Recent research has demonstrated that artificial lighting systems are typically the major energy-consuming subsystems in commercial buildings. The use of natural lighting strategies has thus emerged as a major design concept in energy-efficient commercial buildings, particularly since it also provides the architect with additional opportunities to enhance the visual stimulation/habitability of interior spaces. To overcome the limitations imposed on the use of natural lighting by conventional windows, various concepts (primarily reflective light shelves) have been introduced which purportedly improve the distribution and depth of penetration of natural lighting within buildings. However, research conducted at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories indicates that many light shelf applications result in little or no improvement in daylight penetration. Due to the popularity of using light shelves in new building designs, there is a great need to perform comparative research on the performance characteristics of light shelves and document the results for dissemination to the building construction industry. BHKRA proposes to perform energy analyses to compare the thermal and optical performance characteristics of existing and new light shelf concepts in conjunction with scale modeling photometric studies to document the intensity and depth of daylight penetration resulting from various light shelf configurations.The potential commercial application as described by the awardee: This research is aimed at generating information regarding the thermal/optical performance characteristics of light shelves, for use by commercial building designers. If the research indicates that the new light shelf concept provides substantially improved performance, manufacturers' involvement will be sought to develop an improved, modular light shelf that can be mass-produced. Burt Hill Kosar Rittelmann Associates is an architectural engineering firm with a research division.
