Hybrid Lighting System: The Future of Day lighting

Thiladhavathy, Shiana Bright

Anna University - School of Architecture and Planning, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract
Hybrid lighting system is the combination of active and passive solar systems that is
capable of delivering daylight and electric light into a building which can be distributed
via luminaires. Artificial lighting consumes a substantial part of total electrical energy
consumed in commercial buildings. It is high time to realize that we are running out of
resources and hence building industry should start applying innovative alternatives to
make use of renewable resources in a building. The study focuses on the development
of potential ways to bring in the daylight and utilize the most of it to conserve energy
in public and private buildings, hence protecting the environment. The suitability of
HLS system for various types of buildings and for the different climatic regions in India
is also analysed. Unlike conventional solar panels, hybrid lighting technology has
many benefits of natural lighting that sums up with the advantages of an electric
lighting system to offer flexibility, convenience, reliability and control. Whilst there are
developments happening with the energy efficient lighting equipment, application of
daylight in buildings has the viability to cut down energy consumption tremendously
although the initial cost is high. Hence it requires more developments to increase their
applicability in buildings for the developers started focusing on augment systems’
performance.

Keywords : Hybrid Lighting, Daylight, Electric light, Energy Saving, Optical Fibre

1. Introduction
It’s just been a century old since we have begun using artificial lighting in buildings.
Before 1940s daylight was considered substantial in determining the form and
technology used, as it was the only light source available for a building. Only after 20
years of widespread usage of artificial lighting which has overgrown the need of
daylighting, designers have agreed upon the damages they have brought to the
environment by consuming more of non-renewable energy and contributing to climate
change. Now that the coals’ days are numbered, the world which was shying away
from green power for a while has rediscovered the usage of renewable energy. Before
two decades adopting renewable technologies were economically unviable, but today,
Germany and the UK get about a quarter of their electricity from renewables. Although
coal is still the main source of energy worldwide, the share of renewables is growing
in other major economies like Brazil, India and China as well. However, benefits from
daylighting extend beyond architecture and energy. The psychological and
physiological aspects of natural light should also be considered.
Even though the daylight guidance systems are available for the past decade or so,
there is still a dearth of knowledge about the system as it is striving to get commercially
successful due to the limitations it offered and it delivers solely daylight. Whereas the
possibility of delivering daylight and electric light to the same space via luminaire-like
output devices have led to the development of Hybrid Lighting Systems (HLS).
Conventional solar light uses 15% of solar energy and convert it into electrical energy
to light the bulb whilst in HLS there is no change in energy form and 50% of sunlight
is mirrored indoors. The system works in such a way that on a sunny day majority of
the light comes from daylight, reducing the need for artificial light by 50%. On a cloudy
day, artificial light generated by the solar energy can be used to lit the spaces inside
which ensures a constant supply of light inside the building. A single collector of 4’ size
is able to lit 1000sq.m area producing lesser heat which results in less cooling loads.
The applicability of this system is benefiting in Warehouses, manufacturing units, large
retail spaces and offices etc. Since there is a positive trend in the use of renewable
sources of energy, future of solar lights to reduce electric energy consumption for
lighting is wholly justifiable.

2. Towards Hybrid Lighting Approach

Being the most recent development of this idea,

Case Study: K.I.T’s College of Engineering, Kolhapur

Deadline: Nov 18
Before Oct 20th: Working Principle of Various Types & Climate Study
Before Oct 27th: Methodology & Analysis
Before Nov 3rd: Calculations & Charts
Before Nov 10th: Discussion & Conclusion
Before Nov 17th: