Equipment including pyranometers, radiometers, sensors, photodiodes, and data recording equipment is acquired for an interdisciplinary study team investigating thermal performance of buildings while examining energy-conserving operation practices. The purpose of the equipment is to examine irradiance, illuminance, and longwave radiation presences around existing test facilities. Six goals determined the choice of equipment: to develop a better model for transforming global irradiance measured on horizontal surfaces to vertical surfaces; to create an illuminance database; to examine patterns of sky luminance and compare measurement data with generalized conventions; to generate a correlation between hourly values of irradiance and illuminance; to establish design condition illuminance values for use by architects and engineers; and to establish data about the longwave radiant exchange between buildings and the environment, with special attention directed to determining patterns and rates of nocturnal radiation exchange.
