Re-Thinking lighting system design based on visual comfort and energy performance

Abstract

Global warming and changing climatic conditions, as well as over-consumption of energy resources have led to the discussion of sustainable and energy-efficient approaches. The buildings have one of the most significant roles in over-energy consumption causing various global effects. Therefore, the importance of developing energy-efficient and energy-retrofit strategies in buildings has been increasing day by day. This study aims to introduce a sustainable lighting system design approach for new and refurbished buildings in terms of visual comfort and energy performance in accordance with the current standards. "TS EN 12464-1:2013 Light and lighting-Lighting of workplaces-Part 1: Indoor workplaces", which describes basic requirements for visual comfort and "TS EN 15193-1:2017 Energy Performance in Buildings-Energy requirements for lighting-Part 1: Specifications", which introduces a renewed and updated methodology to estimate lighting energy performance in buildings are used as the metrics for the approach offering to design sustainable lighting system. Office space for two people is selected as a sample in order to apply the developed approach. Obtaining results demonstrate that the lighting-retrofit design strategies have a great positive impact on visual comfort conditions and energy consumption in the office buildings, where energy use for lighting accounts for a huge proportion of the total energy consumption as well as providing visual comfort conditions is very important.