# RadVR: A 6DOF Virtual Reality Daylighting Analysis Tool

## TL;DR

RadVR is a virtual reality tool that enables immersive and quantitative daylighting analysis of buildings, improving spatial understanding and sun position visualization compared to traditional 2D tools.

## Contribution

RadVR introduces an integrated VR platform combining real-time qualitative and physically accurate quantitative daylighting simulations for building analysis.

## Key findings

- RadVR enhances spatial understanding in daylighting analysis.
- It improves navigation and sun position visualization in VR.
- User experiments show RadVR outperforms DIVA for Rhino in key tasks.

## Abstract

This work introduces RadVR, a virtual reality tool for daylighting analysis that simultaneously combines qualitative assessments through immersive real-time renderings with quantitative physically correct daylighting simulations in a 6DOF virtual environment. By taking a 3D building model with material properties as input, RadVR allows users to (1) perform physically-based daylighting simulations via Radiance, (2) study sunlight in different hours-of-the-year, (3) interact with a 9-point-in-time matrix for the most representative times of the year, and (4) visualize, compare, and analyze daylighting simulation results. With an end-to-end workflow, RadVR integrates with 3D modeling software that is commonly used by building designers. Additionally, by conducting user experiments we compare the proposed system with DIVA for Rhino, a Radiance-based tool that uses conventional 2D-displays. The results show that RadVR can provide promising assistance in spatial understanding tasks, navigation, and sun position analysis in virtual reality.