Fieldtests of combined artificial and natural lighting systems for office buildings

Helmut F.O. Mueller, University of Dortmund, Germany

Keywords

fieldtest, combined artificial and natural lighting systems, office buildings, Radiance, solar control, heat gains, electrochromic glazing, specular louver systems, holographical optical elements, user-defined controls, monitoring, CCDcamera

Abstract

Fieldtests are carried out for six different lighting systems, which combine different daylight facilities with luminaires, all systems controlled automatically. All facades allow the solar control as to heat gains and glare without affecting the daylighting of the rooms. Innovative components are applied like electrochromic glass, specular louver systems, holographical optical elements, and light directing glass units with internal total reflection of sunlight. The luminaires are adjusted to the different daylighting systems, which partly redirect sunlight to the ceiling and depth of the room. Each individual work place can be controlled as to natural and artificial light. A one-year monitoring programme has started in September 2001 for analysing illuminances, luminances, electricity consumption by luminaires, working conditions of lighting systems, and acceptance of light conditions by users. New means of monitoring the luminance are daylight analysers, using ccd-cameras with a special software. An additional tool for RADIANCE is developed and tested, which allows to simulate light directing systems. First monitoring results will be presented.