A study of the daylighting performance and energy use in heavily obstructed residential buildings via computer simulation techniques

The quality and quantity of natural light entering a building depends on both internal and external factors. In Hong Kong, many buildings are high-rise blocks constructed close to each other and hence the external factor plays a significant role in daylighting designs. This paper studies the daylighting performance and energy use for residential flats facing large sky obstructions via computer simulations. Key building parameters affecting daylighting designs are presented. The daylighting performance for typical interior rooms was investigated in terms of illuminance level and daylight factor. The daylight levels of residential flats can be severely reduced by neighboring buildings and hence the externally reflected component would be the main source of natural light. The indoor daylight levels for kitchen and living/dining faced large neighboring building were found always less than the standard maintenance illuminance during daytime period. These imply that many residential flats in Hong Kong would have to rely on supplementary electric lighting.     

Simplified daylighting energy savings for non-daylighting building energy simulation programs

The California Legislature mandated the California Energy Commission (CEC) to establish and periodically update energy efficiency standards for new buildings. To this end, a sensitivity analysis was conducted by the Standards Development Office of the California Energy Commission for nonresidential buildings. The purpose of this parametric analysis was to determine which variations in building parameters actually have significant energy impacts.A “generic” building model was developed and implemented in conducting this sensitivity analysis. The generic model was used as an analytical tool in modeling the energy impact of building parameter variations, as well as architectural and mechanical energy-saving measures on the energy use of each module. It is recognized that the level of significant energy impact is equivalent to, or bounded by the accuracy of the energy analysis tools in predicting energy usage in actual buildings. For the computer program used, DOE 2.1A this accuracy is within ±5%.Since DOE 2.1A and most of the other building energy simulation programs do not have daylighting algorithms, another calculation tool was used to determine daylight availability and lighting power reduction on an hour-by-hour basis for each orientation. This is accomplished with a daylight reduction factor (DRF).Quicklite, a simplified daylighting program, calculated footcandle (lux) levels based on outdoor ambient light levels, physical room dimensions and properties. To assess the impact of the Quicklite calculated footcandle (lux) levels on artificial lighting use, a control scheme was assumed, and a DRF was calculated based on annual sky conditions by climate zone.Once the DRF values are known for each orientation, the electric lighting schedule can be modified. A new profile number, representing the proportion of installed lighting switched on at that hour, replaced the daily lighting schedules when daylighting was utilized (09:00 – 17:00). To test this methodology, a sensitivity analysis was conducted between DOE 2.1A with Quicklite modifications and DOE 2.1B which has a daylighting preprocessor. The results displayed a 3.6% variation in total energy use.We conclude that daylighting calculations for design days using simplified programs can be used to approximate daylighting energy savings in building energy simulation programs that allow zoned lighting schedules but do not calculate daylight contributions.     

An analysis of measured and simulated daylight illuminance and lighting savings in a daylit corridor

Lighting control integrated with daylighting is recognised as an important and useful strategy in energy-efficient building designs and operations. Prediction of the internal daylight levels is a key stage in daylighting designs. With the advances in computer technology, the computation of daylight illuminances can be conducted via lighting simulation program. This paper presents a study of the daylight coefficient (DC) approach using RADIANCE lighting software in simulating the indoor daylight illuminance of a corridor. The interior daylight illuminance data measured in the corridor were compared with the simulated results based on the computer software. It was found that the DC approach could give satisfactory results especially for the sun-shaded surface and sun-facing surface receiving a large amount of direct sunlight. Further, the daylight illuminance detected by the photosensor was also simulated in conjunction with measured daylight illuminance, dimming ratio and electric lighting power to predict the lighting energy savings. The findings suggested that the measured and predicted data showed a good agreement when large electric lighting savings resulted. The probable reasons causing the discrepancies were discussed.     

The use of DOE-2 to determine the relative energy performance of daylighted retail stores covered with tension supported fabric roofs

With increasing interest amongst the architectural and engineering community in daylighted buildings, there is a need to evaluate the relative energy performance of those buildings. One means of daylighting a building is to use a coated glass fiber fabric roof. With such a roof, it has been found that sufficient daylight is admitted to allow most artificial lighting to be turned off during the daytime hours. However, solar cooling loads and conductive loads may be greater than for conventionally roofed commercial buildings. With the fabric roofed buildings capable of using considerably less energy for artificial lighting, yet possibly requiring greater use of energy for space heating and cooling, the relative energy performance is a matter of trade-offs.To determine this relative energy performance of fabric roofed and conventionally roofed retail stores, a modified version of DOE-2.1A was used with weather data from 19 cities located within the United States. In the analyses, both single-layer and double-layer roofs were studied as were stores with different levels of electric power for artificial lighting. In general, the results suggest that a fabric roofed store will use less total energy than a conventional roofed store in a geographic area with a mild climate but that it will use more energy in a cold climate area.     

Occupant preferences and satisfaction with the luminous environment and control systems in daylit offices: a literature review

This paper presents an overview of peer-reviewed investigations of subjective issues linked to the use of daylighting in office buildings, particularly studies of preferred physical and luminous conditions in daylit office environments, and studies of occupant satisfaction and acceptance of electric lighting and window shading controls. The literature shows a consistent strong preference for daylight and a wide distribution between individuals in relation to the preferred illuminance levels in daylit offices. Existing knowledge about how people respond to daylight-linked lighting and shading controls in the workplace is very limited; therefore, this paper presents a summary of knowledge gaps in the field of daylighting and its interaction with the occupants. The resulting key directions for future research highlight issues for which a better understanding is required for the development of lighting and window shading control systems that are both energy efficient and suitable for the office occupants.     

Electricity benefits of daylighting and photovoltaics for various solar facade layouts in office buildings

The electricity benefits of daylighting and photovoltaics (PV) in various solar facade layouts in buildings at four locations have been analysed. The optimal division between the window area and the PV area has been determined. A bigger window will reduce the electric lighting requirement, but it will decrease the available facade area for PV electricity production. The window area in the facade layouts studied in this paper ranges from 14 to 60% of the total facade area, with the rest of the southern facade area covered by PV panels. No PV is installed on the northern facade. With a minimum window area, and continuous electric light dimming and shading of the window, 58% of the annual lighting requirement of the building during the office hours can be provided by daylight in Southern Europe (38°N) and 44% in Northern Europe (60°N). The daylight availability can be increased to 78% in Southern and to 61% in Northern Europe by increasing the window area from the minimum 14 to 24% of the total facade area. A further 10% increase in the daylight availability can be achieved by enlarging the window area to 38%. Considering both the electric lighting requirement replaced by daylight and the electricity produced by the PV panels, the maximum electricity benefit with high-efficiency PV is achieved at all four locations with a facade layout with a window area of 24% of the total facade area.     

Impact of electric lighting efficiency on the energy saving potential of daylighting from roof monitors

A developmental version of the building energy analysis computer program BLAST was used to perform simulations of a prototypical, single-story office building. Total annual energy consumption was computed using Typical Meteorological Year (TMY) [1] weather data from three locations in the United States. For each location, two electric lighting designs were tested on the baseline building (no roof monitors) to compare the energy requirements of current-practice and more efficient electric lighting designs. Then roof monitors were added to evaluate their energy saving potential for each of the electric lighting designs. The roof monitors had highly diffusing, vertical glazings facing southeast and southwest.The results show that improving electric lighting system efficiency and adding roof monitors for daylighting both have the potential for substantially reducing lighting electricity and the energy cost of operating the building. The potential benefits of daylighting are substantially lower for a building outfitted with a more efficient electric lighting system, although still significant. To determine the limits of validity of the simulations, a number of sensitives studies were performed. Among the issues investigated were: dirt deposits, snow accumulation, glazing optical properties, interior design, luminous efficacy of admitted sunlight, and thermostatic controls.     

Effectiveness of daylighting design and occupant visual satisfaction in a LEED Gold laboratory building

Using daylight as primary light source has been widely recognized as an important strategy to reduce building energy demand and enhance indoor environment quality. However, to design and operate a building to make full use of daylight, which is a dynamic light source, to meet diverse occupant needs remains a challenge. This paper reports a post-occupancy study of the visual environment in a laboratory building on a university campus, and puts a spotlight on the building occupants as it examines the effectiveness of the daylighting design and systems integration in creating a visual environment to support occupant comfort and satisfaction while reducing artificial lighting demand. Results show generally high satisfaction with daylit work environment and positive effect of the horizontal shading strategy. Issues about the integration between daylighting and electric lighting systems and level of occupant control are identified and discussed for improving the effectiveness of daylighting and enhancing the quality of the visual environment in the building of study. A multiple-tool methodology is developed and tested, which included occupant surveys, interviews, illuminance measurements, continuous data loggers, fisheye-lens camera and glare-identifying software, and documentation of spatial settings, systems features, and user behavior.     

A simplified method to estimate energy savings of artificial lighting use from daylighting

This paper provides a simplified analysis method to evaluate the potential of daylighting to save energy associated with electric lighting use. Specifically, impacts on daylighting performance are investigated for several combinations of building geometry, window opening size, and glazing type for four geographical locations in the United States. Four building geometries with various window-to-floor areas, along with different glazing types have been analyzed. It was determined that for most commercial buildings with glass transmittance values above 0.5, increasing window area to floor area ratio above 0.5, daylighting does not provide significant additional lighting energy savings. A direct correlation has been established between window transmittance and window area on annual lighting reductions. A model is proposed to estimate lighting energy savings given perimeter area, window area, and window type. Verification and validation of the model's predictions are demonstrated using results from building energy simulation as well as experimental data.     

A case for ‘active’ daylighting by appropriate management of electric lighting

Understanding of how occupants of non-domestic buildings use electric lighting, gained from behavioural studies, indicates that the mere provision of daylighting is unlikely to lead to its useful uptake. It is suggested that the design of appropriate electric lighting control systems, including those requiring occupant action, can be related to occupancy patterns of space use and daylight availability in the space and that provision of such systems should be seen as ‘active daylighting’. It is also suggested that design for ‘active daylighting’ requires more accurate prediction of daylight availability in interiors.     

Glazing energy performance and design optimization with daylighting

This study systematically explores the influence of glazing systems on component loads and annual energy use in prototypical office buildings. The DOE-2.1B building energy simulation program, which contains an integrated daylighting model, is used to determine fenestration energy performance in diverse climates. The sensitivity of total energy use to orientation, window area, glazing properties (U-value, shading coefficient, visible transmittance), window management strategy, installed lighting power, and lighting control strategy are all described. We examine the conditions under which daylighting reduces net anual energy use as well as those conditions under which energy use may increase. Combinations of wall and fenestration properties that minimize net energy requirements as a function of climate and orientation are described.     

Energy saving potential and strategies for electric lighting in future North European, low energy office buildings: A literature review

This article presents key energy use figures and explores the energy saving potential for electric lighting in office buildings based on a review of relevant literature, with special emphasis on a North European context. The review reveals that theoretical calculations, measurements in full-scale rooms and simulations with validated lighting programs indicate that an energy intensity of around 10 kWh/m² yr is a realistic target for office electric lighting in future low energy office buildings. This target would yield a significant reduction in energy intensity of at least 50% compared to the actual average electricity use for lighting (21 kWh/m² yr in Sweden). Strategies for reducing energy use for electric lighting are presented and discussed, which include: improvements in lamp, ballast and luminaire technology, use of task/ambient lighting, improvement in maintenance and utilization factor, reduction of maintained illuminance levels and total switch-on time, use of manual dimming and switch-off occupancy sensors. Strategies based on daylight harvesting are also presented and the relevant design aspects such as effects of window characteristics, properties of shading devices, reflectance of inner surfaces, ceiling and partition height are discussed.     

Prediction of energy savings with anidolic integrated ceiling across different daylight climates

The subject of this article is building energy saving on electrical lighting by anidolic integrated ceiling (AIC), compared in different daylight climates. This particular device collects diffuse daylight with an anidolic external collector and channels it into a reflective ceiling plenum. The exit apertures located at the rear of the room will discharge the daylight to the deep and gloomy zones of the room and thus reduce demand for electrical lighting. This paper analyses the savings on building energy for different locations. Two cases were studied with Singapore representing a location of high sun altitude and high building density, while Sheffield representing a location of lower sun altitude and moderate urban density. The performance criteria Daylight Autonomy (DA) was used to quantify the energy saving, after the AIC was integrated into the default ribbon window façade of a standard office room. Computational simulations show that more than 20% of energy for electrical lighting can be saved. The energy savings are quite similar for both locations, with 21% for Singapore and 26% for Sheffield. Therefore, it is valid to conclude that AIC is a universal remedy to improve daylighting and energy efficiency in deep buildings.     

Effects of daylighting options on the energy performance of two existing passive commercial buildings

Results are presented from a study of south facing roof apertures on two buildings from the U.S. Department of Energy's Non-Residential Experimental Passive Buildings Program. This study is part of a broad effort to evaluate the energy, functional and economic performance of all twenty buildings in the program based on on-site observations and physical data. The work reported here supplemented the basic building data with illumination data from physical models and from the buildings themselves, and with additional observations and measurements. Energy analyses were performed in order to examine more comprehensively the daylighting systems incorporated into the buildings, especially as they relate to (a) interaction between heating, cooling and lighting requirements; (b) integration of the electric lighting and daylighting systems and (c) functional effectiveness and occupant interaction with the daylighting system.Results of this study provide quantitative information on the energy benefits of the daylighting systems as designed and used in the two buildings examined. The daylighting strategies are shown to provide substantial energy savings over similar non-daylit buildings. In both buildings, manual control of the electric lights is used; the evaluation demonstrates that in these buildings this proves to be an extremely effective strategy. Factors contributing to this result are discussed in terms of the observed behavior of the occupants and functional requirements of the buildings.     

基于节能的办公建筑采光中庭形态优化设计

采光中庭由于其独特的空间设计给人们带来不一样的视觉感受,已在办公建筑中广泛应用,中庭结构的合理设计对建筑自然采光、建筑能耗具有很大的影响。通过Autodesk Ecotect和Ra-diance数值软件,模拟计算不同中庭平面布局、尺寸比例以及幕墙朝向对办公建筑自然采光系数、全年自然采光满足率DA、天然采光照明节能率、室内照度全年满足率的影响;在模拟分析的基础上,采用Designbuilder数值软件比较分析采光中庭形态优化设计对办公建筑人工照明、采暖空调能耗的影响。     

Lichttechnisches und energetisches Verhalten von Fassaden moderner Verwaltungsbauten – Teil 1: Lichttechnisches Verhalten

Daylight and thermal energy performance of facades in office buildings, Part 1: Daylight performance. Regarding the impact on indoor illumination facade systems have to provide an appropriate visual indoor environment. In addition daylight penetrating the room through the facades should favourably influence the overall building energy balance. Daylight utilization can directly reduce energy consumption for electric lighting and can indirectly – due to the higher luminous efficacy of daylight compared to commonly used artificial lighting systems – reduce the thermal loads within the conditioned building spaces. In part 1 of this contribution the influence of different facade solutions on room illumination is systematically investigated by means of a parametric study of significant room, outdoor, environmental and climatic parameters for ten facade systems. The facade systems considered are conventional, permanently shaded, and light redirecting systems. The analysis of system performance is based on newly developed characteristics which allow the analysis and optimization of different facade systems under working conditions. Part 2 of the contribution shows the energetic interaction of the facade dependent internal loads by artificial lighting system and solar heat gains.     

夏热冬冷地区办公建筑自然采光效果模拟分析

选取夏热冬冷地区苏州市某办公建筑作为模拟对象,采用Ecotect结合Radiance软件模拟建筑内自然采光情况,计算建筑内各楼层的平均自然采光系数与全自然采光百分比,分析玻璃可见光透射比、窗墙比对建筑自然采光效果和照明能耗节约量的影响。研究表明,采用可见光透射比较高的玻璃,适当增加建筑外窗面积,有助于提高建筑采光系数,改善自然采光环境,节约建筑照明能耗。     

The impact of daylighting on peak electrical demand

A complete analysis of the cost-effectiveness of daylighting strategies should include the impact of daylighting on peak electrical demand as well as on energy consumption. We utilized an hour-by-hour building energy analysis program to study the thermal and daylighting impacts of fenestration on peak demand. Fenestration properties and lighting system characteristics were varied parametrically for office buildings in Madison WI and Lake Charles LA. Peak electrical demand was disaggregated by component and by zone, monthly patterns of peak demand were examined, and impacts of fenestration performance on chiller size were studied.The results suggest that for daylighted office buildings, the peak electrical demand results from a complex trade-off between cooling load due to fenestration parameters, lighting load reductions due to glazing and lighting system characteristics. Lowest peak demands generally occur with small to moderate size apertures. With daylighting, peak electrical demand is reduced by 10 to 20% for the building configuration studied (37% perimeter zone, 63% core zone). This work indicates that solar gain through fenestration must be effectively controlled in order to realize the potential of daylighting to significantly reduce peak electrical demand.