Effect of Daylighting Design on Thermal Comfort and on Energy Consumptions in Economical Dwellings

Daylighting design is an important strategy for energy efficiency in buildings, diminishing electricity consumptions. Prediction of indoor daylight levels is useful to choice the most suitable daylighting systems, which can be calculated assisted by simulation software. In this work, daylight has been studied in two economical dwellings located in Sonora, northwest Mexico, where sky is clean almost the whole year. One of them has been analyzed under its current conditions and in the other one, some improvements has been made. The simulation has been carried out with Power Doe. Daylight levels have been analyzed, pointing out their effects on thermal gains through the envelope and on electricity consumptions.