Lighting Analysts introduces “Licaso”, ultra-fast climate-based annual daylight simulations for AGi32 and ElumTools. Using patent-pending algorithms, Lighting Analysts finally makes daylight modeling practical for both lighting designers and architects using our industry standard radiosity software solutions. With calculation times measured in minutes, rather than hours or days, annual daylight simulations are now accessible to anyone on desktop and even laptop computers. Imagine…solutions for LEED v4 and LM-83 daylight metric calculations in minutes.

Lighting Analysts’ climate-based daylight modeling capabilities are based on seven years of research and development. Our new algorithms are capable of modeling buildings with hundreds of windows and thousands of calculation points with calculation times on average only three times longer than static daylight modeling. Calculations are based on site-specific TMY3 weather data with 4,380 hourly solutions and five-phase daylight transfer with direct sunlight through windows and openings.

Visit licaso.com for “everything” Licaso!

From within AGi32:

1. Create the daylit space in AGi32.
2. Use “Daylight Transition” surface types for all daylight openings.
3. Assign workplane calculation points using a minimum of 2’ x 2’ spacing.
4. Set up daylight parameters: site location and orientation.
5. Select weather file and Perez sky (LAI weather database must be installed).
6. Select “Run Annual Simulation” from the Daylight menu in AGi32.
7. Licaso opens and the annual simulation is executed. Processing time is typically expressed in minutes for most models.
8. Once complete, Licaso offers a variety of rendered and graphical tools to examine the solution.
   1. View rendered results for individual dates and times.
   2.  Play rendered animations.
   3.  Set occupancy from standard schedules or create your own.
   4. Perform statistical analyses to produce a wide variety of individually customized daylight metrics: Daylight Autonomy, Spatial Daylight Autonomy, Continuous Daylight Autonomy, Useful Daylight Illuminance, Annual Sunlight Exposure.
   5. Examine graphical and tabular representations.
9.  Select the statistical data, graphs and images to be included in a formatted report.

From within ElumTools:

1. Best practice: Use the ElumTools “Create Daylight Views” command to create interior and exterior views.
2. In the interior view, hide all exterior geometry if visible and hide unnecessary geometry (furniture etc).
3. In the exterior view, unhide ONLY exterior geometry such as shades or other buildings/masses.
4. Assign workplane calculation points to Rooms, Spaces or Regions.
5. Select Daylight Mode and set up daylight parameters: site location and orientation.
6. Enable the Run Annual Simulation button in the Daylight Parameters dialog.
7. Select weather file and Perez sky (LAI weather database must be installed).
8. Use ElumTools “Calculate Multiple Views” command and select the daylight views just created.
9. Licaso opens and the annual simulation is executed. Processing time is typically expressed in minutes for most models.
10. Once complete, Licaso offers a variety of rendered and graphical tools to examine the solution.
    1. View rendered results for individual dates and times.
    2. Play rendered animations.
    3. Set occupancy from standard schedules or create your own.
    4. Perform statistical analyses to produce a wide variety of individually customized daylight metrics: Daylight Autonomy, Spatial Daylight Autonomy, Continuous Daylight Autonomy, Useful Daylight Illuminance, Annual Sunlight Exposure.
    5. Examine graphical and tabular representations.
11. Select the statistical data, graphs, and images to be included in a formatted report.