Daylighting Performance Assessment of Side-Lit University Lecture Theatres in the Hot-Humid Climate of Makurdi in Nigeria

Abstract

Daylighting is required to enhance visual comfort; whereas its illumination provides renewable functional interior lighting for specific programmes. Hence, this study examines the levels of daylight illumination for teaching and learning in two lecture theatres each located at the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi (UAM) and Benue State University Makurdi (BSU) in Makurdi, Nigeria. The two buildings selected for the daylighting performance employed post-occupancy evaluation approach. A digital camera was employed to take photographs, whereas digital light meters were employed to evaluate the levels of illumination on the work plane. The results showed that 80% of the study space has inadequate indoor daylight illumination quantity and distribution as well as poor daylight ratios of 1.1and 0.9 for UAM lecture theatre and BSU lecture theatre, respectively Hence, the lighting conditions in the selected buildings fall short of the international lighting benchmarks (IESNA). Therefore, a pragmatic daylight design strategy is required to enhance daylight levels in the lecture theatres for energy-saving and visual comfort as well as onwards design and fusion in the national building code.