Modular Skylight Systems: Best Practices for Designing Skylights with Suspended Ceilings

Puja Manglani, Jon McHugh, Lisa Heschong, and Rocelyn Dee, Heschong Mahone Group, Inc.

Keywords

Abstract

This paper describes the concept of modular skylight wells that can be pre-manufactured, are easy to install, and can gracefully integrate skylights with suspended ceilings and other building components. A modular skylight system consists of a two-part light well system using a throat and a splay. The throat is the upper part of the well directly below the skylight. Its primary purpose is to channel light efficiently through the plenum. The splay is the lower part of the well, which connects to the ceiling. It increases illuminance uniformity, shields the bright source, reduces contrast ratios and provides an aesthetic transition between light well and ceiling.

Since modular light well products do not currently exist, the market transformation effort is a two part process: 1) providing market research and performance specifications for manufacturers; and 2) informing architects of the desired features of skylighting and modular light wells. The end-product of this effort is the California Energy Commission (CEC) document, “Modular Light Wells: Design Guidelines for Skylights with Suspended Ceilings” (CEC 2003), a study conducted for CEC’s Public Interest Energy Research program (PIER). This paper summarizes some of the key elements of the PIER research including:

A new paradigm for technology development
Estimates of potential market size and energy savings from modular light wells
The nomenclature and definitions of common light well functions and components
Considerations for integrating skylights and light wells into building design and construction
Design recommendations for optimal energy performance and lighting quality
Conceptual examples of a modular skylight system