Interactive Rendering of Fenestration Materials for Architectural Design ABSTRACT RENDERINGS OF DIFFERENT TIMES AND DAYS

We present a method for the interactive global illumination rendering of advanced fenestration materials in architectural design. These window panels can be used to redirect illumination from the sun; however, the transmissive properties of these materials result in non-intuitive interactions with the built environment. Broader Impact / Motivation: Electric lighting in the U.S. is estimated to be 22 % of the total electricity consumption [1]. Only if daylighting is accounted for early in the design process can it have a significant positive impact on the sustainability of the building. Architects have access to global illumination packages such as Radiance [2], but rarely use them during the design process because the renderings often take hours to produce. We simulate the direct and indirect illumination from the sun and sky throughout each day for different months of the year. Having accurate quantitative and qualitative data about the natural lighting allows the designer to explore different window material choices for the design that reduce the need for supplemental electric lighting. We demonstrate our system on several models inspired by field observations and the designs of architecture students we have consulted during the development of this project