Green Classroom: Daylighting-conscious Design for Kuwait Autism Center

Consideration to the natural elements, such as daylighting, at the earliest in the architectural design process is suggested by many as necessary for sustainable buildings. The implementation of a successful daylighting strategy in the design of buildings improves spatial quality and saves energy required, otherwise, for artificial lighting. Daylighting becomes a design mandate in the case of certain spaces; e.g. classrooms in educational buildings. Many researchers have indicated a correlation between the way classrooms are designed and students' performance. This paper discusses a case study of the environmental design of Kuwait Autism Centre that adopted the provision of adequate daylighting in educational spaces as a major design focus. An extensive daylighting evaluation was conducted on all educational facilities of the proposed conceptual design of the centre. The recommendations from the evaluation were implemented in the design development stages. Earlier conceptual design drawings as well as the final designs are described. The paper summarises the daylighting design recommendations and explains the daylighting simulation process and analysis for decision making in design. Additionally it shows the annual energy savings as a result of the daylighting-conscious design of the