This work deals with daylighting for indoor quality atmospheres, considering building skins and side-views. We also tested the vision perception provided by highly glazed façades. Several Spanish restaurants were analyzed, and two were assessed and measured under outside midday high luminance. The selected pictures can be identified as restaurants via MIT Scene Recognition software and are used to demonstrate working, stressful, and socializing atmospheres. Light and vision detailed analysis was performed defining three workplanes—“table”, “person”, and “outside”—from the viewpoint of the user. The obtained DGP (daylight glare probability) for the first case (facing southeast) shows a higher glare probability than the second (facing north). In both restaurants, there is notable spatial contrast and high information content. If, in the overall perception, the adaptation from the intermediate workplane is considered, the DGP is lower than if only one workplane is considered. The conducted indicative survey shows that there is a high light contrast, and there are some undesirable visual elements. The studied fully glazed façades tend to provide fraught atmospheres. These would be useful for some stimulating activities; however, for calm restaurants that offer tasting menus with quality food, it seems that the studied fully glazed façades may not be suitable.

This study investigates the impact of heatwaves on the thermal comfort and well-being of elderly individuals living alone during heatwaves, focusing on two contrasting residential typologies in the Atlantic climate of Spain: a dense urban area and low-density peri-urban setting. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining in situ environmental monitoring, adaptive comfort modelling, and user-centred data from surveys and interviews based on the De Jong-Gierveld Loneliness Scale. The results show that both dwellings exceeded recommended indoor temperature thresholds during heatwaves, especially at night, contributing to sleep disturbance, cardiovascular stress, and emotional discomfort. Despite 85% of participants indicating that outdoor activities help them to mitigate not-wanted loneliness, architectural barriers often hinder such engagement. Over half reported having no balcony or terrace, which may have further intensified social isolation. Field data collected during 2022 summer heatwaves recorded maximum daytime temperatures of 30 °C and night-time peaks of 28.7 °C, exceeding the 25 °C threshold. The adaptive comfort evaluation classified both cases as Class 4 (severe discomfort). The urban dwelling showed consistent moderate discomfort (Category 3), likely due to poor ventilation and urban heat island effects. The peri-urban case, despite lacking the heat island influence, showed worse thermal conditions, especially during the day. Architectural barriers, poor thermal performance, and the lack of semi-outdoor spaces may exacerbate isolation among elderly people during extreme heat events.

This work deals with daylighting for quality indoor atmospheres, considering building skins. In recent years, almost all retrofit facades of restaurants are highly glazed façades, boosting glare, sun ray absorption and overheating inside. Most of the time, they are not integrated with daylight control; therefore, lighting and out view requirements are not so balanced. Taking into account this daylighting complexity, an alternative façade system is proposed to simulate by Radiance. Previously, perception simulations are compared with measured data, in order to discretize the simulations. In addition, for one point three different view are assessed as: work plane, relation plane and the out plane. Subsequently, two virtual façade models, windows combined by complex fenestration system (CFS) as prismatic film (PF) and highly glazed façade, are tested according to daylighting. For that, three indexes have been used: daylight glare probability (DGP), daylight glare index (DGI) and daylight autonomy (DA). The results show that the proposed complex façade has a good light contribution with less absorption, while maintaining the outside view. In addition, the DGI is needed to test the out plane, because DGP is more suitable for lower luminance; therefore, each visual plane should be assessed regarding different visual comfort conditions, or parameters and methods. Accordingly, the mean DGI result of window combined by CFS is approximately lower in 5% than highly glazed façade. However, the DA of highly glazed is higher in 5%, but the DA of window combined by CFS is enough, above 80%. Definitely, the complex scene at restaurant with the proposed integrated façade system improves light performance and indoor atmosphere.

This study addresses daylighting to enhance the quality of indoor atmospheres, considering building skins. In the hotel industry, lighting accounts for more than 10% of energy consumption. Many highly glazed façades create visual comfort problems, resulting in increased electric lighting consumption. Ninety-four restaurants were studied in Spain; almost all cases have a window with outside views, and more than half of the cases have tables adjacent to the outside views. However, it is difficult to balance daylight use, a shading system, and the outside view. A virtual restaurant prototype is built by Rhinoceros to simulate the daylight glare index by Evalglare and daylight autonomy of a highly glazed façade with three different shading systems by Radiance through a screen and an overhang with and without a complex fenestration system. The results show that the screen system reduces the daylight glare index value to imperceptible glare (15%), while the daylight glare index for the overhang with and without a complex fenestration system increases to acceptable glare (21%). However, the daylight autonomy for the screen system is almost half (52%) the daylight autonomy for the overhang systems (95%). Although the daylight glare index for the overhang with a complex fenestration system is slightly higher, the illuminance level and its distribution performance are better without obstructing the outdoor view.

Estalki putzuduna klima lehorreko herrialdeetan erabili ohi da. Horregatik, ez da kasualitatea estalki horren inguruko ikerketa garrantzitsuenak Indian, AEBn eta Israelen eginak izatea. Hala ere, pasa den mendean, estalki putzuduna asko hedatu zen Euskal Herriko eraikinetan, gehienbat ingurune industrialetan. Gaur egun, ordea, ia ez da erabiltzen. Zergatik erabili zen hainbeste estalki putzuduna gure herrialdean, hain hezea izanik? Artikulu honetan, galdera horri erantzuten saiatu gara, estalki putzudunaren ezaugarriak, abantailak eta arazoak jorratuz. Hasteko, estalkien hainbat sailkapen aurkezten ditugu, estalki putzudunaren ezaugarriak hobeto ulertzeko. Estalki putzudunaren historia laburki lantzen dugu, Euskal Herriko —eta, bereziki, Arrasateko— adibideetan jarriz arreta. Estalki putzudunak abantaila garrantzitsuak ditu eraikinaren kudeaketa termiko pasiboa hobetzeko. Alde batetik, eraikinaren inertzia eta isolamendu termikoa areagotu egiten dira, barruko bizi-giroa hobetuz. Beste aldetik, eraikina hoztu edo berotu egin daiteke, estalki putzuduna erabiltzen duten hainbat metodoz baliatuz. Estalki putzudunak bestelako abantailak ere eskaintzen ditu, hala nola jasangarria dela eta ikuspegi ekologikotik onurak besterik ez dituela. Eta, noski, desabantaila batzuk ere baditu: zikinkeria pila daiteke, mantentze-lana eskatzen du eta eraikinaren egiturak sendoagoa izan behar du, uraren zama jasateko. Amaitzeko, nazioarteko hainbat adibide aurkezten ditugu, estalki putzudunaren gaur egungo erabilerak ezagutarazteko. Laburbilduz, arazo batzuk baditu ere, estalki putzuduna interesgarria da oraindik, eta gaur egungo eraikinetan eta Euskal Herriko eraikin batzuetan onuragarria izan liteke.

Outdoor environmental comfort is increasingly relevant amid climate change and population ageing because it affects well-being, behaviour and public-space use. However, the relationship between microclimatic conditions, environmental perception, and public-space use among older adults remains underexplored. The novelty of this study lies in integrating environmental measurements, subjective thermal perception, microclimatic simulations and public-space use within a baseline assessment undertaken before the redevelopment of a real public space, providing an evidence-informed framework for age-friendly urban design. The study examines environmental conditions, subjective perception and reported public-space use among adults aged 55 years and over within the Barrendain intervention area (Beasain, Spain). A mixed-method approach combined seasonal field surveys (n = 117) with microclimatic simulations. Survey data included thermal sensation, environmental perception, adaptive behaviour, and reported public-space use and perceived sociability. PET distributions were simulated using ENVI-met/BIO-met simulations driven by meteorological data from an official weather station. The results indicate that thermal perception exhibited a marked adaptive character. Neutral temperatures ranged from 12.35 °C in the cold-period campaign to 19.87 °C in the warm-period campaign, reflecting seasonal adaptive thermal responses among older adults. Tree-covered areas presented lower PET values than exposed surfaces during warmer conditions, highlighting the role of vegetation in mitigating summer heat stress. The partial correspondence between simulation-derived PET and subjective thermal sensation further emphasises the importance of combining objective microclimatic assessment with user-centred evaluation in age-friendly public-space design. In addition, 55% of respondents reported using the intervention area primarily for physical activity, whereas 36% identified social encounters as a main motivation for visiting the public space. The findings indicate that environmental comfort should be understood as an enabling condition for public-space use and perceived sociability rather than as their sole determinant. The proposed methodological framework demonstrates how simulation-based and user-centred evidence can be combined to support climate-responsive and age-friendly urban regeneration.