Summary
This report is delivered at the second stage of
work commissioned by sportscotland to investigate guidance and best
practice in the use of natural lighting in sports halls. The overall
term used for natural lighting of an interior space is daylighting.
Sports halls are those that usually contain all indoor dry sports,
including gymnasia and squash courts.
The aim is to generate contemporary guidance on the
use of daylighting in sports halls and to disseminate this in an
appropriate format to designers, clients and cost professional.
This is intended to assist all involved to make informed
decisions regarding the use of daylight in a beneficial and integrated
manner.
The area of particular interest is to explore best
practice within the context of delivering attractive, healthy,
affordable and manageable sports facilities which minimise pollution
and hence are environmentally responsible in relation to users and in
their impact on the wider world. Environmental pollution
prevention and environmental protection are key objectives in
government sustainable development initiatives.1 The subject matter
is closely related to work by the Scottish Executive to develop a
Policy on Architecture which addresses issues of quality and of
sustainable development.2
This report contains the results of a survey of
published best practice guidance and available design tools. It also
contains the results of a survey of technical and professional guidance
including sport specific guidance. The examples chosen are wide ranging
as there is a dearth of published examples of daylighting in sports
halls and of daylighting in general in Scotland. A telephone survey of
practitioners known to have some experience of daylighting in sports
facilities has provided additional guidance. A number of sports
facilities, where daylight has been included, have been visited in
Scotland. The field surveys are documented. Problems with present
guidance and principal conflicts in contemporary practice have been
informed by these visits. This has enabled us to summarise
practitioners needs and requirements and principal concerns, as we
understand them to date.
This report has been circulated for comment to
assist in determining design issues for further investigation. A small
number of sports buildings in England, where daylighting has been
included, will also be visited.
The next stage is to undertake design study
exercises on two sports halls in order to investigate the broadest
range of possible design solutions and to compare them in cost/benefit
terms. This will contribute significantly to the development of concise
design guidance. The final report is due in August 2001.
