Daylight Transport Systems for Buildings at High Latitudes

Abstract

This paper is a literature study of daylight transport systems aiming at selecting the most appropriate ones for application at high latitudes. It is limited to the systems that transport light at a long distance from the façade and distribute it either in the building core or at a rear place in a room adjacent to the façade. The literature is spanning from the 80s' to the present. It covers the theoretical background and development of the systems from their infancy, through technical development of the design elements and to the adaptation of the systems to different climatic conditions. Since the most literature comes from equatorial and tropical climate, a short contextualization with high latitudes climate is included. Findings are systematized and presented in tables for easier comparison of efficiency, visual comfort, design efficacy, maintenance need, cost and/or availability on the market, and energy-saving potential in different climates. Conclusions confirm that the daylight condition at the location is the main prerequisite when deciding on the type of collector while the building structure and room functionality are the basis for choosing the type of the transport element. Finally, the distribution element showed to be the key factor when discussing applicability in a functional space where the final success depends on human acceptance. This paper can be useful to get an overview of performance characteristics and application preferences of different daylight transport systems or just their components in daylight conditions at high latitudes.

A Novel Approach to Multi-Apertures and Multi-Aspects Ratio Light Pipe

“…This system transmits light from the roof to the underground space through a duct, which is equipped with a converging lens and tracking mirror (heliostat) to direct sunlight. Over the past three decades, innovations in light transmission systems have made great strides; However, these systems have both positive and negative challenges [39], and all aspects (performance, efficiency and commercially) [40] must be considered in order to make the right choice.…”

Economic and Energy Efficiency of Artificial Lighting Control Systems for Stairwells of Multistory Residential Buildings

“…In the literature review [20] has been showed the light efficiency of various components and light conductors for the entire lighting system. The auditory luminous flux of daylight, for various weather conditions and seasons throughout the year, has also been accounted in examined studies in accordance with the requirements for office lighting.…”

A customised method for estimating light transmission efficiency of the horizontal light pipe via a temporal parameter with an example application using laser-cut panels as a collector

“…A review of the literature on daylight transport systems (DTS) revealed that light pipes could reduce the energy used for electrical lighting in commercial buildings at high latitudes by up to 30% [3 , 6 , 9 , 15] . In particular, horizontal daylight tubes mounted in the ceiling plenum have been promoted as a successful solution for a deeper daylighting supplement in multi-storey commercial buildings in locations far north or south [17] . Horizontally-mounted daylight tubes, unlike vertical light tubes, have a limited possibility to receive light from the zenithal part of the sky and will primarily base its light transmission efficiency on direct light from the sun.…”