Daylighting Design in the Pacific Northwest

In addition to conserving energy, the use of daylight in architecture can be a powerful aesthetic tool. The effective employment of natural lighting is an important component of sustainable design, and some of the best work in this area comes from the Northwest. This practice-based book focuses on fourteen projects ranging from schools to community centers to office buildings to a garbage/recycling center. It discusses the particular challenges of each project and the solutions found by the design teams as they sought to take advantage of daylight to create pleasant, workable, energy-efficient spaces. In each case, consideration has been given to location, elevation, orientation, microclimate throughout the seasons, and the effect on light of surrounding structures, land forms, and trees, as well as to the lighting requirements of occupants.

While some sustainable design strategies are general and not specific to place, place-specific opportunities and challenges are especially important in daylighting design. This book spotlights innovative design in a region heavily influenced by climate and landscape, makes use of environmentally friendly technologies, and looks at projects that aim to achieve social as well as aesthetic goals. It will be of great value to architects, engineers, lighting designers, and green building consultants, as well as to students in these fields.

Christopher Meek is research assistant professor of architecture at the University of Washington. Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg is assistant professor of architecture at the University of Idaho.