Influence of the Height of the Line Of Sight in the Evaluation of Glare Sensation in Pre-School Classrooms

In pre-school classrooms children between 4 and 6 years old perform various activities in different workplans adopting several body postures, which change the height at which the eyes are located. The aim of this study is to identify those variables of architecture and the conditions that have the greatest influence on the variation of the assessment of glare sensation when the height of the line of sight changes. Computer simulations and mathematical model of DGI were used to study (under static conditions) the differences in the assessment of glare due to variations in the height of the eyes. APOLUX programme, developed at the Laboratory of Comfort- Federal University of Santa Catarina (southern Brazil), was used to perform simulations. These simulations evaluated two opposite directions of view and were performed using three different classrooms models, in two orientations, under clear sky conditions and at two different times, at the equinox. This work identified for the specific studied conditions, some guidelines about design on those aspects of pre-school classrooms architecture, as the reflectance of surfaces and the distribution and location of openings, which should be considered in the architectural design to improve visual comfort sensation in the early stages