Advancing Lighting and Daylighting Simulation: The Transition from Analysis to Design Aid Tools

This paper explores three significant software development requirements for making the transition from standalone lighting simulation/analysis tools to simulation-based design aid tools. These requirements include specialized lighting simulation engines, facilitated methods for creating detailed simulatable building descriptions, and automated techniques for providing lighting design guidance. Initial computer implementations meant to address each of these requirements are discussed to further elaborate these requirements and to illustrate work-in-progress toward fulfilling them.