Energy Conservation in Architecture: An Analysis of Daylighting Techniques and Their
Impact on Building Energy Efficiency
Daylighting is one of the most environmentally friendly techniques of managing the flow of
natural light into a building’s inner surface. Without any doubt, daylight contributes a significant
role in conserving electrical energy, particularly in modern buildings. The use of daylight can
considerably reduce the demand for artificial lighting boost productivity levels customer
satisfaction, thus, improving sales. In light of current environmental and energy issues,
daylighting has been investigated and is currently one of the most often utilized energy-
efficiency measures in buildings to reduce energy consumption in lighting systems, which is one
of the key aims of energy conservation. This research paper will investigate and analyse how
daylighting and light systems have helped save energy compared to artificial lighting.
Consumers’ use of daylighting to minimise electrical power consumption was explored as a
sustainable energy conservation method. Given that lighting accounts for 30% of the world’s
electricity usage, savings in lighting consumption will be directed to industrial purposes,
resulting in the re-opening of certain businesses and the creation of employment. In a growing
economy, integrating daylighting into architectural design and maximising daylighting for
interior and exterior electrical lighting would provide a desired, long-term electricity supply.
Therefore, this study examines and analyses how daylighting improves building energy
efficiency. This incorporates cooling load, overall energy usage, and lighting energy
performance. The research paper also examines the approaches used to evaluate the potential
decrease in overall energy usage. Previous research has shown that using an appropriate lighting
control system to leverage available natural light may result in a significant decrease in the
energy spent by electric lighting as well as the overall energy end-use.
Introduction
One of the contemporary industrial economy’s primary and essential needs is energy
consumption (Mohsin et al., 2019, 32824). For daily tasks, the commercial and other working
areas consume a lot of energy. Various alternate strategies for energy conservation provide a
helping hand in overcoming critical energy consumption challenges. Daylighting, for example, is
promoted as a different technique of saving energy in enterprises throughout the day (Han et al.,
2019). Daylighting is defined as a method of incorporating windows, different apertures, and
reversing surfaces into a structure in order to allow sunshine to enter and offer illumination to the
industry throughout the day (Pilechiha et al., 2020). The suggested strategy has been deemed an
appropriate source in the sectors to overcome energy constraints due to the significant use of
electric power. In recent decades, matching daylighting has been recognised as a reliable source
of light in office and commercial buildings.
Daylight is a valued lighting source in office and commercial buildings (Turan et al.,
2020, 168). Before the mid-twentieth century, when fluorescent lights became more economical,
and energy became less costly, it was the primary source of lighting for building interiors (Leslie
et al., 2018, 80). The widespread use of mechanical ventilation and electric lighting undermined
the strong relationship between interiors and exterior, to the point that fenestration was regarded
,redundant in certain instances (Nastasi, May, and Snell, 2018). Daylight reclaimed popularity in
the 1970s due to energy shortages as a result of the oil crisis. After losing prominence in the late
2000s, it has regained acceptance in recent decades owing to energy-saving concerns (Rao, 2019,
1275).
The amount of light in interior areas may be measured using several measures, but the
quality is arbitrary and dependent on human requirements. The residents’ circadian rhythm is
improved by the variety of daylight alternating day and night, which is favourable to their health
(Abbott, Malkani, and Zee, 2019, 578). Daylight have significant role in people’s physiological
and mental wellbeing.
Daylight can become accessible for the interior of the building from multiple sources:
direct sun rays, diffused by clouds and sky then reflected by the exterior, as well as straight from
the interior space (Eltaweel et al., 2020, 606). Because of its amount, quality, and transmission
capability, direct sun radiation is the most popular source of daylight. Natural light has a
favourable impact on the occupants comfort in retail settings. Users prefer to invest additional
time in business spaces that are well-lit throughout the day, boosting profits. Edwards and
Torcellini (2002) found that using skylights increased sales by 40 per cent on average as per
research done by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the United States. The Heschong
Mahone Group produced a study for the Pacific Gas and Electric Company of the United States
that had similar conclusions (Boutet, Hernández and Jacobo, 2020, 2472).
Daylight is particularly significant for commercial buildings and offices because of the
regular working hours in which the facilities are used and the day time when sunlight is available
(Samadi et al., 2019). Furthermore, single-story buildings, such as large retail malls, may benefit
from natural light not just by windows but, more crucially, through skylights having a stronger
light intensity and enable light to penetrate the center of the building. In order to maximize the
amount of natural light, it is important to design the glazing surfaces in an optimal way
(Tabadkani et al., 2019, 106). When installing wall windows and skylights, remember that
deflectors or shading devices may be necessary to minimize or eliminate distracting glare due to
sunlight or direct sun radiation.
In terms of daylight, a typical commercial retail shop is dim during the starting and final
hours of occupancy, as well as in the winter “in the northern hemisphere,” which might be
enough if utilized properly (Jackson, 2021). Natural light, alternatively, may be so bright
throughout the day and in the summer that it interferes with eyesight and generates undesired
solar heat gains. To provide the required lighting while minimising energy consumption, it is
critical to properly design and balance various aspects like interiors, exterior layouts, shading
devices, and windows.
Daylight may substantially impact energy use in commercial buildings, particularly retail
buildings and single-story shopping malls. Artificial lighting constitutes approximately 40 per
cent of overall energy usage, implying that using natural light as an indoor illumination source
might save a lot of money (Ashrafian and Moazzen, 2019, 47).
, In today’s low-energy structures, energy-saving luminaires, daylighting, and demand-
based lighting systems are increasingly dominant. Many studies indicate the impact of lighting
systems and daylighting on lighting energy consumption, based on computer assessments and
field measurements undertaken for various kinds of buildings. According to studies, effective
lighting schedules in response to daylight fluctuations may save office buildings up to 50% on
electric lighting. The demand of artificial lighting may be reduced or perhaps eliminated with the
help of daylighting and its associated controls and sensors. Chen et al. (2014) reveal that
artificial lighting dimming control combined with daylighting can save 36.1 per cent of the
energy used by industrial buildings. De Luca et al. (2018) found that utilizing a constant dimming
lighting control system may reduce yearly electrical lighting use by up to 20 per cent, while
using an automated on/off switch can reduce up to 17%S in large hall space. The constant
dimming technique saved 68 per cent, while the automated on/off system saved 31.5 per cent.
Employing dynamic dimming systems, economical ballasts, and LED lights that can be reduced
to extremely low power may improve energy savings for electric lighting, unlike fluorescent
lights, which cannot be dimmed any further.
While reducing artificial illumination via daylighting approaches would decrease
electricity consumption, it will also have an impact on cooling and heating loads, as well as the
building’s overall energy consumption (Chi, Moreno, and Navarro, 2018,175). Due to decreased
thermal resistance and enhanced solar heat absorption, widening glazing regions while reducing
internal loads via management control and illumination would cause significant cooling and
heating energy demands in the winter. Simultaneously, well-designed shading systems may help
minimize cooling loads by reducing heat gains, minimizing potential contrast and glaring
impacts, and increasing comfort conditions by allowing sufficient sunshine into the building
when it is necessary.
There are many studies about the daylight impact on the energy efficiency of side-lighted
commercial spaces and offices. According to a few scientific research results, gaining energy
savings through skylights is typically challenging – the glass type and area must be adequately
optimised to account for the daylight-induced cooling penetration. Motamedi and Liedl (2017)
developed a simulation of a one-storey office building in San Francisco and revealed that the
ideal skylight to floor area ratio is 5-6 per cent leading to a 19 per cent energy savings.
Additionally, they determined that a skylight ratio greater than 14 percent would not result in
energy savings. According to Heschong Mahone Group’s study, skylights can save between 20
and 30 percent of a building’s total energy consumption, including savings of roughly 20 percent
for electric lighting. Additionally, energy savings from daylighting may rise by up to 20 percent
when clearstories and skylights are combined with automatic artificial lighting controls.
The research paper is prepared as follows: part 2 covers a literature review on the topic,
part 3 examines the suggested research methods, part 4 analyzes the findings of the research
methods, and part 5 concludes the study.
Objectives
The objectives presented by this research paper are:
Impact on Building Energy Efficiency
Daylighting is one of the most environmentally friendly techniques of managing the flow of
natural light into a building’s inner surface. Without any doubt, daylight contributes a significant
role in conserving electrical energy, particularly in modern buildings. The use of daylight can
considerably reduce the demand for artificial lighting boost productivity levels customer
satisfaction, thus, improving sales. In light of current environmental and energy issues,
daylighting has been investigated and is currently one of the most often utilized energy-
efficiency measures in buildings to reduce energy consumption in lighting systems, which is one
of the key aims of energy conservation. This research paper will investigate and analyse how
daylighting and light systems have helped save energy compared to artificial lighting.
Consumers’ use of daylighting to minimise electrical power consumption was explored as a
sustainable energy conservation method. Given that lighting accounts for 30% of the world’s
electricity usage, savings in lighting consumption will be directed to industrial purposes,
resulting in the re-opening of certain businesses and the creation of employment. In a growing
economy, integrating daylighting into architectural design and maximising daylighting for
interior and exterior electrical lighting would provide a desired, long-term electricity supply.
Therefore, this study examines and analyses how daylighting improves building energy
efficiency. This incorporates cooling load, overall energy usage, and lighting energy
performance. The research paper also examines the approaches used to evaluate the potential
decrease in overall energy usage. Previous research has shown that using an appropriate lighting
control system to leverage available natural light may result in a significant decrease in the
energy spent by electric lighting as well as the overall energy end-use.
Introduction
One of the contemporary industrial economy’s primary and essential needs is energy
consumption (Mohsin et al., 2019, 32824). For daily tasks, the commercial and other working
areas consume a lot of energy. Various alternate strategies for energy conservation provide a
helping hand in overcoming critical energy consumption challenges. Daylighting, for example, is
promoted as a different technique of saving energy in enterprises throughout the day (Han et al.,
2019). Daylighting is defined as a method of incorporating windows, different apertures, and
reversing surfaces into a structure in order to allow sunshine to enter and offer illumination to the
industry throughout the day (Pilechiha et al., 2020). The suggested strategy has been deemed an
appropriate source in the sectors to overcome energy constraints due to the significant use of
electric power. In recent decades, matching daylighting has been recognised as a reliable source
of light in office and commercial buildings.
Daylight is a valued lighting source in office and commercial buildings (Turan et al.,
2020, 168). Before the mid-twentieth century, when fluorescent lights became more economical,
and energy became less costly, it was the primary source of lighting for building interiors (Leslie
et al., 2018, 80). The widespread use of mechanical ventilation and electric lighting undermined
the strong relationship between interiors and exterior, to the point that fenestration was regarded
,redundant in certain instances (Nastasi, May, and Snell, 2018). Daylight reclaimed popularity in
the 1970s due to energy shortages as a result of the oil crisis. After losing prominence in the late
2000s, it has regained acceptance in recent decades owing to energy-saving concerns (Rao, 2019,
1275).
The amount of light in interior areas may be measured using several measures, but the
quality is arbitrary and dependent on human requirements. The residents’ circadian rhythm is
improved by the variety of daylight alternating day and night, which is favourable to their health
(Abbott, Malkani, and Zee, 2019, 578). Daylight have significant role in people’s physiological
and mental wellbeing.
Daylight can become accessible for the interior of the building from multiple sources:
direct sun rays, diffused by clouds and sky then reflected by the exterior, as well as straight from
the interior space (Eltaweel et al., 2020, 606). Because of its amount, quality, and transmission
capability, direct sun radiation is the most popular source of daylight. Natural light has a
favourable impact on the occupants comfort in retail settings. Users prefer to invest additional
time in business spaces that are well-lit throughout the day, boosting profits. Edwards and
Torcellini (2002) found that using skylights increased sales by 40 per cent on average as per
research done by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the United States. The Heschong
Mahone Group produced a study for the Pacific Gas and Electric Company of the United States
that had similar conclusions (Boutet, Hernández and Jacobo, 2020, 2472).
Daylight is particularly significant for commercial buildings and offices because of the
regular working hours in which the facilities are used and the day time when sunlight is available
(Samadi et al., 2019). Furthermore, single-story buildings, such as large retail malls, may benefit
from natural light not just by windows but, more crucially, through skylights having a stronger
light intensity and enable light to penetrate the center of the building. In order to maximize the
amount of natural light, it is important to design the glazing surfaces in an optimal way
(Tabadkani et al., 2019, 106). When installing wall windows and skylights, remember that
deflectors or shading devices may be necessary to minimize or eliminate distracting glare due to
sunlight or direct sun radiation.
In terms of daylight, a typical commercial retail shop is dim during the starting and final
hours of occupancy, as well as in the winter “in the northern hemisphere,” which might be
enough if utilized properly (Jackson, 2021). Natural light, alternatively, may be so bright
throughout the day and in the summer that it interferes with eyesight and generates undesired
solar heat gains. To provide the required lighting while minimising energy consumption, it is
critical to properly design and balance various aspects like interiors, exterior layouts, shading
devices, and windows.
Daylight may substantially impact energy use in commercial buildings, particularly retail
buildings and single-story shopping malls. Artificial lighting constitutes approximately 40 per
cent of overall energy usage, implying that using natural light as an indoor illumination source
might save a lot of money (Ashrafian and Moazzen, 2019, 47).
, In today’s low-energy structures, energy-saving luminaires, daylighting, and demand-
based lighting systems are increasingly dominant. Many studies indicate the impact of lighting
systems and daylighting on lighting energy consumption, based on computer assessments and
field measurements undertaken for various kinds of buildings. According to studies, effective
lighting schedules in response to daylight fluctuations may save office buildings up to 50% on
electric lighting. The demand of artificial lighting may be reduced or perhaps eliminated with the
help of daylighting and its associated controls and sensors. Chen et al. (2014) reveal that
artificial lighting dimming control combined with daylighting can save 36.1 per cent of the
energy used by industrial buildings. De Luca et al. (2018) found that utilizing a constant dimming
lighting control system may reduce yearly electrical lighting use by up to 20 per cent, while
using an automated on/off switch can reduce up to 17%S in large hall space. The constant
dimming technique saved 68 per cent, while the automated on/off system saved 31.5 per cent.
Employing dynamic dimming systems, economical ballasts, and LED lights that can be reduced
to extremely low power may improve energy savings for electric lighting, unlike fluorescent
lights, which cannot be dimmed any further.
While reducing artificial illumination via daylighting approaches would decrease
electricity consumption, it will also have an impact on cooling and heating loads, as well as the
building’s overall energy consumption (Chi, Moreno, and Navarro, 2018,175). Due to decreased
thermal resistance and enhanced solar heat absorption, widening glazing regions while reducing
internal loads via management control and illumination would cause significant cooling and
heating energy demands in the winter. Simultaneously, well-designed shading systems may help
minimize cooling loads by reducing heat gains, minimizing potential contrast and glaring
impacts, and increasing comfort conditions by allowing sufficient sunshine into the building
when it is necessary.
There are many studies about the daylight impact on the energy efficiency of side-lighted
commercial spaces and offices. According to a few scientific research results, gaining energy
savings through skylights is typically challenging – the glass type and area must be adequately
optimised to account for the daylight-induced cooling penetration. Motamedi and Liedl (2017)
developed a simulation of a one-storey office building in San Francisco and revealed that the
ideal skylight to floor area ratio is 5-6 per cent leading to a 19 per cent energy savings.
Additionally, they determined that a skylight ratio greater than 14 percent would not result in
energy savings. According to Heschong Mahone Group’s study, skylights can save between 20
and 30 percent of a building’s total energy consumption, including savings of roughly 20 percent
for electric lighting. Additionally, energy savings from daylighting may rise by up to 20 percent
when clearstories and skylights are combined with automatic artificial lighting controls.
The research paper is prepared as follows: part 2 covers a literature review on the topic,
part 3 examines the suggested research methods, part 4 analyzes the findings of the research
methods, and part 5 concludes the study.
Objectives
The objectives presented by this research paper are:
