# A Novel Approach for the Definition of an Integrated Visual Quality Index for Residential Buildings
## 5 Results  
In Table 9 the performance of each room under every considered aspect is presented. SDA, E\({}_{\text{m}}\), UGR and CCT are reported in their own units of measure along with the indication of the corresponding class. For sDGP the time fraction vector is reported, since the value of the metric is variable throughout the year. At the end of Table 9 the visual quality index of every single environment is highlighted. Table 10 shows the calculation of the weights of the different rooms and of the qualitative score. The QS was evaluated room by room and the point was assigned if the check was considered true for at least 50% of the floor of the building. Finally, the BVQI can be calculated by adding the VQI of each room multiplied by its weight and the qualitative score:  
\[BVQI=\left[ \begin{array}{c}83.2\\ 99.8\\ 70.0\\ 70.0\\ 96.8\\ 95.0\\ 70.0\\ 62.5\end{array} \right]^{T}\times\left[ \begin{array}{c}0.31\\ 0.17\\ 0.03\\ 0.17\\ 0.13\\ 0.09\\ 0.06\\ 0.04\end{array} \right]+6=84,8+6=91. \tag{5}\]  
Figure 4: Grid for the evaluation of sDA and E\({}_{\text{m}}\) in Bedroom 3: (**a**) plan and (**b**) perspective view. Figure 5: Spots for evaluation of sDGP in Bedroom 3: (**a**) plan and (**b**) perspective view. was carefully designed, since the illuminance and UGR parameters are always in Class I or II. On the other hand, daylight is surely an aspect more complicated to control since it depends mainly on the external environment (outside weather conditions rapidly changing); furthermore, window position and size are driven also by thermal issues and regional standards that are often in contrast with visual needs. As a matter of fact, considering sDA, four rooms fall in Class IV and, furthermore, the living room (the indoor environment probably most used in a house) does not manage to reach Class I. A separate reasoning is needed for sDGP: this parameter is calculated only in specific spots and is very much dependent on the furniture layout. The overall very good result obtained in this metric does not indicate an absolute absence of glare from daylight but rather a good relation between windows and indoor layout. CCT has a relatively low weight on the overall index value because in the design phase it can be freely defined depending on the lamps chosen, but nevertheless it is an important aspect to be considered from the very beginning since it can modify the comfort sensation of the users and it must be properly evaluated during the life time of the building with on-site monitoring. The best performing room is the kitchen, which had a very high value of VQI which was near to the maximum score. This is consistent with the fact that it has been design with a big window facing north that provides a large amount of daylight but avoids at the same time the possibility of direct glare. All the bathrooms and Bedroom 1 suffer from a lack of daylight: this is due to the small windows chosen by the designer. The worst VQI was for Bathroom 3, where poor daylighting is coupled with a not perfect electric lighting design that must be improved. The choice of the relative weights was a very controversial step and the authors believe that it is not realistic to define an ultimate solution which would be universally valid for every type of environment, inhabitant, and climate. In the literature it was not possible to find a study that considered these specific metrics in the definition of visual quality, so the proposal of the relative weights presented in this paper was to be considered a first attempt. In any case, the final result of the simulation demonstrates that the weights assigned to the parameters are reasonable. For example, a room with a poor daylight access, such as the bathrooms, which have been previously mentioned, cannot exceed 70 points, i.e., they are sufficient. A similar VQI would be assigned to a room with an inappropriate electric lighting design but with design choices for daylighting of a sufficient level.