This study examines the influence of vegetation on indoor daylight performance in school buildings located in the hot–humid climate of Chennai, India. With increasing urban development leading to the cutting or relocation of trees, their role in modulating interior daylight conditions has become critically relevant but remains underexplored in the literature. Recognizing a significant research gap in this area, this study employed a simulation-based approach using DesignBuilder 7.4 software. A government school in South Chennai, India, was chosen for this study. A total of 208 scenarios were generated by varying the window-to-wall ratio (WWR), facade orientation, floor level, and tree presence. Daylight performance was evaluated using spatial daylight autonomy (sDA), annual sunlight exposure (ASE), and useful daylight illuminance (UDI), based on IES LM-83-12 and LEED v4 standards. Simulation results showed that a 20% window-to-wall ratio (WWR) failed to meet daylight standards, while a 30–40% WWR with shading consistently performed well. Trees significantly improved daylight metrics, like sDA, UDI, and ASE, more so than orientation or floor level. This study urges regulatory mandates for climate-resilient schools, emphasizing fenestration and landscape integration.
Jayaram et al. (Mon,) studied this question.