The Impact Of Ceiling Geometry And Its Sensitivity On Daylighting And Energy Performance Of Skylights

This study aimed at the assessment of the actual building ceiling depth on the predictions of skylight performance. Using the integrated Radiance and EnergyPlus simulation tools, daylighting and energy performance of skylight to roof ratios from 1% to 25% with a ceiling depth of 1.5 m to 3 m were assessed and analyzed. The results showed that including the ceiling depth into simulation model greatly affected the predictions of the skylight performance. Through a sensitivity analysis, the study indicated that the impact of ceiling geometry increased as the skylight's contribution to the reduction of building energy consumption increased with 6% skylight to roof ratio being the most sensitive to the ceiling depth. The integrated daylighting and building energy optimization concluded that 8%, 9%, 10% and 11% skylight to roof ratios were optimal for a ceiling depth of 1.5 m, 2 m, 2.5 m and 3 m, respectively. The results induced that for skylight related investigations, building ceiling geometry should be included in the simulation models as it plays a crucial role in the actual performance of skylights.