Daylighting significantly influences occupant mood, spatial behaviour, and indoor comfort, yet its role in residential settings remains underexplored compared to commercial and office environments. This study examines how daylight perception and user-controlled illuminance adjustments shape occupant preferences, spatial use, and behavioural responses in various residential spaces. Using virtual simulation techniques, 60 participants (30 male, 30 female) experienced different daylighting conditions across five rooms – living room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom – during morning, afternoon, and evening hours. A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating quantitative illuminance measurements (50–1000 lux) with qualitative mood and lighting quality assessments to identify preferred daylighting conditions. Findings indicate that illuminance preferences vary across spaces, with higher lux levels preferred in task-oriented areas and lower levels in resting spaces. Additionally, participants actively adjusted lighting to enhance comfort and extend room usage, reinforcing the need for flexible daylighting strategies. The study underscores the potential of virtual simulations in daylighting research and contributes to the development of user-centred daylighting frameworks that enhance residential well-being, reduce reliance on artificial lighting, and support sustainable architectural design.

Keywords: Daylight, mood, occupant behaviour, residential spaces, perception

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Moscoso C, Matusiak B. Aesthetic perception of a small office with different daylighting systems. Indoor Built Environ. 2018;27(9):1187–1202. doi:10.1177/1420326X17711490.
2. Safaris P, Sotiriadou K, Dallas D, Stavrakakis P, Chalaris M. Sick-building syndrome. J Environ Prot Ecol. 2010;11(2):515–22. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257789027_sick-building_syndrome.

3. Alexander A. How room orientation affects natural light in your custom homes [Internet]. The Founders Club; 2022 Feb 7 [cited 2025 May 9]. Available from: ttps://blog.thefoundersclub.com/how-room-orientation-affects-natural-light-in-your-custom-homes.

4. Caballero R. Physics of the atmosphere [Internet]. IOP Publishing; 2014 [cited 2025 May 9]. Available from: https://iopscience.iop.org/book/mono/978-0-7503-1052-9.pdf.
5. Savard S. L’importance de la lumière naturelle en architecture [Internet]. ID Interdisciplinaire Design Magazine; 2017 Jan 20 [cited 2025 May 9]. Available from: https://idinterdesign.ca/limportance-de-la-lumiere-naturelle-en-architecture.
6. Séguin R. Seasonal variation in natural light white paper [Internet]. Sollum Technologies; 2021 Nov [cited 2025 May 9]. Available from: https://sollumtechnologies.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Seasonal-Variation-in-Natural-Light-White-Paper.pdf.
7. Koster H. Daylighting controls, performance and global impacts. In: Sustainable Built Environments. New York (NY): Springer; 2013. p. 51. Available from: https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-1-4614-5828-9_198.
8. Sharaf F. Daylighting: An alternative approach to lighting buildings. J Am Sci. 2014; 10:1–5.
9. Musa MA, Salisu AS, Tukur RB, Stanley AAM. Assessment of daylight of mid-rise office buildings in tropical wet and dry climate of Nigeria. ResGate. 2019;2(2):1–13. doi:10.5281/zenodo.10465853.
10. Light pollution: Types, causes & effects and effective solutions [Internet]. Conserve Energy Future; 2015 Jul 6 [cited 2025 May 9]. Available from: https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/types-causes-and-effects-of-light-pollution.php.
11. Cadena CG, Sánchez-Pérez C, Rosas MT. Solar light collection from buildings façades. J Phys Conf Ser. 2015;582(1):012034. doi:10.1088/1742-6596/582/1/012034.
12. El Ouderni AR, Maatallah T, El Alimi S, Ben Nassrallah S. Experimental assessment of the solar energy potential in the Gulf of Tunis, Tunisia. Renew Sustain Energy Rev. 2013;20:155–68. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2012.11.016.
13. Kanniah KD, Beringer J, North P, Hutley L. Control of atmospheric particles on diffuse radiation and terrestrial plant productivity: A review. Prog Phys Geogr. 2012;36(2):209–37. doi:10.1177/0309133311434244.
14. Walker M. Why we sleep: Unlocking the power of sleep and dreams. New York: Simon and Schuster; 2017.
15. Alabi OT, Kayode SJ, Misbahu A, Olaifa OJ. Effect of physical characteristics on resident’s satisfaction in a high-density area of Ilorin metropolis. Traektoriâ Nauki= Path of Science. 2021;7(9):1001-6.
16. Dimkpa K, Ohochuku CP, Adibe NO. Equitable housing for all: Unlocking social inclusion in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Am J Eng Mech Archit. 2024;2(2):77–94.
17. Ohochuku CP, Dimkpa K, Abraham P. Paradox of daylight deprivation: Uncovering the irony of high rent, cool spaces and abandoned interiors. In: Faculty of Environmental Sciences International Conference 2024; Rivers State, Nigeria.
18. Ohochuku CP, Dimkpa K, Adibe NO. Evaluating the accessibility of affordable housing for low-income workers in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Res J Pure Sci Technol. 2024;7(1):1–13. doi:10.56201/rjpst.v7.no1.2024.pg1.13.
19. Lee JH, Di Francesco L, editors. Computer-aided architectural design. ‘Hello, Culture’: 18th International Conference, CAAD Futures 2019, Daejeon, Republic of Korea, June 26–28, 2019, selected papers. Cham: Springer; 2019.
20. Heschong L. Visual delight—The importance of views in the workplace [Internet]. Velux Daylight Symposium; 2019 [cited 2025 May 9]. Available from: https://buildforlife.velux.com/en/knowledge/daylight-symposium/2019/visual-delight-the-importance-of-views-in-the-workplace-by-lisa-heschong.

Daylighting significantly influences occupant mood, spatial behaviour, and indoor comfort, yet its role in residential settings remains underexplored compared to commercial and office environments. This study examines how daylight perception and user-controlled illuminance adjustments shape occupant preferences, spatial use, and behavioural responses in various residential spaces. Using virtual simulation techniques, 60 participants (30 male, 30 female) experienced different daylighting conditions across five rooms – living room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom – during morning, afternoon, and evening hours. A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating quantitative illuminance measurements (50–1000 lux) with qualitative mood and lighting quality assessments to identify preferred daylighting conditions. Findings indicate that illuminance preferences vary across spaces, with higher lux levels preferred in task-oriented areas and lower levels in resting spaces. Additionally, participants actively adjusted lighting to enhance comfort and extend room usage, reinforcing the need for flexible daylighting strategies. The study underscores the potential of virtual simulations in daylighting research and contributes to the development of user-centred daylighting frameworks that enhance residential well-being, reduce reliance on artificial lighting, and support sustainable architectural design.

Keywords: Daylight, mood, occupant behaviour, residential spaces, perception

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Moscoso C, Matusiak B. Aesthetic perception of a small office with different daylighting systems. Indoor Built Environ. 2018;27(9):1187–1202. doi:10.1177/1420326X17711490.
2. Safaris P, Sotiriadou K, Dallas D, Stavrakakis P, Chalaris M. Sick-building syndrome. J Environ Prot Ecol. 2010;11(2):515–22. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257789027_sick-building_syndrome.

3. Alexander A. How room orientation affects natural light in your custom homes [Internet]. The Founders Club; 2022 Feb 7 [cited 2025 May 9]. Available from: ttps://blog.thefoundersclub.com/how-room-orientation-affects-natural-light-in-your-custom-homes.

4. Caballero R. Physics of the atmosphere [Internet]. IOP Publishing; 2014 [cited 2025 May 9]. Available from: https://iopscience.iop.org/book/mono/978-0-7503-1052-9.pdf.
5. Savard S. L’importance de la lumière naturelle en architecture [Internet]. ID Interdisciplinaire Design Magazine; 2017 Jan 20 [cited 2025 May 9]. Available from: https://idinterdesign.ca/limportance-de-la-lumiere-naturelle-en-architecture.
6. Séguin R. Seasonal variation in natural light white paper [Internet]. Sollum Technologies; 2021 Nov [cited 2025 May 9]. Available from: https://sollumtechnologies.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Seasonal-Variation-in-Natural-Light-White-Paper.pdf.
7. Koster H. Daylighting controls, performance and global impacts. In: Sustainable Built Environments. New York (NY): Springer; 2013. p. 51. Available from: https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-1-4614-5828-9_198.
8. Sharaf F. Daylighting: An alternative approach to lighting buildings. J Am Sci. 2014; 10:1–5.
9. Musa MA, Salisu AS, Tukur RB, Stanley AAM. Assessment of daylight of mid-rise office buildings in tropical wet and dry climate of Nigeria. ResGate. 2019;2(2):1–13. doi:10.5281/zenodo.10465853.
10. Light pollution: Types, causes & effects and effective solutions [Internet]. Conserve Energy Future; 2015 Jul 6 [cited 2025 May 9]. Available from: https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/types-causes-and-effects-of-light-pollution.php.
11. Cadena CG, Sánchez-Pérez C, Rosas MT. Solar light collection from buildings façades. J Phys Conf Ser. 2015;582(1):012034. doi:10.1088/1742-6596/582/1/012034.
12. El Ouderni AR, Maatallah T, El Alimi S, Ben Nassrallah S. Experimental assessment of the solar energy potential in the Gulf of Tunis, Tunisia. Renew Sustain Energy Rev. 2013;20:155–68. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2012.11.016.
13. Kanniah KD, Beringer J, North P, Hutley L. Control of atmospheric particles on diffuse radiation and terrestrial plant productivity: A review. Prog Phys Geogr. 2012;36(2):209–37. doi:10.1177/0309133311434244.
14. Walker M. Why we sleep: Unlocking the power of sleep and dreams. New York: Simon and Schuster; 2017.
15. Alabi OT, Kayode SJ, Misbahu A, Olaifa OJ. Effect of physical characteristics on resident’s satisfaction in a high-density area of Ilorin metropolis. Traektoriâ Nauki= Path of Science. 2021;7(9):1001-6.
16. Dimkpa K, Ohochuku CP, Adibe NO. Equitable housing for all: Unlocking social inclusion in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Am J Eng Mech Archit. 2024;2(2):77–94.
17. Ohochuku CP, Dimkpa K, Abraham P. Paradox of daylight deprivation: Uncovering the irony of high rent, cool spaces and abandoned interiors. In: Faculty of Environmental Sciences International Conference 2024; Rivers State, Nigeria.
18. Ohochuku CP, Dimkpa K, Adibe NO. Evaluating the accessibility of affordable housing for low-income workers in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Res J Pure Sci Technol. 2024;7(1):1–13. doi:10.56201/rjpst.v7.no1.2024.pg1.13.
19. Lee JH, Di Francesco L, editors. Computer-aided architectural design. ‘Hello, Culture’: 18th International Conference, CAAD Futures 2019, Daejeon, Republic of Korea, June 26–28, 2019, selected papers. Cham: Springer; 2019.
20. Heschong L. Visual delight—The importance of views in the workplace [Internet]. Velux Daylight Symposium; 2019 [cited 2025 May 9]. Available from: https://buildforlife.velux.com/en/knowledge/daylight-symposium/2019/visual-delight-the-importance-of-views-in-the-workplace-by-lisa-heschong.