Assessment of daylighting in Brazilian building performance standard: Challenges and opportunities

This paper discusses the revision process of the daylight provision criteria in the Brazilian Standard ABNT NBR 15 575 Residential Buildings – Performance. Our proposal aims to transition from point-in-time assessments to dynamic climate-based metrics, emphasizing spatial and temporal aspects. Furthermore, it suggests a simplified method considering urban obstructions and internal spatial characteristics through an abacus. Challenges include aligning different standard versions as well as concerns regarding building multi-story social housing reliant on government funding. The new metrics based on spatial Daylight Autonomy and proposed benchmarks are detailed. Additionally, adaptations to local practices, such as integrating balconies into the adjacent inner space, are discussed. Computer simulations show the impacts on compliance of diverse types of glass, room dimensions and climate considering pragmatic criteria that combine target illuminance levels achieved across fractions of the reference plane within a space for at least half of the daylight hours. The proposed revisions have the potential to enhance the indoor environment but demand attention towards industry concerns, practical strategies and assessment refinement to ensure fair and robust compliance. This process aims to assist in ensuring buildings are habitable and quality of constructions amid the rising demand for housing, notably prominent in Brazil, propelled by global urbanization.