Light
Lighting is crucial to the experience and delight in any architecture. Well designed lighting assists wayfinding, provides a connection with nature and supports the activities we are engaged in throughout the day and into the night. L+U designs daylighting and electric lighting as integrated aspects of the architecture and experience, balancing aesthetic intentions, spatial order, visual comfort and technical understanding. For electric lighting, daylighting and shading analysis we use RADIANCE software, a research grade light simulation software based on the physics of light and material properties. Physical models, glazing samples, and mock-ups can be tested in our lighting lab in Alameda or on-site.
Services
Daylighting improves the quality of visual comfort while reducing energy use. We use scale physical models and calibrated simulations with RADIANCE software and proprietary scripts to:
• Predict and evaluate illumination levels and light distribution
• Predict and analyze luminance gradients and glare potential
• Analyze thermal and energy use implications of daylighting design
• Design and evaluate daylighting to exhibition and curatorial performance criteria
• Predict energy savings from daylight harvesting
• Coordinate daylighting and electrical lighting design
• Post-occupancy HDRI analysis of luminance and visual comfort
• Predict and evaluate illumination levels and light distribution
• Predict and analyze luminance gradients and glare potential
• Analyze thermal and energy use implications of daylighting design
• Design and evaluate daylighting to exhibition and curatorial performance criteria
• Predict energy savings from daylight harvesting
• Coordinate daylighting and electrical lighting design
• Post-occupancy HDRI analysis of luminance and visual comfort
We provide full-service lighting design for building interiors, exteriors and landscape as well as specialized lighting for art. We work with the architect to reflect the aesthetic of the design and support the spatial experience with high performance and visually comfortable lighting.
• Specify luminaires, sources and layouts for electrical lighting
• Provide accurate renderings of lighting for evaluation
• Provide illumination levels for design evaluation as well as code requirements
• Provide lighting controls narrative and diagrams
• Arrange desk-top, lighting lab and/or in-situ mockups as appropriate to the project
• Provide aiming and lighting control observation
• Design custom fixtures
• Provide LEED credit documentation for lighting credits
• Specify luminaires, sources and layouts for electrical lighting
• Provide accurate renderings of lighting for evaluation
• Provide illumination levels for design evaluation as well as code requirements
• Provide lighting controls narrative and diagrams
• Arrange desk-top, lighting lab and/or in-situ mockups as appropriate to the project
• Provide aiming and lighting control observation
• Design custom fixtures
• Provide LEED credit documentation for lighting credits
Visual and thermal comfort in high-performance buildings rely on integrated glazing and curtain wall design. We use advanced simulation techniques to:
• Analyze visual performance of glazing alternatives
• Evaluate advanced glazing applications, including light redirecting glass and internal shading systems
• Predict and evaluate thermal performance of curtain wall systems
• Predict occupant comfort conditions for curtain wall alternatives
• Identify and coordinate value engineering tradeoffs for integrated high-performance facades
• Analyze visual performance of glazing alternatives
• Evaluate advanced glazing applications, including light redirecting glass and internal shading systems
• Predict and evaluate thermal performance of curtain wall systems
• Predict occupant comfort conditions for curtain wall alternatives
• Identify and coordinate value engineering tradeoffs for integrated high-performance facades
Effective shading reduces glare and minimizes solar heat gain without impeding the use of daylight for visual tasks. We assist the architect to design shading appropriate to the program, the climate and context of the project. We use scale physical models and calibrated models with RADIANCE software to:
• Analyze site conditions for solar access and shade potential
• Design sun control and glare control alternatives for local skies and climate conditions
• Evaluate shade alternatives for visual and thermal comfort
• Analyze site conditions for solar access and shade potential
• Design sun control and glare control alternatives for local skies and climate conditions
• Evaluate shade alternatives for visual and thermal comfort
We find opportunities to design a sculptural approach to experiencing light in and around buildings. This may involve beamed sunlight carried through a space by fiber optics, sunlight striking an interior courtyard at designed times, or programmed LEDs that create patterns or change colors. We are open to possibilities and use our full toolbox of simulations, mock-ups and fabrication to develop the sculpture, program the controls and supervise installation.
We provide accurate predictive or forensic analysis of the impact of solar reflections from building curtain walls. We evaluate both the visual and thermal impacts of solar reflections as well as reflection convergences. We use simulation techniques to quantify the impact of glazing selection and curtainwall design on the building’s surroundings.
• Characterize reflections to understand temporal and spatial patterns
• Use calibrated simulations of solar radiation to quantify intensity and distribution
• Design and evaluate mitigation alternatives
• Characterize reflections to understand temporal and spatial patterns
• Use calibrated simulations of solar radiation to quantify intensity and distribution
• Design and evaluate mitigation alternatives
Case Studies
Energy
We aspire to design buildings that can “sail”. Just as a sailboat is designed to use the wind to move and is operated in response to wind shifts and weather, a building should be working with the natural energies on site to keep the occupants comfortable and healthy. A small mechanical system is designed to supplement these natural energies when necessary – as a small motor can move the sailboat when it is becalmed. This energy can be generated with sun and wind and stored for both boats and buildings, resulting in a zero-energy and responsive design. While we use a wide range of simulation software to provide energy consulting services as described in the Services section below, we find that our approach and strategic thinking about energy use and design forms the first critical foundation of our consulting.
Services
We use thermal comfort as the first target of analysis in energy efficient building design. When people are comfortable, no energy will be needed to heat or cool the space they occupy. Using a variety of software tools, we generate:
• Annual hour-by-hour simulations of thermal conditions inside the building without mechanical systems
• Parametric analysis of the role of each building component in providing thermal comfort and autonomy
• Design recommendations for achieving greater thermal comfort and greater energy autonomy
• Annual hour-by-hour simulations of thermal conditions inside the building without mechanical systems
• Parametric analysis of the role of each building component in providing thermal comfort and autonomy
• Design recommendations for achieving greater thermal comfort and greater energy autonomy
We provide both performance energy modeling and regulatory modeling (such as Title 24) as part of the design process. Performance energy modeling is used to understand the actual energy use, without regulatory defaults, to better characterize and compare building performance and energy costs during design and after occupancy. We use EnergyPlus, a whole building energy simulation program with proprietary scripts to model energy consumption for heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting and plug and process loads. We also use regulatory software as required by state energy codes for permitting when the project is ready to permit. Energy modeling includes:
• Simulating annual building energy use at all stages of design process
• Developing early energy use parametrics to identify energy saving opportunities in design alternatives
• Developing suites of energy strategies to reconsider conventional approaches to building energy use
• Comparison of mechanical strategies and HVAC systems in terms of energy use
• Green building certification
• Quantification of energy cost
• Real-time building control and operation
• Future weather energy simulations
• Simulating annual building energy use at all stages of design process
• Developing early energy use parametrics to identify energy saving opportunities in design alternatives
• Developing suites of energy strategies to reconsider conventional approaches to building energy use
• Comparison of mechanical strategies and HVAC systems in terms of energy use
• Green building certification
• Quantification of energy cost
• Real-time building control and operation
• Future weather energy simulations
Achieving zero-energy and zero-carbon requires a building and site to generate the energy needed for building operation, which requires renewable energy. We use energy simulations and other tools to:
• Quantify solar and wind potential
• Identify and size appropriate alternative energy sources including photovoltaic cells, wind turbines, fuel cells
• Coordinate location and installation issues with the design team
• Identify renewable energy that can be sourced through public utilities and renewable energy vendors
• Quantify solar and wind potential
• Identify and size appropriate alternative energy sources including photovoltaic cells, wind turbines, fuel cells
• Coordinate location and installation issues with the design team
• Identify renewable energy that can be sourced through public utilities and renewable energy vendors
We design and install comprehensive building monitoring systems in order to verify actual building performance. These systems are custom designed for a project to provide data and answers specific to the building. Features of our monitoring system include:
• Sensor arrays are selected which provide data points to track energy use, system performance, heat distribution, and variables related to occupant comfort
• System architecture is designed to provide a framework scaled for data collection from multiple buildings.
• Proprietary software to poll sensors, transmit the data over an internet connection, process and log the data at a central database where it is available for future data mining, performance analytics, and controls research
• Data can indicate if systems are operating effectively and efficiently and provide data stream comparisons.
• Results reveal components of comfort by showing, for instance, the surface temperatures as well as air temperatures.
• Sensor arrays are selected which provide data points to track energy use, system performance, heat distribution, and variables related to occupant comfort
• System architecture is designed to provide a framework scaled for data collection from multiple buildings.
• Proprietary software to poll sensors, transmit the data over an internet connection, process and log the data at a central database where it is available for future data mining, performance analytics, and controls research
• Data can indicate if systems are operating effectively and efficiently and provide data stream comparisons.
• Results reveal components of comfort by showing, for instance, the surface temperatures as well as air temperatures.
See examples of our Monitoring Projects →
Natural ventilation – using outside air to provide fresh outside air to a building and to exhaust hot air– is a critical design and operational strategy for high-performance and low energy buildings, both residential and commercial, in most climates. Natural ventilation is driven by the building design, with inlets and outlets provided for cross-ventilation and/or stack-ventilation. We use a combination of software and a laboratory wind-tunnel to assist the design team to:
• Strategically identify and locate the path of ventilating air
• Quantify the available wind on site in terms of direction, velocity and patterns of availability
• Size and locate openings for incoming air and exhaust
• Coordinate the mechanical system with natural ventilation as an operating protocol
• Strategically identify and locate the path of ventilating air
• Quantify the available wind on site in terms of direction, velocity and patterns of availability
• Size and locate openings for incoming air and exhaust
• Coordinate the mechanical system with natural ventilation as an operating protocol
Case Studies
Environment
The most convincing sustainable design is that which we value enough to maintain, re-use, re-inhabit and pass on to future generations. The most sustainable design must start as good design and it must also perform beautifully. We help owners and design teams identify ambitious environmental goals and find the process to achieve them. This is the raison d'être of our firm and our work.
Services
Resilient design has ability to adapt to changing conditions and to maintain or recover functionality after a disruption. In California we increasingly face disruptions in our use of buildings due to power outages caused by earthquakes, wildfires, landslides, floods and earthquakes. But it is also true that with climate change, no location seems to be free from potential natural disasters that may last a few days to months or years. Climate change itself is also a changing condition that needs to be designed for proactively rather than dealt with retroactively. Resilient design as we offer it as a service includes:
• Predicting potential future conditions resulting from abrupt or gradual change
• Simulating and designing for zero-energy as a baseline performance
• Simulating and designing for passive survivability for critical life-support conditions
• Designing renewable energy sources and storage for resilient scenarios
• Providing a manual for phases of disaster response and operation
• Predicting potential future conditions resulting from abrupt or gradual change
• Simulating and designing for zero-energy as a baseline performance
• Simulating and designing for passive survivability for critical life-support conditions
• Designing renewable energy sources and storage for resilient scenarios
• Providing a manual for phases of disaster response and operation
A zero-energy building uses less energy over a year than it can generate and both certification organizations (such as USGBC) and State energy codes are beginning to mandate a zero-energy performance in the US and internationally. There are many variations in the definition and terminology, some grid-connected buildings are described as “zero-net-energy” buildings, buildings that are designed to be powered by on-site renewables but have not yet installed the site energy production are described as “zero-energy-ready”, etc. We assist the design team and client to establish a goal and then help design the building and renewable energy systems to achieve that goal. We use a wide range of the methods and tools described in our services to achieve the goal.
L+U has significant experience in offering workshops and education on sustainable design, zero-energy and carbon-zero design and performance, lighting design, daylighting and resilience. We introduce advanced concepts of zero energy building and occupant comfort using architectural approaches to design and simulation rather than an engineering framework. Our experience includes:
• Week-long workshops focused on design of zero-energy, zero-carbon for practicing architects
• Teaching half-day or single-day workshops on focused topics such as low-energy lighting design, the use of HDRI in evaluating visual comfort
• Using hands-on sensing devices to understand and internalize the metrics used in zero-energy design
• Using current project form an architect’s practice to develop design alternatives and quantify the performance