Sun Study Analysis was employed to consider the sun glare of a proposed building façade in respect of the potential impacts of users on the adjacent motorway.
The proposed façade was a fully glazed curtain wall with signage and louvre sunshades. Sun glare diagrams were modelled to show the extent of glare likely to appear at critical evaluation times. Glare is defined as an intense blinding light that can be caused in a number of different situations ranging from headlights at night or from reflection of sunlight from building materials. Glass is a surface that typically induces specular reflection with a percentage of radiation that is reflected. There are not many rules that contain building reflectivity. There are no New Zealand Standards or Building Code clauses or Transit guidelines.
Motorists encounter glare from the sunlight reflected off buildings and it is reasonable to expect that motorists encounter either glare or direct sunlight at some point in their driving lives. By modelling each exterior material and analysing the reflective value we were able to determine that reflectivity from the building at various times of the year at particular angles on the motorway were at levels considered to be at an acceptable standard. A specification of the glass and other elements was an important factor in determining the final composition of materials.
