A comparison between the daylighting and energy performance of courtyard and atrium buildings considering the hot climate of Saudi Arabia

Daylighting is a healthy and energy-efficient building design strategy that has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers. This study investigates daylighting and the energy performance of courtyard and atrium office buildings, considering different window-to-wall ratios (WWR) applicable to the hot climate of Saudi Arabia. In such a climate, it is recommended to reduce window area and use shading devices in addition to the shaded daylighting elements such as courtyards and atria. This study analysed several cases in this regard and found that the examined courtyard and atrium building configurations presented equivalent cooling and artificial lighting energy performance in general. As for daylighting performance, the most balanced option of those examined was the use of a moderate WWR value of 30%, given that shading devices were used. This moderate value provided a better balance between daylight availability and glare reduction. Increasing WWR to 40% or 50% would only increase cooling energy demand and visual discomfort through glare.