Using building information modelling to optimise design quality of natural lighting in Iraqi school buildings

One of the most important aspects directly affecting a building’s performance is the design quality of the natural day-lighting. The present research evaluates the effectiveness of daylight in school buildings in the city of Baghdad. It aims to ascertain how the characteristics of building windows affect the quality of day-lighting, the objective of this exercise being to improve educational processes in schools by making improvements in relation to the aspect of provision of satisfactory day-lighting levels. A building simulation approach was adopted, and using Autodesk Revit 2018 (Insight plug-in), a daylight analysis was conducted under the aegis of the Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology. For the case study, we selected the modern design of a 24-classrooms school building, which is part of a plan for the construction of 1,000 Iraqi schools. Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED v4) simulation was conducted on the school building design to provide the results, which were measured and analysed according to LEED v4 standards. The results demonstrated that opening dimensions and direction have an essential impact on natural day-lighting. The research concluded that using BIM simulation tools enhances the design quality of the natural lighting in such a way that compliance with LEED v4 requirements is achieved. The present study will assist in identification and assessment of the problems concerned with natural lighting levels in Iraqi school buildings as well as resolving these at an early design stage.