Designers face several obstacles in the early stages of an atrium design, especially in hot climates where excessive solar gain may be admitted. Most obstacles revolve around the absence of daylighting tools by which designers can really predict the range of illumination levels falling on the atrium floor and luminance contrasts within the field of view. With such information they could include atrium physical parameters that would provide adequate daylighting levels and limited sunlighting for sparkle and interest while minimising glare and solar heat gain. Therefore, it is important to develop research-based guidelines related to daylighting predictions, sunlighting strategies, and conceptual daylighting design that considers glare and solar control. Presents such rules-of-thumb for daylighting prediction on the atrium floor and summarises a step-by-step method for daylighting design of an atrium. Methods are presented for sunlighting strategies without excessive heat gain that focus upon design of the top fenestration. Current work dealing with luminance contrasts and glare control is also reviewed.

KEYWORDS: natural lighting, calculating, atria, floors, subtropics, deserts, designing, solar heat gain, luminance, glare, regulations, illuminance.