Daylighting is the practice of placing windows or other openings and reflective surfaces so that during the day natural light provides effective internal lighting. Before the electric light was invented, designing buildings so that daylight could enter interior spaces was a necessity. Even through the glass, the sun provides 5,000 foot-candles on a clear day and 1,000 foot-candles on a cloudy day. Effective use of daylighting can save up to 75 percent of the energy used for electric lighting in a building. The biggest problem with daylighting design is traditional building approach to a daylighting project. Issues such as type of glass, cooling loads and lighting systems should be addressed during design, saving on change order costs, mechanical and electrical costs and operating costs.
Common ways to admit daylight into a space:
- Windows
- Light reflectors
- Light shelves
- Skylights
- Light tubes
- Clerestory windows
- Sawtooth Roof
- Solarium
- Fiber-optic concrete wall
- Hybrid solar lighting