APPENDIX E
REFLECTED SOLAR GLARE STUDY
R e f l e c t e d S o l a r G l a r e S t u dy
S anctuary
for
S ufism R eoriented
Contra Costa County December 8, 2009
D E S I G N ,
C O M M U N I T Y
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E N V I R O N M E N T
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R e f l e c t e d S o l a r G l a r e S t u dy
S anctuary
for
S ufism R eoriented
Contra Costa County December 8, 2009
D E S I G N ,
C O M M U N I T Y
1 6 2 5 S H AT T U C K AV E N U E , S U I T E 3 0 0
B E R K E L E Y, C A L I F O R N I A 9 4 7 0 9
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TEL: 510 848 3815
FA X : 5 1 0 8 4 8 4 3 1 5
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REFLECTED SOLAR GLARE STUDY
I.
PURPOSE OF STUDY
The purpose of this study is to inform the Initial Study (IS) for the New
Church for Sufism Reoriented. Specifically, the study provides information
and analysis that will assist the IS in accurately determining whether the project would “create a new source of substantial light or glare which would adversely affect day or nighttime views in the area.”
Daytime glare from the roof of the proposed church has been suggested as a
possible source of glare to viewers from surrounding residences, and therefore
is the focus of this study. This study provides background information on
the phenomenon of glare and the factors that contribute to it, identifies relevant case studies, and evaluates the potential for the proposed church to cause
glare based on the church’s characteristics and potential views of the church.
All findings presented in this study are based upon a thorough understanding
of glare, field analysis, and analysis conducted utilizing a three-dimensional
model of the proposed church and surrounding uses. Two key findings result
from the study. First, there are very few potential views of the proposed
church from the surrounding area, and no views would be uninterrupted by
vegetation and/or built structures. Second, the proposed church’s roof design
would substantially limit the potential for the roof to cause glare from any
viewpoint. Based upon the information presented in this study, glare impacts
created by this project would be less than significant.
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II.
R E O R I E N T E D
G L A R E S T U D Y
BACKGROUND ON GLARE AND REFLECTIVITY
Evaluating the project’s potential to generate daytime glare requires that the
term glare be defined and that the factors that contribute to this phenomena
be identified.
Glare occurs when a bright source impacts an individual’s ability to see.1 The
Illuminating Engineering Society of Northern America (IES) defines glare as,
“The sensation produced by luminance in the visual field that is sufficiently
greater than the luminance to which the eye has adapted to cause annoyance,
discomfort, or loss of visual performance and visibility.”2 The term “glare” is
sometimes used colloquially to describe any bright object in a landscape. This
study is concerned with the technical definition, and does not review the proposed church according to the colloquial definition of glare.
Sources of glare can either be a direct source of light, such as a light bulb or
the sun, or can be an object which reflects light from another source, such as
windows. Daytime glare is typically caused by direct sunlight or by objects
with reflective surfaces such as windows and smooth metal.
Glare is classified as either disability glare or discomfort glare according to its
effect on viewers, with disability glare being the primary concern of this
study. A singular glare source may produce both disability and discomfort
glare, as described below.
♦ Disability Glare. Disability glare occurs when enough stray light enters
the eye to reduce visibility and interfere with visual tasks. For instance,
oncoming bright headlights can interfere with the ability of a driver to
1
National Electrical Manufacturers Association, August 2000. White Paper
on Outdoor Lighting Issues.
2
Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) Handbook,
9th Edition.
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see the road even if the driver is not looking directly at the headlights.
Disability glare is a measurable phenomenon.
♦ Discomfort Glare. Discomfort glare produces discomfort, but does not
necessarily interfere with visual performance or visibility.3 Like disability glare, discomfort glare results from too much light being registered by
the eye. However, this type of glare depends upon the viewer’s sensitivity and is not measurable. Discomfort glare is often reported from light
sources that are less intense than those that cause disability glare.
There are several factors that affect the likelihood that objects will cause glare
when lit by the sun. These factors include characteristics of the object that
affect the direction and amount of reflection, the location of the object in
relationship to the sun’s path, and the relationship between the object and the
viewer, as described below.
A. Specular and Diffuse Reflection
Most objects exhibit both specular and diffuse reflectivity, with the amount
of each type of reflection dependent upon the texture of the object’s surface.
Figure 1, below, illustrates these two types of reflection.
Figure 1: Specular and Diffuse Reflection
Source: Lighting and Measurement.
specular-diffuse%20(1).jpg
3
http://knol.google.com/k/-/-/1hvmbypv7oiib/r5ru15/reflection-
National Electrical Manufacturers Association, August 2000. White Paper
on Outdoor Lighting Issues.
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Specular reflection occurs when incoming light hits smooth surfaces and results in a mirror-like reflection. The materials most often associated with this
type of reflection are glass and smooth-surfaced metal, but any glossy or polished surface will exhibit primarily specular reflection. In extreme instances,
specular reflection may heat the objects or spaces towards which it is directed.
For instance, a mirror can be used to heat a surface or even start a fire by directing the sunlight in one direction.
Diffuse reflection, on the other hand, occurs when incoming light hits rough
or matte-finished surfaces and is reflected into different directions due to
small irregularities in the surface. Diffuse reflection is less likely to cause
glare than specular reflection. Objects exhibiting primarily diffuse reflection
may appear bright, but will generally have a glowing appearance. For instance, a wooden, rough stone, or stucco structure will appear to glow at sunset. In addition, glass coated with a non-reflective coating will exhibit primarily diffuse reflection. This type of glass is referred to as low-reflection glass.
Specular Reflection
Source:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/begnaud/14
12529/
B. Albedo (Amount of Reflection)
Albedo is a measure of the percent of light reflected off of an object.4 Objects
with high albedos reflect more light than those with low albedos, as illustrated in Figure 2. Light colors, such as white, have higher albedos than
darker colors. Albedo does not have a direct effect on the type of reflection
(diffuse or specular) exhibited. Any object with reflective surfaces can exhibit
specular reflection and cause glare, regardless of the object’s albedo.
4
Merriam-Webster
Online
Dictionary.
http://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/albedo, accessed November 13, 2009.
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Diffuse Reflection
Source:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/taylar/28649
85106/
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Figure 2: Albedo
Green building standards commonly call for high albedo roofing materials
due to their energy saving characteristics. The potential for glare to be caused
by high albedo roofs has not been identified as a critical concern by the green
building industry. In fact, high albedo roofs are encouraged by several government programs, including the EPA’s Energy Star Program and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, as a way to
increase energy efficiency. Since 2005, California’s Title 24 Energy Code has
required “cool roofs,” or roofs that are highly reflective and absorb little heat,
in order to increase comfort of building users while reducing energy consumption. Recently white roofing has been hailed as an effective means for
reducing global warming by President Obama’s Energy Secretary Steven
Chu.5
C. Shape of Source Object
The shape of the reflecting surface is another factor than can affect glare. For
instance, light reflected from concave surfaces converges, while light reflected
from convex surfaces diverges. The point from which reflected light either
5
Barringer, Felicity. White Roofs Catch on as Energy Cost Cutters, New
York Times, July 29, 2009.
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converges or diverges is called the focus (F), and is located halfway between
the surface and the center (C) of the radius (R) of curvature, as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3: Convergent Reflection from a Concave Surface and Divergent Reflection from a Convex Surface
Source: http://physics.bu.edu/~duffy/PY106/Reflection.html
C: Center of sphere; F: Focus, halfway between surface and center; R=Radius.
Both concave and convex surfaces could potentially cause glare if they have
reflective surfaces. However, the size of the area generating substantial glare
is limited by the infinite number of faces in a sphere. While the entire face of
a flat surface, such as a window, reflects light in a uniform direction, each
point of a sphere reflects light in a different direction. Solar reflections from
curved surfaces will therefore continuously shift throughout the day.
D. Time of Day and Year
The direction from which sunlight reaches the earth shifts over the course of
each day and the course of each year. For instance, morning sunlight illuminates the east side of a building and evening light illuminates the west side of a
building.6 During the summer, days are long and the sun appears high in the
sky, whereas during the winter days are shorter and the sun appears to be
lower in the sky. These daily and yearly changes affect the way light is re6
This discussion is descriptive of the northern hemisphere only.
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flected from objects and the potential for glare. This section explains these
changes and their affect on glare.
The earth is constantly spinning on its axis, which is always inclined approximately 23.5 degrees. One day is the time it takes for the earth to make
one full spin on its axis. Since the sun stays in one place (relative to the earth)
as the earth spins, the sun appears to move across the sky over the course of
each day. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west because the earth spins
towards the east.
In addition to spinning on its axis, the earth is constantly orbiting the sun.
Each year, the earth completes one orbit around the sun, as shown in Figure
4.
Figure 4: The Earth’s Rotation around the Sun
Source: http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/68/91868-004-6F3C45FC.gif
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During the summer months, objects in the northern hemisphere will receive
more direct sunlight than they do during winter months due to the tilt of the
earth’s axis. Summer solstice for the northern hemisphere occurs on the longest day of the year, at which point the northern hemisphere receives a maximum amount of light (June 21 or 22), and winter solstice occurs on the shortest day of the year for the northern hemisphere (December 21 or 22). The
spring and fall equinoxes (March 20 or 21 and September 22 or 23, respectively) occur when the northern and southern hemispheres receive equal light
and the length of day and night are equal. Due to the constant tilt of the
earth’s axis, from the northern hemisphere the sun appears to peak nearly
overhead in the summer and peak at a low angle above the southern horizon
in the winter, as shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5: Location of Sun in the Sky (Northern Hemisphere)
Source: http://www.oksolar.com/images/solar_window1_small.jpg
Based upon the daily and yearly cycles described above, the potential for glare
can change throughout the course of a day or year depending upon the location of an object in relation to its viewer. For instance, motorists traveling
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west towards a highly reflective building may experience intense glare in the
morning, yet not experience any glare in the evening.
E. Relationship between source and observer
Glare is strongest when a viewer is looking directly at the source object, and
becomes weaker as a viewer looks away from the source. For instance, the
sun’s reflection on a lake may be a great annoyance to a viewer facing the lake
directly, yet may be a minor annoyance to a viewer walking along the lake’s
edge. Since glare is a phenomenon of light affecting vision, glare cannot occur
without the presence of views or viewers.
F. The Effect of Glare
The effects of glare must be evaluated with consideration to pre-existing site
conditions and the degree to which viewers in surrounding areas are affected.
For the purposes of this study, reflective light from the proposed church is
considered to cause significant glare if the light generated represents a substantial change from existing conditions or if it causes disability glare, which
would impair visibility and impact visual performance. Specular reflection,
or direct reflection from a smooth surface, is much more likely to cause disability glare than diffuse reflection, or scattered reflections from rough surfaces, and is therefore considered an indicator of potential substantial effects.
Similarly, divergent solar reflections from convex surfaces are considered less
substantial than direct solar reflections from flat surfaces since divergent solar
reflections are not concentrated in one direction and do not endure over a
long period of time.
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III.
R E O R I E N T E D
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CASE STUDIES
This section describes glare associated with projects that either have domed or
white rooftops, which would be similar to the construction of the proposed
church, or have caused significant glare impacts.
A. Vernacular Architecture
Architecture from around the globe utilizes domed-roofs and the color white,
especially in hot, arid climates where passive cooling techniques are desirable.
White, a high-albedo color, reflects light and reduces heat absorption by a
building. When properly constructed, domes contribute to energy efficiency
by allowing heat to easily exit a building.
Dome in Santorini, Greece
Source: http://images.google.com
B. Religious Architecture
Domes have been used extensively in religious structures throughout the
world. Both domes and the color white have also been used as religious symbols for many places of worship in almost all religious traditions. Architectural dome shapes include onion domes, which are bulbous and taper to a
high point, hemispherical, which are half sphere domes, and saucer domes,
which are low pitched and shallow.
C. Memorial Architecture
The Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC is a familiar piece of architecture
in the United States. The memorial, which was modeled after the Pantheon
in Rome, is distinguished by a grand portico (porch) with stately columns and
Sacré Coeur in Paris, France
Source: Wikipedia
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a white domed roof.7 The photograph below shows evening sunlight on the
west side of the Jefferson Memorial. Morning sunlight would have a similar
effect on the building, yet the east side of the structure would be lit and the
west side would be in shadows.
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bootbearwdc/32971256/
D. Modern Architecture
The Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, California was constructed
between 2000 and 2003 with undulating steel for most of the exterior. While
most of the steel is brushed stainless steel, a portion of the exterior was built
with polished stainless steel that proved to be highly reflective. Once constructed, numerous complaints were made regarding glare from the Concert
Hall into the Promenade Towers apartment buildings, which was noted to
cause visual impacts as well as temperature increases in flats directly facing
reflective surface. The image below illustrates glare from the Concert Hall.
7
Washington DC National Register of Historic Places; http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/wash/dc73.htm.
Accessed 11/15/09.
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Source: http://www.sbse.org/awards/docs/2005/1187.pdf
Sapphos Environmental, who was contracted by Los Angeles County to
study thermal and visual impacts of the glare, found specular reflection from
the polished steel surfaces to be exacerbating the visual glare, as well as the
primary cause of the temperature gain in flats facing the reflective surfaces.
Sanding the polished metal surfaces was identified as the best way to reduce
glare,8 and thus was implemented. Modifying the polished surfaces into
rough surfaces had the desired effect of creating a surface that exhibits primarily diffuse reflection and no longer causes substantial glare for viewers.
8
Schiler, Marc and Elizabeth Valmont. Microclimatic Impact: Glare Around The Walt Disney Concert
Hall. http://www.sbse.org/awards/docs/2005/1187.pdf; Accessed November 16, 2009.
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IV.
R E O R I E N T E D
G L A R E S T U D Y
PROJECT ANALYSIS
A. Project Description
The proposed church for Sufism Reoriented would be located in unincorporated Walnut Creek, California. Figure 6 shows the proposed location of the
church superimposed onto an aerial photograph of the site and surrounding
areas. An illustrative view of the proposed church and surrounding area is
provided in Figure 7. The existing site is composed of seven parcels with a
total of four residences, three of which would be removed. The aboveground portion of the new church would be approximately 20,010 square
feet, consisting of 13 saucer domes, the highest of which in the center is 33.5feet above the finished grade. The average height of the building would be
17.5- feet. A white-colored applied roofing membrane would be used for the
roof. Several ground-level skylights would be located above an underground
concourse that would connect to the church.
The proposed project would include non-deciduous trees and shrubs around
the periphery of the site to provide year-round screening from surrounding
land uses as well as deciduous and non-deciduous trees throughout the site to
provide shade and aesthetic value. Non-deciduous trees that have been considered for the project include generally moderate to fast growing trees, such
as bronze loquat (Eriobtrya deflexa) and Indian Laurel Fig (Ficus nitida). Most
of these trees would reach approximately 15 feet within three years, and 19
feet within six years, reaching approximately 30 feet by maturity. Therefore,
within six years most of the non-deciduous trees around the periphery of the
project would be higher than most areas of the church roof.
The area surrounding the project site includes a mix of residential and commercial uses. The project site is bound by Boulevard Way, a two-lane road, to
the north; a 31-foot tall multifamily residential building known as Le Boule-
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Source: Sufism Reoriented
NORTH
BOULEVARD WAY
Parcel
184-450-008
Parcel
184-450-009
Parcel
184-450-010
BO
U
ARD
LEV
AY
W
Parcel
184-450-035
Parcel
184-450-036
FIGURE 6
Parcel
20030184184
Parsonage
to remain
Le
Boulevard
Apartment
Building
RE o r i e n t e d
g l a re s t u d y
S i t e P la n o v e r la y e d o n A e r i al P h o t o g r ap h
Parcel
184-450-011
S a n c t ua r y f o r S u f i s m
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Source: Sufism Reoriented
NORT H
Bird’s eye view of proposed facility and surrounding area
Parking Lot
Sanctuary
Parsonage (to remain)
FIGURE 7
RE o r i e n t e d
g l a re s t u d y
Proposed CHURCH
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vard to the northeast; and to the south single-family residential properties,
most of which have single-story residences.
This section assesses the potential for glare from the proposed church to impact views of the site from surrounding areas. Characteristics of the church
and the relationship between viewers and the church are the primary considerations of this assessment.
B. Church Characteristics
The roof is the portion of the church most likely to generate glare since it
would receive the most sunlight and would be the only feature of the church
visible from most viewpoints. The ground-level skylights over the concourse
will not be visible from surrounding properties with the exception of temporary views form the third story of Le Boulevard. Therefore, this section focuses on the design and orientation of the proposed roof and discusses the
ground-level skylights only as relevant. As further described below, the
shape, material, and color of the roof would result in mostly diffuse reflection.
1. Material
An applied roofing membrane that causes primarily diffuse reflection would
be selected for the roof of the proposed church. The roof would not include
any highly reflective material, such as glass and metal, with the exception of
windows (skylights) that would face directly up and would not be visible
from any surrounding buildings. All ground-level skylights are assumed to
have low-reflection glass for the purposes of this study.
2. Color
A white color was selected because of its religious significance to Sufism Reoriented.9 While the shade of white for the new sanctuary has not been specified at this time, it would likely be a soft rather than bright tone. A light col9
The color white symbolizes unity.
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ored roof will by nature reflect a greater amount of light than a dark colored
roof, but it will not necessarily generate glare. As discussed above, the material of an object has a greater affect on its potential to create glare than its
color. If the white color is combined with a material that exhibits primarily
diffuse reflection, such as the applied roofing membrane proposed for the
church, the potential for glare would be minimal.
3. Form
The roof of the proposed church would be dome-shaped, averaging 17 ½- feet
in height and reaching 33 ½-feet at the tallest point, as previously stated. This
is comparable to the height of Le Boulevard apartment building to the northeast. Given that domes would be composed of convex curves, light that hits
the surfaces would diverge from the “focus”, as described above. For this reason, reflections from the proposed dome roof would be divergent reflections
rather than the direct reflections of standard flat faced roofs.
Whereas a southern face of a flat roof receives direct sunlight for an extended
period during any given day, sunlight will move across a dome roof throughout the day causing the angle of reflection to constantly change.
4. Orientation
The orientation of a roof in relation to the sun affects how sunlight will hit
the roof and reflect off. The project is located in the northern hemisphere,
and thus the south sides of the roofs would receive more sunlight than the
north side. In order to gather more specific data regarding the project site,
the U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department’s online
service for plotting the position of the sun for specific locations, times, and
dates was utilized. Analysis for the project site was conducted using this service for March 21, June 21, September 21, and December 21, which correlate
approximately with the summer and winter solstices and the spring and fall
equinoxes. The analysis showed that the farthest north the sun appears (on
June 21) is not far enough north to be at an angle that could reflect light back
at Le Boulevard apartment building or any views from north of the site. Data
from this analysis is provided in Appendix A.
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C. Views
Potential views of the proposed church were assessed using a threedimensional, digital model of the proposed sanctuary and surrounding site as
well as field visits. Tree growth was also studied using the model, which
showed tree height after one, three, and six years of growth. The model
demonstrates that there are very few locations from where the new sanctuary
could be seen and none that are uninterrupted by other structures or vegetation, especially after six years of tree growth. Potential views of the proposed
church were considered from the north and west of the site, including views
from motorists driving along Boulevard Way and views from single family
homes along Boulevard Way; from Le Boulevard apartment building to the
northeast of the site; and from the single family homes adjacent to the site.
These view points are discussed below.
a. Views from the North and West
Figure 8 shows views from Boulevard Way and Kinney Drive with one, three
and six years of tree growth. As demonstrated by this figure, the church
would initially be visible from a small segment of Boulevard Way north of
the church entrance. However, within six years trees planted as part of the
project would have blocked potential views almost entirely. Passing motorists and residential users to the north may have glimpses of the northern portions of the roof, which would rarely receive direct sunlight since the sun’s
path is south of the site most of the year. Views from Kinney Drive, which is
west of the project site, would be scant after one year of tree growth and nonexistent within six years of tree growth. For these reasons, it is not anticipated that the church would cause significant glare for motorists on Boulevard Way or residential properties to the north or west.
b. Le Boulevard Apartment Building
There is little potential for the proposed church or ground-level skylights to
cause glare for views from Le Boulevard Way due to the building’s orientation and existing and planned visual barriers between the two buildings. Le
Boulevard is located to the northeast of the site, and therefore any views of
the church or ground-level skylights from this building would be of the
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northeast sides of these features. According to the analysis conducted utilizing the U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department’s
online service, while the northeast side of the church may potentially be lit
by summer morning light, the sunlight would never hit the church or
ground-level skylights at an angle that could reflect light back at the apartment building.
In addition to being northeast of the site, Le Boulevard apartment building is
oriented away from the proposed church. Of the nine apartments located on
the southeast side of the building with potential views, only two windows
would have views of the proposed church. The southwest face of the building, which is most directly oriented towards the site, would not include windows. The photographs below describe potential views. The first photograph, which was taken from the approximate center of the proposed church,
shows that existing trees on the Le Boulevard property block most of these
potential views, with the possible exception of the third story apartment on
the southwest corner. The second and third photographs show vegetation
screening the third story balcony and the view from the window of the same
apartment.10 These photos suggest that there would not be any significant
views of the proposed church from Le Boulevard apartment building.
Ground-level skylights may be temporarily visible, yet will be largely
screened by vegetation within six years.
10
The residents of this third story apartment allowed photos to be taken of
the sanctuary site from their apartment.
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Views From the North (Boulevard Way)
Year 1
r e o r i e n t e d
g l a re s t u d y
Views From West (Kinney Drive)
Year 1
Year 3
Year 3
Year 6
Year 6
Source: Sufism Reoriented
FIGURE 8
Views From the North and West of the
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View towards Le Boulevard from the proposed church site.
View of third story balcony of Le Boulevard.
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View from third story apartment on the southwest corner of Le Boulevard.
c. Single-family Residences located South of the Project Site
There are seven single-family residential properties located south of the project site. Four of the properties contain private residences with views into the
proposed site, assuming six years of tree growth. While views from these
parcels would be partially obstructed by trees, views from the other parcels
would be entirely blocked. The relationships between all parcels that abut
the project’s southern boundary and the proposed church are described below.
i. Properties without views of the proposed church
The two properties without views of the proposed facilities are Parcels 184450-008 (Lyons), 184-450-009 (Laredo). Parcels 184-450-008 and 184-450-009
are oriented with backyards facing north towards the parking lot of the pro-
24
E-28
S A N C T U A R Y F O R S U F I S M
R E F L E C T E D S O L A R
R E O R I E N T E D
G L A R E S T U D Y
posed project. The proposed church would be located to the right of viewers
looking from the backyards of these properties and would be blocked by
vegetation within one year of tree growth or less. Figure 9 shows views from
each of these parcels with one year of tree growth and existing fences and
walls.
ii. Properties with Potential Views
The four residential properties to the south of the site as well as the residential property to the east of the project have potential views of the proposed
church. Each of these parcels contains a single-family home with a landscaped
backyard. Views from these parcels are described below and shown in Figures 10 and 11, with one and six years of tree growth.
Parcel 184-450-010 (Chie and Cheng) is located south of the proposed parking
area. From the backyard of this parcel, a portion of the proposed church’s
roof is visible to the northeast. This view would be largely obstructed by
vegetation, yet the church roof would continue to be slightly visible even
after six years of tree growth.
Parcel 184- 450-011 (Lewenz) is directly south of the west end of the proposed
church, yet views of the church would be obstructed by existing landscape
features including a wall, a trellis, and mature trees. Trees planted as part of
the project would further screen the church, yet a portion of the church’s
roof would remain visible to the northeast of the site.
Potential views of the proposed church from Parcel 184-450-035 (Lee) include
views from the driveway on the southern edge of the property and views
from the backyard. Views from the driveway would be obstructed by existing vegetation on the parcel, while views from the backyard would be obstructed by an existing structure. The roof of the proposed church will be
visible after six years of tree growth.
25
E-29
Sa n c t u a r y f o r S u f i s m
s o l a r ref l e c t e d
r e o r i e n t e d
g l a re s t u d y
Parcel 184-450-008
View to northeast towards proposed facility after one year of tree growth.
Parcel 184-450-009
View to northeast towards proposed facility after one year of tree growth.
Source: Sufism Reoriented
FIGURE 9
Adjacent residences without views of the facility
E-30
Sa n c t u a r y f o r S u f i s m
ref l e c t e d s o l a r
Parcel 184-050-010
One year of tree growth
Parcel 184-050-010
Six years of tree growth
Parcel 184- 450-011
One year of tree growth
Parcel 184- 450-011
Six years of tree growth
Parcel 184-450-036
One year of tree growth
Parcel 184-450-036
Six years of tree growth
r e o r i e n t e d
g l a re s t u d y
Source: Sufism Reoriented
FIGURE 10
Adjacent residences with potential views of the facility
E-31
Sa n c t u a r y f o r S u f i s m
ref l e c t e d s o l a r
Parcel 184-450-036
One year of tree growth
Parcel 184-450-036
Six years of tree growth
Parcel 2003-0184184
One year of tree growth
Parcel 2003-0184184
Six years of tree growth
r e o r i e n t e d
g l a re s t u d y
Source: Sufism Reoriented
F I G U R E 11
Adjacent residences with potential views of the facility
E-32
S A N C T U A R Y F O R S U F I S M
R E F L E C T E D S O L A R
R E O R I E N T E D
G L A R E S T U D Y
Unlike the other residences located to the south of the church, the residence
on Parcel 184-450-036 (Trenor) has a second story balcony that faces north.
Although the balcony would not look directly onto the church, the church
would be visible to the northwest as shown in the image below. Views from
the ground-level, including the backyard, would be blocked by an existing
structure and planned vegetation.
The driveway and backyard of Parcel 2003-0184184 (Rasmussen) is oriented
west towards the proposed sanctuary. Initially, there would be a potential
view of the proposed church’s roof from the backyard of this property.
Within three years, this view would have been substantially covered by vegetation. After this point, a slight view of the proposed church may continue
to be possible to the north.
The views identified above from residences to the south of the project would
encompass the south side of the church’s roof, which would receive a substantial amount of daylight. However, the church would be unlikely to cause
substantial glare for any of these views given the characteristics of the roof.
29
E-33
S A N C T U A R Y F O R
R E F L E C T E D S O L A R
30
E-34
S U F I S M R E O R I E N T E D
G L A R E S T U D Y
S A N C T U A R Y F O R S U F I S M
R E F L E C T E D S O L A R
V.
R E O R I E N T E D
G L A R E S T U D Y
CONCLUSIONS
The study provides information to assist in making an accurate determination
for the following CEQA standard:
Would the project create a new source of substantial light or glare which would
adversely affect day or nighttime views in the area?
Based upon the information presented in this study, glare impacts created by
this project would be less than significant. The primary factors leading to this
finding are the unlikelihood that the church would generate glare and the
limited number of potential views of the church.
The roof of the proposed church, which is the most visible part of the church
and most likely to generate glare, would be constructed with materials that
would diffusely reflect the sun. Diffuse reflection is less likely to cause glare
than specular reflection, which is exhibited by smooth surfaces. In addition,
reflections from the dome-shaped roof would be divergent and therefore less
likely to be concentrated in such a way as would annoy viewers. Assuming
that ground-level skylights have low-reflection glass, they would also be
unlikely to cause glare.
Existing trees and trees planted as part of the project would obstruct most
views of the church within five years. However, there are several potential
views from single family residences to the north and south of the project as
well as from Le Boulevard apartment building to the east. Analysis conducted on the path of the sun shows that the north side of the building and
skylights will rarely receive direct sunlight, and therefore it is highly unlikely
that views to the north would experience glare.
Based on the position of the sun in the sky, existing structures, existing and
planned vegetation, the location of observers, and the proposed church de-
31
E-35
S A N C T U A R Y F O R
R E F L E C T E D S O L A R
S U F I S M R E O R I E N T E D
G L A R E S T U D Y
sign, it is clear that the proposed church would not produce significant reflected glare that could interfere with area views per the CEQA standard.
32
E-36
A
P P E N D I X
A
U.S. NAVAL OBSERVATORY
SUN TRAJECTORY DATA
........................................................................................................................
E-37
Altitude/Azimuth Table for One Day
Page 1 of 2
Astronomical Applications Dept.
U.S. Naval Observatory
Washington, DC 20392-5420
WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA
o ,
o ,
W122 03, N37 55
Altitude and Azimuth of the Sun
Dec 21, 2009
Pacific Standard Time
h m
06:30
06:45
07:00
07:15
07:30
07:45
08:00
08:15
08:30
08:45
09:00
09:15
09:30
09:45
10:00
10:15
10:30
10:45
11:00
11:15
11:30
11:45
12:00
12:15
12:30
12:45
13:00
13:15
13:30
13:45
14:00
14:15
14:30
14:45
15:00
15:15
15:30
15:45
16:00
16:15
16:30
16:45
17:00
Altitude
Azimuth
(E of N)
o
-9.8
-7.1
-4.4
-1.8
1.2
3.5
5.9
8.2
10.4
12.6
14.7
16.7
18.5
20.3
21.9
23.3
24.6
25.8
26.7
27.5
28.1
28.5
28.7
28.6
28.4
28.0
27.4
26.6
25.6
24.5
23.2
21.7
20.1
18.3
16.4
14.4
12.3
10.2
7.9
5.6
3.2
0.9
-2.1
o
112.2
114.3
116.5
118.7
121.0
123.4
125.8
128.3
130.9
133.6
136.4
139.4
142.4
145.5
148.8
152.2
155.6
159.2
162.9
166.7
170.5
174.4
178.3
182.2
186.1
190.0
193.8
197.6
201.2
204.8
208.3
211.6
214.9
218.0
221.0
223.9
226.7
229.4
232.0
234.5
237.0
239.3
241.6
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/aa_altazw.pl
10/21/2009
E-38
Altitude/Azimuth Table for One Day
17:15
17:30
17:45
-4.7
-7.4
-10.1
Page 2 of 2
243.8
246.0
248.1
Back to form
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/aa_altazw.pl
10/21/2009
E-39
Altitude/Azimuth Table for One Day
Page 1 of 2
Astronomical Applications Dept.
U.S. Naval Observatory
Washington, DC 20392-5420
WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA
o ,
o ,
W122 03, N37 55
Altitude and Azimuth of the Sun
Mar 21, 2009
Pacific Standard Time
h m
05:15
05:30
05:45
06:00
06:15
06:30
06:45
07:00
07:15
07:30
07:45
08:00
08:15
08:30
08:45
09:00
09:15
09:30
09:45
10:00
10:15
10:30
10:45
11:00
11:15
11:30
11:45
12:00
12:15
12:30
12:45
13:00
13:15
13:30
13:45
14:00
14:15
14:30
14:45
15:00
15:15
15:30
15:45
Altitude
Azimuth
(E of N)
o
-11.6
-8.7
-5.7
-2.8
0.7
3.4
6.3
9.2
12.1
15.0
17.9
20.7
23.5
26.3
29.0
31.7
34.2
36.7
39.1
41.4
43.5
45.5
47.2
48.8
50.1
51.2
52.0
52.5
52.6
52.5
52.0
51.3
50.2
48.9
47.3
45.6
43.6
41.5
39.3
36.9
34.4
31.8
29.2
o
80.3
82.6
85.0
87.3
89.6
91.9
94.2
96.6
98.9
101.4
103.9
106.4
109.1
111.9
114.8
117.9
121.1
124.6
128.2
132.1
136.3
140.8
145.6
150.7
156.1
161.8
167.7
173.7
179.9
186.1
192.2
198.1
203.8
209.2
214.3
219.1
223.6
227.8
231.7
235.4
238.9
242.1
245.2
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/aa_altazw.pl
10/21/2009
E-40
Altitude/Azimuth Table for One Day
16:00
16:15
16:30
16:45
17:00
17:15
17:30
17:45
18:00
18:15
18:30
18:45
19:00
19:15
26.5
23.7
20.9
18.0
15.2
12.3
9.4
6.5
3.6
0.9
-2.5
-5.5
-8.4
-11.3
Page 2 of 2
248.1
250.9
253.6
256.2
258.7
261.1
263.5
265.8
268.2
270.5
272.8
275.1
277.5
279.8
Back to form
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/aa_altazw.pl
10/21/2009
E-41
Altitude/Azimuth Table for One Day
Page 1 of 2
Astronomical Applications Dept.
U.S. Naval Observatory
Washington, DC 20392-5420
WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA
o ,
o ,
W122 03, N37 55
Altitude and Azimuth of the Sun
Jun 21, 2009
Pacific Standard Time
h m
03:45
04:00
04:15
04:30
04:45
05:00
05:15
05:30
05:45
06:00
06:15
06:30
06:45
07:00
07:15
07:30
07:45
08:00
08:15
08:30
08:45
09:00
09:15
09:30
09:45
10:00
10:15
10:30
10:45
11:00
11:15
11:30
11:45
12:00
12:15
12:30
12:45
13:00
13:15
13:30
13:45
14:00
14:15
Altitude
Azimuth
(E of N)
o
-10.6
-8.3
-6.0
-3.5
-1.0
1.8
4.3
6.9
9.6
12.4
15.1
18.0
20.8
23.7
26.6
29.5
32.4
35.4
38.3
41.3
44.2
47.2
50.1
53.0
55.9
58.7
61.5
64.2
66.8
69.2
71.4
73.2
74.6
75.4
75.5
74.9
73.7
72.0
70.0
67.6
65.1
62.5
59.7
o
48.8
51.4
54.0
56.4
58.8
61.1
63.3
65.5
67.6
69.7
71.8
73.8
75.9
77.9
79.9
82.0
84.1
86.2
88.4
90.7
93.1
95.6
98.4
101.3
104.5
108.1
112.2
116.9
122.4
129.0
136.9
146.5
157.9
170.8
184.5
197.8
209.8
220.0
228.4
235.4
241.3
246.2
250.5
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/aa_altazw.pl
10/21/2009
E-42
Altitude/Azimuth Table for One Day
14:30
14:45
15:00
15:15
15:30
15:45
16:00
16:15
16:30
16:45
17:00
17:15
17:30
17:45
18:00
18:15
18:30
18:45
19:00
19:15
19:30
19:45
20:00
20:15
20:30
56.9
54.0
51.1
48.2
45.2
42.3
39.3
36.4
33.4
30.5
27.6
24.7
21.8
18.9
16.1
13.3
10.6
7.9
5.2
2.7
0.4
-2.7
-5.1
-7.5
-9.8
Page 2 of 2
254.3
257.6
260.7
263.4
266.0
268.5
270.8
273.0
275.2
277.3
279.3
281.4
283.4
285.5
287.5
289.6
291.6
293.8
295.9
298.1
300.4
302.8
305.2
307.7
310.3
Back to form
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/aa_altazw.pl
10/21/2009
E-43
Altitude/Azimuth Table for One Day
Page 1 of 2
Astronomical Applications Dept.
U.S. Naval Observatory
Washington, DC 20392-5420
WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA
o ,
o ,
W122 03, N37 55
Altitude and Azimuth of the Sun
Sep 21, 2009
Pacific Standard Time
h m
05:00
05:15
05:30
05:45
06:00
06:15
06:30
06:45
07:00
07:15
07:30
07:45
08:00
08:15
08:30
08:45
09:00
09:15
09:30
09:45
10:00
10:15
10:30
10:45
11:00
11:15
11:30
11:45
12:00
12:15
12:30
12:45
13:00
13:15
13:30
13:45
14:00
14:15
14:30
14:45
15:00
15:15
15:30
Altitude
Azimuth
(E of N)
o
-11.7
-8.8
-5.8
-2.9
0.6
3.3
6.1
9.0
11.9
14.8
17.7
20.6
23.4
26.1
28.9
31.5
34.1
36.6
38.9
41.2
43.3
45.3
47.1
48.6
50.0
51.1
51.8
52.3
52.5
52.4
51.9
51.2
50.1
48.8
47.3
45.5
43.6
41.5
39.2
36.9
34.4
31.8
29.2
o
80.0
82.4
84.8
87.1
89.4
91.7
94.0
96.4
98.8
101.2
103.7
106.3
108.9
111.7
114.6
117.7
120.9
124.4
128.0
131.9
136.1
140.6
145.4
150.4
155.8
161.5
167.4
173.4
179.5
185.7
191.8
197.7
203.4
208.8
213.9
218.7
223.2
227.4
231.3
235.0
238.5
241.8
244.8
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/aa_altazw.pl
10/21/2009
E-44
Altitude/Azimuth Table for One Day
15:45
16:00
16:15
16:30
16:45
17:00
17:15
17:30
17:45
18:00
18:15
18:30
18:45
19:00
26.5
23.7
20.9
18.0
15.2
12.3
9.4
6.4
3.6
0.8
-2.6
-5.5
-8.5
-11.4
Page 2 of 2
247.8
250.6
253.2
255.8
258.3
260.7
263.1
265.5
267.8
270.1
272.4
274.7
277.0
279.4
Back to form
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/aa_altazw.pl
10/21/2009
E-45