This research aims to make an original and advanced contribution to state-of-the-art sky models. It focuses on high-resolution sky radiance and luminance models given their essential importance in a host of scientific and engineering applications. For example, improved sky radience and luminance models can be used to improve the design and operation of energy-efficient and sustainable buildings. All these applications require high-fidelity information on spatial and temporal distribution of solar irradiance and illuminance on building surfaces. The empirical basis for related decision-making processes is, however, rather limited: Available measured data collected by typical weather stations is typically restricted to global horizontal irradiance. Few research-class climatic monitoring stations also record the diffuse component of solar irradiance. This research will therefore examine a number of such models in detail and explore both improvement possibilities of existing models and the potential for alternative modeling approaches in future developments. Specifically, this research aims at developing accurate high-resolution sky radiance and sky luminance models for the city of Vienna. In order to generate sky radiance maps, the diffuse radiation component of the global horizontal irradiance should be typically derived based on proper diffuse fraction models. Accordingly, this research starts with an attempt to improve the existing diffuse fraction models. When both diffuse and direct horizontal irradiance data are available, the existing models intended for the sky radiance generation can be comprehensively evaluated and further developed to arrive at a more reliable locally verified sky radiance distribution model. In addition to sky radiance distribution maps, which greatly support the design of buildings solar energy systems, sky luminance maps are needed to support the design of buildings daylighting systems. However, to generate sky luminance maps from sky radiance maps, appropriate luminous efficacy information is required, which is not available from typical weather stations. Therefore, this research shall also explore methods with various degrees of resolution to derive illuminance data based on more broadly available global irradiance data. Solid high-resolution empirical data is needed not only to evaluate the existing models, but also to develop and validate new models. For this purpose, I will deploy our existing monitoring facility to systematically collect both typical weather station data and additional information concerning the diffuse component of the global horizontal irradiance, global horizontal illuminance, vertical irradiance, as well as detailed sky luminance and radiance distributions.

The cost of operating a building far exceeds the cost of constructing it, and yet until recently little attention was paid to the impact of solar radiation on the costs of heating, cooling and ventilation. And now that there has been a surge in interest in energy efficiency and solar design, architects and designers need a practical guide to the modelling and application of solar energy data. There are many different models and techniques available for calculating the distribution of solar radiation on and in buildings, and these algorithms vary considerably in scope, accuracy and complexity. This book demonstrates which of these predictive tools gives the best results in different circumstances, including explaining which models can be best used in different parts of the world. The author has had over twenty-five years of experience of dealing with solar energy data from four continents and has used that experience in this book to show the development not just of knowledge but also the growing sophistication of the models available to apply it.

Solar radiation data is important for a wide range of applications, e.g. in engineering, agriculture, health sector, and in many fields of the natural sciences. A few examples showing the diversity of applications may include: architecture and building design, e.g. air conditioning and cooling systems; solar heating system design and use; solar power generation; evaporation and irrigation; calculation of water requirements for crops; monitoring plant growth and disease control; skin cancer research.

In the last two decades, the biannual ECPPM (European Conference on Product and Process Modelling) conference series has provided a unique platform for the presentation and discussion of the most recent advances with regard to the ICT (Information and Communication Technology) applications in the AEC/FM (Architecture, Engineering, Construction and

Natural lighting, Lighting systems, Daylight factor, Solar radiation, Sunlighting, Spaced, Illuminance, Formulae (mathematics), Distribution functions, Mathematical calculations, Bibliography

Sunlight profoundly influences the Earth's atmosphere and biosphere. Nature fuels the evolution of all living things, their visual systems, and the manner in which they adapt, accommodate, and habituate. Sun luminance measurements serve as data to calculate typical changes in the daily, monthly, and annual variability characteristics of daylight. Climate-based sky luminance patterns are used as models in predicting daylighting calculation and computer programs applied in architecture and building design. Historically, daylight science and daylighting technology has prioritized photometric methods of measurements, calculation, and graphical tools aimed at predicting or evaluating the daylighting of architectural design alternatives. However, due to a heightened awareness of general health and well-being, sunlight exposure and freedom from visual discomfort while undertaking visual tasks are now equally prioritized. Therefore, in order to assure optimal environmental quality, daylighting technology must be based on sound science. Daylight Science and Daylighting Technology, by Richard Kittler, Miroslav Kocifaj, and Stanislav Darula, sketches the entire evolution of daylight science from atmospheric science through apt visual workplace psychophysics.