>(1) The rooms for the collective residence of children in the nursery, children’s club, kindergarten, other forms of pre-school care and school, with the exception of chemical, physical and art studios, should be provided with a sunshine period of at least 3 hours on the days of the equinox from 8^00–16^00, while the living rooms — from 7^00–17^00.
(2) In multi-room apartments, the requirements of paragraph (1) should be met for at least one room.
(3) In the case of buildings located in downtown developments, it is permissible to limit the required sunlight duration specified in paragraph 1 to 1.5 hours, and for a one-room apartment in such developments, the required sunlight duration shall not be specified.
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>(2) In a room intended for human occupancy, the ratio of the window area, calculated in the light of the frames, to the floor area should be at least 1:8, while in another room where daylighting is required for the purpose — at least 1:12.
9 comments
In Ireland there are guidelines and professional standards for architects about providing adequate light to apartments and gardens, but I don’t believe there are enforceable laws.
What there are are complicated legal schemes about whether you can build a structure that blocks your neighbour’s sunlight. Basically your neighbour may be able to establish an easement on your property that prevents you from building something that would shade their windows.
I don’t know the exact terms, but we surely have something similar to the last one, window to floor surface ratio.
The person who sold me my house had to re-open a window (that they had closed with bricks and mortar years ago) to be able to sell the house, because that room didn’t have enough sunlight access.
I don’t know how to look up the specific laws, but yes. For example in rent-controlled pre-war apartments, you can demand 5% lower rent if your apartment has “bad illumination” from daylight.
If you work in an environment without natural light (like a laboratory) you’re entitled to one additional day off each month, a so called Lichttag (light day).
Edit: I’m not sure if it is a general rule or within a collective bargaining agreement for hospitals.
Yes, included in the general building code (as architect, pretty much for show) and some local regulations in some cities make even further stricter requirements.
that’s just the rules for minimum sunlight, there are also some tacking the opposite – light pollution. I will search for them later if noone posts them in the meantime
There seems to be yes, though it looks like it’s a complicated calculation not a easy rule. It also appears that some time in the future we’re going to adhere to a common European norm in stead. Maybe next year already because with a quick Google all I can find is that the rules might change with the introduction of a new law next year but it doesn’t say what the change is.
But overall daylight access in homes, offices and schools is considered very important by people. Very few people want to work in an office without windows or daylight if they have a choice. I did it for a few months and it sucked. Dark houses will also sell worse than bright ones in a normal housing market. And I don’t know of any classroom that doesn’t have at least one wall that’s mostly window.
Surely these are buildings regulations, and not something that an average layperson would know about.
I think it’s probably illegal to [lock children in/sell a house which is just] a windowless room, but I don’t know what the exact law says about it.
Yes, 1/8th of the net floor area according to DIN 277 has to be windows. There are also rules/laws about shading, so you cannot build too close to your neighbour.