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Abstract: Using Radiance in teachin 1990 to 2005
Michael Donn (Victoria University, New Zealand)
 
A Masters student at Victoria University, Robert Amor, now a computer scientist at Auckland University, visited LBNL during a trip overseas in 1990. He brought back with him material of interest to his Masters which formed the foundation of his work on general models of data exchange between building performance analysis computer tools. He also brought back a tape of a new lighting program. At the time the architecture year three students were building 3D models in their elective ‘Computer Applications’ class. Rendering was with Autoshade and its Renderman shaders. Rendering was a last minute extra for most students. As early as 1991, the capable students were encouraged to experiment with this alternative ‘renderer’ called Radiance. Today at the Victoria School Radiance analysis is routinely used in 2nd year Building Science introductory lighting Classes; in 3rd and 4th year Architecture and Building Science lighting classes; and in 3rd year rendering classes. This presentation uses students’ own comments to illustrate the impact of front end usability tools since those early experiments.

 

by AMcneil – last modified Feb 29, 2016 12:26 PM