Abstract:
Incorporating daylight into buildings has emerged as a crucial strategy for enhancing energy
efficiency and occupant comfort. Ethiopia is witnessing a rising trend in office building design
that embraces daylighting principles. However, limited research has explored the impacts of
daylighting on visual comfort and employee well-being in these settings. This study aims to
bridge this gap by examining the daylighting efficiency and visual comfort of an open-plan
office building and evaluating their influence on employee well-being and productivity. The
research methodology employs a longitudinal study design with participant groups in an office
building. The study utilizes a combination of qualitative and quantitative data to investigate
daylighting efficiency and the level of visual comfort within the building. The study's findings
revealed that occupants of office buildings in Addis Ababa generally expressed satisfaction
with the amount of daylight in their workspace. However, concerns regarding glare and
discomfort arose, particularly during morning and afternoon hours when the sun's position was
low in the sky. Additionally, the study demonstrated that daylighting strategies positively
impacted occupant satisfaction with the quantity of light and visual comfort in their workplace.
Moreover, daylighting strategies were found to reduce energy consumption in open-plan office
buildings. The findings of this study suggest that daylighting can serve as a valuable tool for
enhancing the quality of indoor environments, reducing energy consumption, and improving
worker productivity. Further research is warranted to identify the most effective methods for
utilizing daylighting in office buildings
