New developments in understanding daylight exposure in heritage interiors

This paper reports on an investigation into daylight exposure in National Trust (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) interiors. Developing a study of a top lit staircase at Mount Stewart, the focus of this research is the daylight performance of side lit rooms. The multistrand methodology involved: conventional use of light data loggers with a novel camera system based on high dynamic range (HDR) imaging; simulation using climate based daylight modelling (CBDM); and detailed recording of room use by staff. Although integrating this data has proved challenging, early results from both the simulation and the HDR system already provide insights into collections management practises for Trust staff.