Please note that a new edition was published in 2022 and is available as a download pdf. This 2011 edition is being kept in connection with planning applications that refer to it.

A pdf download of the 2022 edition can be obtained here.

The new edition of this highly regarded BRE guide has been fully revised and updated. It gives advice on site layout planning to achieve good sunlighting and daylighting, both within buildings and in the open spaces between them and can be used to support right to light planning. This authoritative document is widely used to provide advice during the planning and design stages of building development in the UK and Ireland. New material in this edition covers dense urban areas, trees and hedges. The report is intended to be used in conjunction with the British Standard Code of Practice for daylighting. Guidance is given on site layout for good sunlighting and daylighting; safeguarding of daylight and sunlight within existing buildings nearby; and the protection of daylighting of adjoining land for future development. A special section deals with passive solar site layout. Guidance is given on the sunlighting of gardens and amenity areas. Issues like privacy, enclosure, microclimate, road layout and security are also reviewed. The appendices contain methods to quantify access to sunlight and daylight within a layout; one transparent direction finder is included for use with these indicators that calculate access to skylight, sunlight and solar radiation. Rights to light are briefly discussed.

Purchasable separately: Sun-on-ground indicators (AP288) is a set of 12 transparent indicators, designed for use with BR209, which have also been revised and updated. They can be used to predict the availability of sunlight on the ground at the equinox at three different latitudes in the UK. 

Contents

How to use the guide

Glossary

1 Introduction

2  Light from the sky

    New development. Existing buildings. Adjoining development land

3  Sunlighting

    New development. Existing buildings. Gardens and open spaces

4  Solar energy

    Introduction. Passive solar energy. Active solar thermal. Photovoltaics. General considerations

5  Other issues

    Introduction. View. Privacy. Security. Access. Enclosure. Microclimate. Solar dazzle

References and bibliography

Appendices

• Indicators to calculate access to skylight, sunlight and solar radiation
• Waldram diagram to calculate vertical sky component
• Interior daylight recommendations
• Plotting the no sky line
• Rights to light
• Setting alternative target values for skylight access
• Calculation of sun on the ground
• Calculations for trees and hedges
• Environmental impact assessment

Index

Transparent direction finder (acetate sheet)

Please note that the first edition can be purchased by calling +44 (0) 1344 328038

A4 84pp

Please note that the acetate sheet which comes with the hardcopy of the publication is not available with the PDF which is available for download. As an alternative, the diagram on Page 40 can be printed out on an acetate sheet and used for your convenience.