Depth of exterior wall SHOULD impact this daylighting question

Programming & Analysis
1

In one of your quiz questions for daylighting you note that a double-loaded corridor building has an exterior wall dimension of 18” and that the window is set on the interior side of the wall. You are then supposed to add 30’ and the interior wall side, corridor, interior wall side, 30’ and exterior wall to finalize the potential width of the building.

While I understand this may be considered the technical answer, it is wholly inaccurate to real life. Designers and daylighting engineers often reduce the depth factor (e.g., from 2.5x window height down to 2.0x or 1.5x depending on recess) so it seems to me this is not an accurate question. You will clearly need to lower the visible sky angle in an 18” wall.

I am curious on the community and professional’s opinion on this? @coachjoeyandrada or @coachfaithbroussard ?

Best, James C

2

James, In just recently taking the test, I would agree with your analysis, however I felt that much of this test was about the programming. I did a similar thing in CE and PcM tests where I was looking waay too deep into other considerations instead of the topic at hand. Yes, the exterior wall should affect in real like, however this is just the reality of being in NCARB test world. They only see the practical. PA was more of programming and less of analysis. So I would agree that knowing light can penetrate to about 30’ and then adding additional thicknesses get you to the root of the question….the overall width of the building.