Different Concept of Daylighting
Generally, most conventional buildings have vertical windows in walls
depending on the availability of solar flux on the wall. However, there are many
other concepts to have natural daylight in a living space. These are as follows:
1. Modern Sky Light
Skylights are a light-transmitting fenestration from outside a building into a
building living space through the roof as shown in Fig. 1. It can be fixed or
operable (for ventilation) glazing area on the roof of a building. Unit skylights
and the sloped glazing in the centre of the roof are used to convey abundant
daylight or top lighting into a living space. A skylight, if operable, can also
serve for ventilating fresh air inside the building able. The structure to be
installed (fixed or operable) on a skylight opening is termed “unit skylight.” It is
made from transparent glass or plastic (fixed with frame) in different shapes and
sizes as per the building requirement.
Fig. 1 (a) View of skylight on inclined Fig. 1 (b) A pair of skylights installed in a
roof of a building. b A pair of skylights cathedral ceiling
installed in a cathedral ceiling
2. Solar Pipe (SP)/Light Tube
Solar pipes/light tubes have less surface area exposed for heat transfer;
therefore, the use of solar pipes reduces heat transfer from the outside
environment. In addition, they provide light on a focused area (Fig. 2) of
interior space of a building.
Fig. 2 View of solar pipe/light tube/tubular daylighting device (TDD)
3. Semitransparent Solar Photovoltaic Lighting System (SSPLS)
In this case, a semitransparent photovoltaic (PV) module with a reasonable
nonpacking factor (NPF) is considered. A set of semitransparent photovoltaic
(PV) modules connected in series and parallel combination is integrated with an
inclined roof to receive the maximum solar radiation for daylighting and
electrical power required by the building as shown in Fig. 3. There is a
daylighting effect inside the building through the nonpacking area of the PV
module. Such roof- integrated semitransparent photovoltaic (PV) modules also
provided a greenhouse effect, which can be used for many applications such as
(i) Daylighting
(ii) Solar crop-drying
(iii) Sun bath
(iv) Electrical power
Fig. 3 View of roof-integrated semitransparent photovoltaic (PV) module.
4. Light Shelves
Light shelves are an effective way to enhance the daylighting provided through
windows on a wall exposed to incoming solar radiation. A highly reflective
metal light shelf is attached to the outside of the window at the top as shown in
Fig. 4. This arrangement with the window will protect direct solar radiation
coming into the living space during summer season due to projection. This
arrangement is also referred as a “light shelf.” Solar radiation falling on a light
shelf is reflected toward the ceiling of the living space; some radiation will be
absorbed (responsible for heating of ceiling an undesirable situation in the
summer), and the rest will be reflected back to the living space and illuminate
the living area. In case of intense solar radiation, glare-control techniques are
needed for proper daylighting.
Fig. 4 View of light shelves integrated into a wall of a building.
5. Light Reflector
Figure 5 shows the manually adjustable light reflector, which was mostly used
in office buildings in past. Currently it is seldom used. The adjustment of the
reflector depends on the season in order to have maximum daylighting into a
living space.
Fig. 5 View of adjustable light reflector attached to an exposed window.
6. Tubular Daylighting Devices (TDDs)
Tubular daylighting devices (TDDs) are devices that provide daylight through
tubes integrated with walls or the roof of the building as shown in Fig. 6. These
tubes collect daylight from a transparent dome structure mounted on them.
TDDs can be a simple tube with a high reflective coating or filled with bundles
of optical fibers. The daylight carried by TDDs is distributed using a diffuser
assembly for the homogeneous distribution of light in a whole living area.
These devices are promising techniques to provide daylighting in multistory
residential and commercial buildings.
Fig. 6 Tubular Daylighting
7. Sawtooth Roof
A sawtooth roof is very old concept used in old factories for using daylight
inside the building. It is an arrangement of vertical glass opposite the exposed
area of the roof. A sawtooth roof allows diffuse solar radiation. The prime
disadvantage of these structures is that the exposed area increases unwanted
thermal losses during winter seasons because it allows loss of thermal energy
from the exposed glass.
8. Heliostats
A heliostat, as shown in Fig. 7, is a mirror that rotates with the motion of the
Sun. The heliostat move in phase with the direction of the Sun and reflects solar
radiation in a single direction. These advanced technology devices are used to
shine the glazed portion of the building such as the window, a skylight (Fig. 1),
and tight tubes (Fig. 2). The light received from these glazed portions is further
used to illuminate the interiors of a room. A heliostat is more energy efficient
technique because it uses maximum available solar radiation throughout day.
Fig. 7 View of a heliostat mirror.
9. Smart-Glass Window
The glazing window made of smart-glass materials is known as a smart-glass
windowas shown in Fig. 8. Smart-glass is a material that changes its optical
properties significantly on application of a voltage to the material or by applying
some mechanical treatment. These materials can behave as a transparent glass
sheet or as a reflective surface or retro-reflective surface with a variation of
voltage or mechanical treatment. Therefore, these materials can be tuned per the
daylighting requirement inside the living space.
Fig. 8 Smart-Glass Window
10. Fiber-Optic Concrete Wall (FOCW)
Fiber-optic concrete wall/translucent concrete wall, also known as a light
transmitting concrete wall, is made of enhanced light-transmitting building
materials having compatibility with concrete. These materials are embedded
with optical fiber cables as shown in Fig. 9. Solar radiation falls on the outer
portion of the fiber-optic concrete wall and is captured by the optical fiber
cables and transmitted to the inner space of the wall. The quantity and quality of
the daylight in living space depend on the material as well as other structural
properties of the optical fiber. Light-transmitting concretes are mainly used on
windows and the interior surface of walls. These materials are made by mixing
fine-grain concrete (approximately 95 %) with optical fiber cables
(approximately 5 %). After casting processes, these translucent concretes can be
cut in the desired shape and sizes per the building requirement using advanced
machines. The mounting of translucent concrete structures on the façade and
walls of the building must be performed in such a way that it results in a
uniform distribution of day/artificial lighting inside living area.
Fig. 9 View of translucent concrete wall at Expo Bau 2011, München/Germany.
11. Hybrid Solar Lighting (HSL)
Hybrid solar lighting was developed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory
(ORNL). This technology can eliminate the requirement for artificial light
during day time. Hybrid solar-lighting system comprise a light-collector system
mounted on the roof of building, optical fiber cables, and fluorescent lighting
fixtures with transparent rods attached to optical fiber cables. During evening
hours, when the intensity of the sunlight decreases, fluorescent fixtures
gradually turn on and maintain a nearly constant luminance level in the interior
space. At night hours, the fluorescent lighting system is electronically operated.
The cost of these systems is a major concern that must be addressed. In near
future, hybrid solar lighting may become a promising technology for
daylighting.
12. Solarium
A solarium is a glass house attached to a building having orientation toward
either the south in northern hemisphere or the north in southern hemisphere to
receive the maximum solar radiation as shown in Fig. 10. In this case, the
partition opaque wall between the solarium and the building can have a
provision of (i) glazed window, (ii) smart glass window, and (iii) Fiber-optic
concrete wall (FOCW), (Fig. 9) for daylighting. In addition to daylighting, the
solarium can be used for many other applications such as (i) daylighting (ii), sun
bath, and (iii) heating of the attached room, etc. There can be another
application for producing electricity if glass materials are replaced by a
semitransparent photovoltaic module as shown in Fig. 3.
Fig. 10 Solarium
