatic photosensor controls. Settings for the blinds and fabric shades configuration and control can be found on the Advanced Options page. The materials used for the blinds or shades can be set in the Material Database Editor.

Shade Group – Multiple shade control “zones” can be defined. These zones represent sets of shades or blinds that will be controlled, raised, and lowered, together. The Shade Group field assigns the given window treatment (shades, blinds or other assigned material) to that Shade Group zone number. The zone number counts up from 1. The user will specify the control settings for each treatment zone later in the program on the Shade Control page.

Window Type – Multiple window types (1-10) can be defined on the Advanced Options page, and if one or more window type has been defined as something other than the default values, the Window Type field will be available. This field defines which window type to use for the given window and will default to window type 1.

At any time, you can use the Delete button to remove the selected window. All the windows will renumber accordingly so that there are no gaps starting with 1.

The Array button opens up the window shown to the right for basic array information to let you array the currently selected window. The program imposes an 8×8 (64 windows) maximum array to protect against creating too many individual windows, since once a window is arrayed it will create individual windows.

Number of Rows – This field defines the total number of rows (max 8) desired in the window array.

Number of Columns – This field defines the total number of columns (max 8) desired in the window array.

Row Spacing – This field defines the on-center vertical spacing between rows in the window array.

Column Spacing – This field defines the on-center horizontal spacing between columns in the window array.

Blocks

Blocks can be used to represent a number of elements in a SPOT daylight model, from overhangs and lightshelves, to cubicle walls and exterior buildings, to wood floor or glass partitions. The block will always be visible in the isometric diagram above but will only appear in the interior elevation view of the surface it was inserted on. Hence, it is usually best to insert an overhang or lightshelf on its associated surface and cubicle walls or floor plan objects in the roof view. Up to 36 blocks can be inserted on any surface.

Block # – This pull-down menu indicates which block is currently being viewed. Each block defined is numbered starting with 1 and then 2, and so on. Up to 36 blocks can be defined for each surface. Beyond this, it is possible to define more but the isometric and elevation views will not display them due to limitations in excel.

Copy… – This pull-down menu allows the user to copy a block definition from a previously defined block. The copied block will appear directly on top of the original and will need to be moved to another position.

The X, Y and Z location inputs define the base corner of the block: the corner closest to the origin (0,0,0) if all positive dimensions. Blocks are always placed according to the global coordinate system where the south-west corner of the space is always 0,0,0 and east is the +X direction, north is the +Y direction and the +Z direction is straight up. Negative dimensions are allowed and useful in some cases (ie. setting the width of a south overhang) and so this isn’t always the case. Press the button to view the diagram, shown to the right, of the following block inputs:

X Location – This field defines the X location of the base corner of the current block.

Y Location – This field defines the Y location of the base corner of the current block.

Z Location – This field defines the Z location of the base corner of the current block.

The X, Y, and Z size inputs define the size of the block from the base corner defined above. Typically, these will be positive values, but negative values can be used and are sometimes more convenient.

X Size – This field defines the X size of the current block.

Y Size – This field defines the Y size of the current block.

Z Size – This field defines the Z size of the current block.

Reflectance – This field defines the reflectance of the current block. Alternatively, the name of a valid material that has been imported into the project on the Materials page can be input and will be used for the block.

Fixed to Surface – This field allows you to fix the defined block to the current surface it is being placed on. This is useful for objects that are often located relative to a surface and should move with that surface. For example, a lightshelf could be fixed to the Interior of an east surface and will move with that surface if the space length changes. A block can be fixed to the Exterior or Interior or a surface or set as Free (or left blank) to not move with a surface at all.

Rotation – This field defines the rotation of the current block in degrees around the blocks insertion point. The rotation is around the Z-axis of the model using the right-hand rule (counter-clockwise from above) for positive angles. This field can be left blank for no rotation.

At any time, you can use the Delete button to remove the selected block. All the blocks will renumber accordingly so that there are no gaps starting with 1.

The Array button opens up the window, shown to the right, for basic array information to let you array the currently selected block. The program imposes an 8×8 maximum array to protect against creating too many individual blocks, since once a block is arrayed it will create individual blocks. The array function will not allow blocks to overlap or be arrayed outside the dimensions of the space. This is only a limitation to the array function however to protect against accidently creating large model sizes with large array spacing, individual blocks and be created or copied and moved whereever needed.

Number of Rows – This field defines the total number of rows (max 8) desired in the block array.

Number of Columns – This field defines the total number of columns (max 8) desired in the block array.

Row Spacing – This field defines the on-center vertical (or Y direction when the Roof is selected) spacing between rows in the block array.

Column Spacing – This field defines the on-center horizontal (or X direction when the Roof is selected) spacing between columns in the block array.

Facade Information

These fields report the following general information for the given surface.

Wall Area – This reports the total interior wall (or roof) area of the selected surface.

Glazing Area – This reports the total glazing area of the selected surface.

WWRint – This reports the ratio of the above two, or the Interior Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWRint). This represents how much of the interior wall area is glazed and is used by some daylighting codes and design rules-of-thumb.