Skylights need to be modelled within a Project for their solar gains, heat-loss & ventilation effects to be modelled.
Skylight Type
The term “Skylight” is used both as a generic term for all Skylight / Roof Window objects, however there are actually three distinct Types of Skylights available for use in Hero. This property is shown in the Skylight Data-Grid Type column.
Type | Description |
|---|---|
Skylight (Standard) | A standard Skylight with a Shaft penetrating a Roofspace Zone. Only available for use on Ceilings with an Attic Type Assembly. |
Tubular | A Circular Metal Skylight with a Shaft penetrating a Roofspace Zone. Only available for use on Ceilings with an Attic Type Assembly & as a Circular Shape. |
Roof Window | A Roof Window is a Skylight with No Shaft that penetrates a Flat Roof. Only available for use on Ceilings with a Skillion/Flat Type Assembly |
The Skylight Type will change automatically if the Ceiling’s Assembly is changed from a Attic (i.e. Roofspace) Type to a Skillion/Flat Roof Type & Vice-Versa.
E.g: A Roof Window on a Skillion/Flat Ceiling Assembly will get changed to a Skylight Type if the Ceiling’s Assembly is changed to an Attic Roof Assembly
Shaft
All Skylight Types except for Roof Windows are modelled with a Shaft. This Shaft has attributes mostly changed within the Skylight Data-Grid, including Shaft Length, Reflectivity, Insulation & a Bottom Diffuser.
Each of these Shaft attributes are modelled within the Chenath Simulation.
Skylight Shape
Skylights uniquely have two possible Shapes: Polygon & Circular. The shape is determined by the initial Skylight Drawing Sub-Mode and can be changed after Skylight creation by changing the value in the Shape Column of the Skylight Data-Grid.
SKYLIGHTS IN THE VISUAL VIEW
Creating
Skylights are created using the Skylight & Hole Drawing Mode
Selecting
Skylights are shown on the Visual View & Skylight Data-Grid and can be selected as per normal objects.
You can also use the Visual View’s Select Parent context-menu action for a Skylight (or it’s 🖱 Double Left-Click mouse shortcut). In this case, the action selects the parent Ceiling of the Skylight.
Deleting
Skylights can be Deleted as per normal model objects using the ⌨ Delete keyboard shortcut, or 🖱 Right-Click Context-menu action Delete or via the Data-Grid’s Delete button.
Points can be deleted off a Polygon Skylight’s shape by 🖱 Right-Clicking the Point and selecting Delete Point.
Moving Skylights
Skylights can be moved in the Visual View by selecting them and then 🖱 Dragging them into their position.
For Polygon Skylights: You can 🖱 Drag the Points of a Polygon Skylight to move that Point and extend or shrink the length.
For Circular Skylights: You can 🖱 Drag the Radius Point of the Skylight to increase the Radius of the circular Skylight.
Skylights cannot be moved outside the bounds of the Zone
You can move a Skylight or a Skylight Point in a straight ↔ or ↕ direction by holding ⌨ Shift.
Adding Points
Points can be added to a Polygon Skylight by 🖱 Right-clicking the Skylight near it’s edge and selecting the Add Point Context Menu action.
SKYLIGHTS IN THE DATA-GRID
Property | Description | Edited Within |
|---|---|---|
Name | The Name of the Skylight | Name Column |
Type | The Type of Skylight (Skylight, Roof Window or Tubular). Available options depend on Ceiling Assembly Type (see Type section above for more details) | Type Column |
Shape | Change the Shape of the Skylight between Polygon or Circular | Shape Column |
Specification | The Specification of the Skylight as per the Selected Skylight List from the Skylight Library and fitlered for Type within the Data-Grid. Various Specifications are available that changed the Glass & Frame of the Skylight. | Specification Column |
Pitch | The Pitch or Incline of the Skylight on the Roof (in degrees) with 0 being Horizontal / Flat and 90 degrees being Vertical | Pitch Column |
Orientation | The Direction the Face of the Skylight is facing (it’s normal face direction). Ignored if Pitch is 0 degrees. | Orientation Column |
Area | The Pitched Area of the Skylight (in m2) | Not editable |
Openable Percentage | Roof Windows only The Percentage of the Roof Window’s Area that is Openable for Ventilation | Openable % Column |
Internal Shade Device | Roof Windows only The Internal Shade device for the Skylight as specified & noted on the Plans, and it’s effective R-Value, Solar Transmittance (ST) & Solar Absorptance (SA) | Internal Shading Column |
External Shade Device | The External Shade device for the Skylight as specified & noted on the Plans, and it’s effective Shading Coefficient (SC) | External Shading Column |
Shaft Sub-Properties | ||
Shaft Length | Skylight & Tubular Types only The Length of the Skylight Shaft through the Roofspace (in mm), from Centre of External Face of Skylight to Internal Face of Skylight | Shaft Length Column |
Shaft Reflectivity | Skylight & Tubular Types only The Reflectivity (%) of the Internal Surface of the Skylight Shaft | Shaft Refl % Column |
Shaft Insulated | Skylight & Tubular Types only Whether the Walls of the Skylight Shaft are insulated or not (simulated default is R2.0) | Shaft Insulated Column |
Shaft Diffuser | Skylight & Tubular Types only Whether the Bottom of the Skylight Shaft is fitted with a Diffuser Cover or not, or is open directly into the Zone. | Shaft Diffuser Column |
Skylight Library
The Skylight Library holds the complete library of all Skylight & Roof Window Specifications available for NatHERS Simulation. The Selected Skylight list within the Library is what is presented to Users within the Skylight Data-Grid’s Specification column (as well as filtering by Skylight Type).
Further Information: Skylight Library