Energy and Buildings 36 (2004) 1163–1176

Daylight and energy performances of a new type of light pipe

R. Canziani, F. Peron∗ , G. Rossi
Dipartimento di Costruzione dell’Architettura, University IUAV of Venice, Dorsoduro, 2206-I 30135 Venezia, Italy
Received 15 March 2004; received in revised form 30 April 2004; accepted 6 May 2004

Abstract

Daylight represents a free source of illumination of building’s internal spaces. For the right and optimal use of this resource, in addition
to the resort to some simple designing expedients that can be brought back to the practice of “building in a workmanlike manner”, it
is possible to adopt specific devices able to improve the sunlight captation. Among these devices a class that presents a very interesting
compromise between simplicity of realization, costs and daylighting performances is represented by the so-called “light pipes”. Light pipes
usually work by means of a device placed on an external closing element which attends to collect, redirect and in some cases, concentrate or
collimate the incident luminous flux, and a device situated inside the environments able to transport the daylight inwards the building and
distribute it into the deep zone of the rooms so as to obtain a better illuminance distribution. In this work, we propose a light pipe equipped
with a flat captation system suitable to be integrated in a building’s facade, without any protrusion as to the architectural envelope.
This system includes: a planar closing element, a sunlight’s collecting and deflecting device that optimizes the direction of the incoming
solar rays as the solar position varies, a rectilinear duct with optical properties suitable for the transport of the sunlight and for its introduction
into the room that has to be illuminated.
The daylighting performances are simulated in different conditions of external illuminance and it is done an assessment of the lighting
energy savings in a test room simulating a class room. At the end, some considerations and applying indications useful for the designer
are presented.
© 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Daylight; Sunlight captation; Light pipes

1. Introduction with a temporal length depending on the seasons, while hu-

Over the last decades, there has been a progressive aban-
doning of the daylighting’s use in illumination’s strategy,
relegating its optimal use to a rule of secondary level in the
common designing workflow. This has meant an increasing
dependence on artificial lighting and a progressive abandon-
ing of methods and technologies developed in the previous
centuries, concerning daylighting’s treatment and exploita-
tion and also the limitation of the research and innovation
in this sector. One of the reasons for this state of things
must be searched in the deep change of living due to the
passing from working agricultural activities, mostly done in
external environments, to productive activities mainly done
in closed environments, based on a working time that for
many months in a year exceeds the sunset’s time. Further-
more, there is the fact that in any case daylighting is avail-
able with an intensity that changes in an aleatory way and
∗ Corresponding author. Tel.: +39-041-257-1302;
fax: +39-041-257-1296.
E-mail address: fperon@iuav.it (F. Peron).
man activities have taken on a rhythm that cannot depend on
aleatory factors. Last but not least, it must be considered the
availability of low cost energy of these last decades, except
during short periods due to political–economical crises and
the development of reliable and efficient lighting systems,
available by now in the market.
In building’s current planning, the forecast of daylight-
ing’s behaviour is generally tackled in an inadequate way
using instruments not suitable to the complexity of the prob-
lem (for example, the ratio between glazing and floor sur-
faces); excluding in this way, every energetic and lighting
evaluation, even only qualitative from the planning work-
flow and proceeding to a formal check only when the project
is finished.
The consciousness of the necessity to contain the energy’s
consumptions and considerations about the total primary
energy consumed by a building, on the contrary, suggest
quite the opposite strategy (for example [1–3]). Inevitably,
this way of proceeding brings frequently to a massive use of
artificial lighting, employed to counterbalance the scarcity
of daylighting, heavily engraving on the building’s global

0378-7788/$ – see front matter © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2004.05.001
1164 R. Canziani et al. / Energy and Buildings 36 (2004) 1163–1176
Fig. 1. (a) Average work plane illuminance profile with (a) sidelighting and (b) light pipe.
energy balance; indeed, in addition to the electric power
directly employed for lighting, a remarkable portion is
consumed by cooling systems to get rid of the thermic loads
produced by the illuminating devices inside the rooms.
This trend is particularly emphasized in those buildings
that are employed for the services sector (directional and
commercial buildings, schools, hospitals, sporting installa-
tions, community’s buildings, etc.) where it is very frequent
the discarding of the building envelope as light source, and
the creation of an internal environment totally artificial, even
during daytime.
On the other hand, the prevalence of compact constructive
typologies having great depth and side openings with low
transparency glazing necessarily causes a quick decay of
the daylighting’s level in the environments, as the distance
from windows increases; in fact, the depth of the adequately
lighted area rarely exceeds twice the height of the openings
(Fig. 1a).
Over the last decades, the statement of the so-called
“energy-conscious architecture” also produced the develop-
ment of a new planning methodology in which, besides the
technics of solar-heating and passive cooling, daylighting
rational exploitation assumes a role of primary importance;
for this aim, sophisticated systems and technics of daylight-
ing have been studied and developed to control the intensity
of the solar radiation, its internal distribution as well as the
energetic gains and losses, improving at the same time, the
comfort and the visual performances of the environments
[4–7]. The most recurring approach is represented by the
sunbeam’s controlled deviation, which is directed towards
the ceiling of the rooms to be successively spread, more
or less uniformly, all over the room; this field also com-
prises the advanced systems of daylighting’s collection and
transport, named light pipes: they usually work by means
of a device placed in the external end that intercepts, devi-
ates and sometimes concentrates or collimates the incident
beam, which is subsequently directed towards the deep-
est area of the rooms to get the best distribution of the
illuminance.(Fig. 1b).
This project is included in this field of research, having
as object the design of one of these lighting devices, able to
collect and adequately convey the sunlight into the deepest
areas of the rooms, and the assessment of its performances.
2. The proposed light pipe
In this work, a device is set up to make available natural
luminous radiation inside, paying particular attention to ob-
tain a luminous environment suitable for a comfortable use
of the rooms, either in terms of quantity and mostly of qual-
ity. On the other side, the control of energy exchanges with
the external environment have not been neglected, by reduc-
ing transparent openings. The research soon turned to obtain
a component responding to the following characteristics:
• capability of attenuation of the illuminance gradient be-
tween the deepest zones of the rooms and those ones close
to the openings;
• control of the direct solar component and glare’s potential
phenomenon;
• possibility of exploiting the daylighting’s potential of en-
ergy saving, both in terms of reduction of the electric
power’s consumption for the artificial lighting, and in
terms of reduction of thermic loads;
• ease of integration in the building, by the containment of
the section’s dimensions;
• possibility of use also in pre-existent structures, as im-
proving solution of the conditions of environments’ lumi-
nous comfort;
• possibility of an adequate degree of compositive integra-
tion with the canonical elements of architecture by the
dimensional reduction of the external opening and the
maintenance of facade’s planarity;
• constructive and functional simplicity to contain the costs
of realization and management.
Altogether, these considerations brought to the design of
the device represented in Fig. 2. The reported measures are
of no absolute value, since there is an interdependence be-
tween the light pipe’s geometry and that one of the room
in which it has to be used, but they refer to an application
in a standard test room 7 m width × 11.5 m depth × 3.5 m
ceiling height; in any case, similar reasonings and conclu-
sions are obviously possible by proper geometric modifica-
tions. The device’s definition was carried on starting from a
basic idea and varying both dimensions and physical prop-
erties of materials and verifying the obtained performances
by numerical simulation.
 R. Canziani et al. / Energy and Buildings 36 (2004) 1163–1176
Fig. 2. Light pipe: quoted plan and sections.
Light pipe’s specific peculiarity is to carry out the trans-
port of the daylight in horizontal direction allowing, there-
fore, its use in every south-facing room. It has a transversal
section of trapezoidal shape (in fact, the sides are tilted of
2◦ with regard to the base’s normal direction), that varies in
its dimensions according to the distance from the external
opening, which has an area equal to only 0.29 m2 (0.27 m ×
1.07 m); the diffusion of the collected light inside the room
is secured by a series of nine openings, different in sizes, for
a total area of 24.7 m2 . The openings are placed beginning
from a distance of 2.6 m from the external opening, in such
a way as to increase the uniformity’s level in the work plane
illuminance distribution. The whole device has a shape with
an overall height less than 0.5 m so as to be quite easily
fitted into the technical spaces also available for the other
plants’ ducts, and in any case to allow an application also
for lighting refurbishment of pre-existing buildings, by the
realization of a simple false ceiling.
In fact, the designed device, rather than a single compo-
nent, is a system of components for daylighting, since it is
made of a set of distinct parts that differ in functions and
physical–optical properties; these parts are separately ex-
plained and illustrated in detail in Fig. 3.
2.1. Reflecting chamber
It is the area where the sunbeam is collected and redi-
rected inwards, thanks to the combined actions of the active
reflector and of the chamber’s walls; its sides continue into
the inner chamber named diffusing chamber, since they are
1165
needed to collimate the oblique sunbeam in cases of solar
positions not in axis with the pipe. The chamber is coated
with a highly reflecting film (total reflectance ρt = 0.95,
specular reflectance ρs = 0.92).
2.2. Reflector
It is the device that collects and redirects solar rays; it
belongs to the category of active daylighting components,
since it varies its inclination according to the incident sun-
beam angle determined by the different sun’s positions dur-
ing the day and the seasons, covering a set of positions which
starts from an inclination approximately equal to 7◦ (Fig. 4,
12/21, 09:00 a.m./03:00 p.m.), till an inclination equal to
36.7◦ (Fig. 5, 6/21, 09:00 a.m./03:00 p.m.).
2.3. Diffusing chamber
It is used to spread the light collimated by the reflector and
by the reflecting chamber towards the inner openings, and
has a longitudinal section slightly tapered towards the bot-
tom of the room; this expedient has been taken to compensate
the decay of the luminous flux; it is coated with a perfectly
diffusing material, with a reflectance equal to ρd = 0.9.
2.4. Glazing openings
The outer opening is closed by a simple glazing with
a transmittance coefficient equal to τ = 0.86; on the in-
ner openings, there are two types of translucent diffusers
1166 R. Canziani et al. / Energy and Buildings 36 (2004) 1163–1176

Fig. 3. Light pipe’s components: (a) reflecting chamber; (b) reflector; (c) diffusing chamber and (d) glazing openings.

perfectly diffusing (Fig. 3d); the first one includes six ele-
ments (grey colour) with a transmittance of τ d = 0.88, while
the second one formed by the three openings of black colour
has a transmittance equal to τ d = 0.35; the area that over-
hangs these last three openings corresponds to the zone of
incidence of the sunbeam collimated by the reflector, there-
fore, requesting the control of the luminous energy’s peaks
that are present.
It is worth considering the reflector in detail. As al-
ready mentioned, the starting idea was not to realize a
dynamic device, since it was in contrast with the proper-
ties of functional and constructive simplicity which had to
be kept in the device; however, the performed simulations
Fig. 4. Reflector winter limit conditions.
shown the difficulty to control the uniformity of the inter-
nal illuminance in case of employment of fixed reflecting
systems as well as a very poor performance with oblique
sunbeams.
Therefore, the necessity of a dynamic device of reflection
and collimation of the incident sunbeam came out, and we
tried to solve it in the less sophisticated possible way (Fig. 6).
The adopted solution consists of a reflector formed by a
metal sheet (aluminum, for example) with a thickness ade-
quate to sustain the traction’s efforts, which are extremely
limited, and to guarantee the flexibility needed for the mo-
bile device’s operation. This sheet is constrained along an
edge to the frame of the pipe’s external opening, and at
the other end, to a flat bar connected to two springs, that
serve to maintain the right tension’s degree of the sheet itself
(Fig. 7). Fig. 5. Reflector summer limit conditions.
 R. Canziani et al. / Energy and Buildings 36 (2004) 1163–1176
Fig. 6. Detail of the reflector, the electric motor and the obscuring curtain.
The right inclination of the metal sheet is guaranteed by
a little cylindrical bar, covered with anti-scratch material as
Teflon or similar material that maintains the reflector in con-
tact with the pipe’s bottom, thanks to a proper guide in the
reflecting chamber’s wall; this bar can slide in longitudinal
direction due to a toothed belt connected to an electric mo-
tor. Clearly, to get best results, the control of this motor has
to be delegated to an electronic management system, but
there can also be provided the possibility of manual control
to adapt the luminosity’s level furnished by the device to the
subjective needs.
A device of total obscuring is predicted, consisting of a
simple curtain with automatic winding, placed in the zone
immediately close to the external opening that can be set
in action both manually and in a servo-assisted way; on the
contrary, the modulation of the inner luminous level, both
quantitative and spatial, can be obtained by the manual reg-
ulation of the reflector’s inclination. Concerning materials
and their physical properties, the aluminum sheet is finished
by a silver plating, executed by hot-rolling, that is protected
from abrasions by a film of polyethylene (PET); in this way,
it is obtained a coefficient of total reflectance ρt = 0.95 and
of specular reflectance ρs = 0.92, which remain constant
with time, also thanks to the cleaning effect of the cylindri-
cal bar of inclination’s regulation.
Fig. 7. Detail of the contrasting spring.
1167
3. Analysis of the system’s daylighting performances
The device has been optimized and its performances have
been studied verifying the conditions of the illuminance
inside a test room by the use of two simulation software:
Radiance [8] and Opticad [9]. The first one is based on a
backward ray-tracing algorithm which calculates the rays’
path starting from the chosen point of view to the lumi-
nous source; through the physical–optical interations with
the model’s surfaces, it allows the qualitative and quantita-
tive analysis of the illuminance conditions both inside and
outside the environments and permits a photo realistic ren-
dering of them [10–12]. The second one, instead, is based
on a forward ray-tracing model and allows the visualization
of the rays’ path in every optical device. It permit a detailed
analysis of the sunbeam’s path into the designed pipe, ver-
ifying the shape of the reflector and of the pipe in such a
way as to obtain the optimal performances for the different
solar positions.
The environment taken as reference case consists of an
empty rectangular room of 7 m wide, 11.5 m deep and 3.5 m
high, with an area equal to 80.5 m2 , which was thought as
a class room. On one of the short sides, there has been
disposed a simple glazing with an area equal to 10 m2 (5 m
× 2 m), equivalent to one-eighth of the room’s floor, and it
has been assumed that this opening was south oriented.
In case of discomfort conditions from direct sun radia-
tion, it has been provided for the shielding of the window
through a shading device (louvers); the considered room is
schematized in Fig. 8.
We treated the surfaces of the room as Lambertian grey
surfaces: for the floor, ρ = 0.4; for the walls, ρ = 0.5; for
the ceiling, ρ = 0.6. Instead, we assigned a total reflectance
coefficient ρt = 0.6 with a specular component ρs = 0.3
to the louvers (to try to simulate the behaviour of a dirty
or oxidized generic metal surface); finally, we gave to the
glazing opening a transmittance coefficient equal to τ =
0.78.
Two parallel light pipes had been applied to the test room,
as shown in Fig. 9, and to adequately control the daylight-
ing penetration and consequently to obtain more uniformity
of the work plane illuminance, we reduced the transpar-
ent opening to 30% (from 10 to 3 m2 ); we applied opaque
insulating panels (which can be opened) to the remaining
window’s section, in order to maintain the 1/8 ratio between
the opening area and the floor surface of the room, as stated
by the Italian norms.
A set of simulations had been carried out taking the town
of Venice as study-area and varying solar position. The sun
angle chart pertinent to Venice (latitude, 45.5◦ N) is repre-
sented in Fig. 10; it shows the conditions corresponding to
the performed simulations; in all, there are 28 cases repre-
senting the different conditions verifiable as the daytime and
the season vary.
We carried out all the simulations adopting the CIE (clear
sky with sun model), directly specifying the position of the
1168 R. Canziani et al. / Energy and Buildings 36 (2004) 1163–1176

Fig. 8. Plan view and longitudinal section of the reference room.

Fig. 9. Scheme of the test room’s components.

sun and the consequent absolute values of external horizontal
average illuminance (direct and diffuse).
The horizontal average illuminance (direct and diffuse)
data had been obtained in absence of an adequate set of surements carried out in the area of Verona (same latitude
measured ones, using a LEIM (Local Exterior Illuminance of Venice) demonstrated that this model is the most precise
Model), developed by Krockmann beginning from experi- among the existing ones, even if in any case, it underesti-
mental data [13]. A recent study [14] based on a set of mea- mates the real values.

Fig. 10. Sun angle chart and simulated cases (latitude, 45.5◦ N, Venice).
 R. Canziani et al. / Energy and Buildings 36 (2004) 1163–1176 1169

Table 1
Monthly average illuminance and daylight factor values with and without light pipes
Month Em,i (lx) Percentage difference fmed (%) Percentage difference

Test room Reference room Test room Reference room

January 384 394 −3 3.9 4.0 −3

February 415 393 +5 3.6 3.4 +5
March 390 364 +7 3.0 2.8 +7
April 340 329 +3 2.5 2.4 +4
May 284 305 −7 2.0 2.1 −3
June 262 296 −12 1.8 2.0 −11
July 284 305 −7 2.0 2.1 −3
August 340 329 +3 2.5 2.4 +4
September 390 364 +7 3.0 2.8 +7
October 415 393 +5 3.6 3.4 +5
November 384 394 −3 3.9 4.0 −3
December 364 382 −5 3.9 4.1 −6
Average 348 352 −1 3.0 3.0 0

For a complete evaluation of the illuminating device’s
performances, we analyzed the yearly pattern of the single
luminous environment’s parameters: average work plane il-
luminance (Em,i ), average daylight factor (fmed ), illuminance
gradient factor (IGF = Ei,a /Ei,p ); average work plane illu-
minance, measured dividing the room in two areas, the first
one starting from the glazing openings till a depth of 5 m
(Ei,a ), and the second one included between 5 and 11 m from
the window (Ei,p ).
To allow a general evaluation of the above-mentioned pa-
rameters, we considered the average value that they assume
during the sequence of the considered 6 h (from 09:00 a.m.
to 03:00 p.m.), for every month of the reference year. The
results obtained in the test room with and without the light
pipes and the percentage difference between the two situa-
tions are reported in Tables 1 and 2. As shown by Table 1,
the absolute values of average work plane illuminance, mea-
sured in the room with the light pipes, substantially collimate
with those ones obtained by the reference room; the yearly
average values are essentially the same (approximatively,
350 lx), while the monthly ones present light differences. In
particular, proposed system has better performances than the
reference model in February, March, April, August, Septem-
ber and October, while its results are worse in the remaining
months, especially in June. The obtained average daylight
factor has the same annual behaviour of the average illumi-
nance and in both cases the yearly average value is equal to
3% (Table 1).
The flexion of the performance in the year’s central
months is due to the reduced useful reflection area that is
determined on the mobile reflector with high sunbeam’s in-
cidence angles (Fig. 11); the designing constraint of respect
of the facade’s planarity, in fact, determines a fairly lim-
ited penetration of the sunlight that joined with the scarce
transmission’s coefficient of the glazing surface at the high
angle of incidence cause a drastic reduction of the energy
useful to the aim. It would easily have been possible to rem-
edy for this scarcity appropriately modifying the opening’s

Table 2
Monthly average values of the average illuminance in the zone distant from the window Ei,p and in the zone close to the facade Ei,a

Month Ei,p (lx) Percentage difference Ei,a (lx) Percentage difference

Test room Reference room Percentage difference Test room Reference room

January 370 178 +108 400 668 −40

February 392 190 +104 445 652 −32
March 354 187 +86 436 590 −26
April 286 179 +58 408 522 −22
May 222 171 +27 365 479 −24
June 192 169 +12 352 461 −24
July 222 171 +27 365 479 −24
August 286 179 +58 408 522 −22
September 354 187 +86 436 590 −26
October 392 190 +104 445 652 −32
November 370 178 +108 400 668 −40
December 352 172 +101 377 650 −42
Average 310 178 +74 398 574 −31
1170 R. Canziani et al. / Energy and Buildings 36 (2004) 1163–1176

Fig. 11. Incident sunbeam and useful reflecting area in June.

and reflecting system’s geometry, inclinating, for example,
the pipe’s extremity so as to increase the useful sunbeam’s
reflecting area on the reflector.
To avoid overhangs and/or recesses on the facade, the sys-
tem of active collimation would be thought over, and this
would have brought to a certain increase of its complexity;
the performance deficit was accepted, also in consideration
of the highest probability of days with clear sky with sun that
takes place in those months in which the illuminant device
does not offer the best performance. The above-mentioned
results demonstrate, therefore, that the room illuminated
with the light pipes provides in practice the same perfor-
mance, in quantitative terms of the reference room, in spite
of the reduction of the glazing area.
Analyzing, on the contrary, the annual trend of those pa-
rameters that can be characterized as indicators of luminous
environment’s quality and uniformity, it is clearly shown the
disparity of performance of the two solutions and the supe-
riority of the proposed system. First of all we analyzed the
trend of the illuminance gradient (IGF) and the results are
shown in Fig. 12. The gradient that we obtained by the use
of light pipes (test room), is lower of 62% than the one ob-
tained by the reference room (3,7 contrary to 9,6, therefore,
less than half); during the whole year, it is always below the
reference one, getting near to it only in June. It can be seen
as, in the reference room, the highest values are obtained in
winter months, while with the proposed system, the gradient
is higher in the summer ones and approximately constant in
the remaining months (Fig. 12).
Afterwards, also we analyzed the average illuminance ob-
tained on the work plane in the deeper area of the room
(Table 2). It can be noticed that in May, June and July, the
average illuminance level drops to approximatively 200 lx,
in opposition to an annual average value of 310 lx (as re-
gards the 178 lx obtained in the reference case, therefore,
with an increment equal to 74%).
In spite of this, the system’s performance keeps itself on
acceptable levels showing, however, an increment as regards
the reference case approximately equal to the 12%; further-
more, it has to be shown the sharp improvement of the lumi-
nous field obtained in the zone immediately contiguous to
the opening (Table 2); the average illuminance level, in fact,

Illuminance gradient factor

14.0

12.0

10.0
reference
IGF

8.0 room

6.0 test room

4.0

2.0

0.0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Month

Fig. 12. Monthly trend of average illuminance gradient (E).

 R. Canziani et al. / Energy and Buildings 36 (2004) 1163–1176 1171

Fig. 13. Average work plane illuminance profile during the equinoxes (09:00 a.m./03:00 p.m.).

Fig. 14. Average work plane illuminance profile during the equinoxes (10:00 a.m./02:00 p.m.).

lowers of the 31% as regards the reference case, settling on
absolute values close to 400 lx and allowing the controlled
fruition of the daylighting radiation during the whole year.
In Figs. 13–16, there is a further description of the
system’s performances in terms of average illuminance on
the work plane along the longitudinal middle section of the
room; they refer to the equinox days (3/21, 9/21) and show
the difference of behaviour of the room provided with the
light pipes as to the reference one, without the light pipes.
By comparison of the results, it is possible to appreciate the
contribution supplied by the light pipes expressed by the
attenuation of the illuminance level’s decay in the deeper
area of the room; it can also be noticed the appreciable
system’s performance also when the sunbeam is oblique as
regards the light pipes (typical situations of the morning
and the afternoon hours, Figs. 13 and 14), while it results
maximum in the central hours of the day, that is to say with
azimuth angles close to zero (Figs. 15 and 16).
The uniformity of the luminous field on the whole work
plane appears also more evident in Fig. 17, which permits

Fig. 15. Average work plane illuminance profile during the equinoxes (11:00 a.m./01:00 p.m.).
1172 R. Canziani et al. / Energy and Buildings 36 (2004) 1163–1176

Fig. 16. Average work plane illuminance profile during the equinoxes (12:00 a.m.).

in addition to the quantitative analysis by the isolux lines,
also an immediate visual valuation of the luminous comfort
level expressed in the two different cases. The employment
of the light pipes allows, on one side, the exploitation of
the daylighting component in the deepest zone of the room,
and on the other one, the reduction of the illuminance gradi-
ent through the attenuation of the luminous level in the area
immediately contiguous to the window. The proposed solu-
tion permits, therefore, to adequately answer to the comfort
requisites requested by the demanding visual tasks typical
of the non-residential buildings, without necessarily resort
to internal shading device (as curtains, Venetian blinds or
similar, manually or automatically controlled), frequently
used.

Fig. 17. Work plane illuminance distribution during the equinoxes.

 R. Canziani et al. / Energy and Buildings 36 (2004) 1163–1176
Fig. 18. Disposition of the luminaires and illuminance distribution.
4. Analysis of the system’s energetic behaviour
The incidence of the component related to the artificial
lighting on the totality of the energetic consumptions of a
building achieves, in many cases, very significant values;
numerous researches, done both in Europe and in the USA,
on non-residential buildings, in fact, estimated quotes that
vary from 30 to 50% of the total consumptions with peaks
that can reach 60% [17]. The employment of advanced sys-
tems of lighting control allowed to obtain or expect reduc-
tions of electrical energy consumption equal, in many cases,
to 70–80% [2,5,17,18].
To complete the study of the planned device, it has been,
therefore, assessed the potential energy savings obtainable
by its adoption in terms of electric energy used for the ar-
tificial lighting of the test room. As reference value obtain-
able on the work plane, it has been assumed an illuminance
of 500 lx, recommended by standards in the majority of the
tertiary environments. We supposed the presence of an arti-
ficial lighting’s plant adequately dimensioned; were used 15
luminaries, placed in the false ceiling to not interfere with
the light pipes (Fig. 18). Every device is thought equipped
with electronical ballasts of “energy saving” type, provided
with a luminous intensity’s dimmer device, both automated
and manual, to adapt the requested instantaneous power to
the natural illuminance level present in the room and to im-
prove the visual comfort. After the entire adopted device
presents the characteristics reported in Table 3.
Every luminaire uses two lamps of linear fluorescent type,
each one of 36 W, which assure each one a flux of 3350 lm,
and have a colour temperature equal to 4000 K and an av-
erage life equal to 6000 h. The power absorbed by each de-
1173
Table 3
Performances and characteristics of the artificial lighting considered
Minimum work plane illuminance (lx) 410
Maximum work plane illuminance (lx) 561
Average work plane illuminance (lx) 504
Uniformity ratio, Emin /Emed 0.81
Utilization coefficient 0.45
Maintenance coefficient 0.85
vice also considering the ballast is equal to 108.5 W; the
maximum instantaneous power results, therefore, is equal to
Pe,max = 1.6 kW (108.5 W × 15 lamps). The room has been
subdivided into five sections, corresponding to the influence
of the horizontal rows of luminaires with area, respectively,
equal to 14, 17.5, 17.5, 17.5 and 14 m2 . In this way was ac-
curately evaluated the percentage of utilization of the artifi-
cial sources, and moreover, calculated energy consumption
with glazing opening partially obscured realized through an
internal diffusing screen that reduces the daylighting’s level
to 40% of the totality exploitable. In fact, it was considered
the hourly value of the illuminance gradient IGF (already
mentioned in the previous paragraph) meant as ratio between
the maximum and the minimum illuminance values present
on the work plane. In case that the value results higher or
equal to 10 (which means that there are luminance ratios in
the room equal to 1/10), the obscuring screen was consid-
ered as active; this choice refers to the recommendations of
luminance’s uniformity included in the standard UNI 10380
[15].
To determine the average flux that has to be supplied by
the artificial lighting in each one of the five areas of the
room in the instant τ, following relation was used:
Em,o − Em,n,␶ P(sun)
φm,␶,i = Ai
Ku Km
where φm,τ,i : average flux provided by the luminaires on the
area Ai in the instant τ [lm]; Em,o : average set point illu-
minance on the work plane [lx]; Em,n,τ : daylighting illumi-
nance on the work plane (clear sky with sun) in the instant
τ [lx]; P(sun): sunshine probability coefficient [16]; Ai : area
of the considered room’s zone (m2 ); Ku : utilization coeffi-
cient of the luminaire; Km : maintenance coefficient of the
luminaries.
Successively, the values obtained on the different areas
was summed up to obtain the total artificial luminous flux
used in the room in the reference day of every month φt,τ ,
which results to be a percentage of the maximum flux of the
plant φt,max (105,228 lm). It was also calculated the percent-
age luminous flux, L%, respect φt,max . The utilization per-
centage (P%) of maximum electrical power supply is given
by function P% = f(L%), shown in Fig. 19; threshold counts
for the constant consumption due to the flux control system.
The value of P%. Pe,max represents the hourly consumption
of electric energy; multiplying this value by the number of
the daily working hours (Dd = 7) and by the monthly work-
ing days (Dm = 20), the result is the monthly consumption
1174 R. Canziani et al. / Energy and Buildings 36 (2004) 1163–1176

Table 4
Comparison of the total values of needed luminous flux from January to June
Model January February March April May June

Reference room 88638 80512 59185 81642 56639 67370 φt,τ (lm)
Test room 58889 85951 54239 50857 59196 71908 φt,τ (lm)
Reference room 85 88 72 69 66 66 L (%)
Test room 58 63 52 57 56 68 L (%)
Reference room 86 89 74 72 68 68 P (%)
Test room 62 66 57 61 60 71 P (%)
Reference room 196 213 194 148 178 170 Cel,i (kWh)
Test room 141 158 149 125 157 178 Cel,i (kWh)
−28 −26 −23 −15 −12 +4 ∆ (%)

Table 5
Comparison of the total values of needed luminous flux from July to December
Model July August September October November December

Reference room 55744 52835 54081 84263 93662 89823 φt,τ (lm)
Test room 58708 48399 45813 49240 73198 68640 φt,τ (lm)
Reference room 58 54 62 84 92 86 L (%)
Test room 56 46 44 47 70 65 L (%)
Reference room 62 60 66 86 93 87 P (%)
Test room 60 52 50 53 72 68 P (%)
Reference room 148 137 158 216 212 168 Cel,i (kWh)
Test room 144 118 120 133 164 132 Cel,i (kWh)
−3 −13 −24 −38 −23 −22 ∆ (%)

Cel,i [kWh]: approaches to the ideal position of perfect coincidence with

Pe,max P%i Dd Dm
Cel,i =
1000
The obtained results are shown in Tables 4 and 5 and in
Figs. 20 and 21. Examining the results, it is possible to state
that the employment of the light pipes allows actually a re-
duction of the consumption of electric energy employed for
lighting, quantitatively estimated in a percentage that swings
about an average value approximately equal to 20%. The
gain is maximum in the autumnal months, while it highly
decreases in the summer ones in spite of the bigger avail-
ability and intensity of the sun light during this period; in
June, there even is a loss, also if very light (−4%). Concern-
ing the hourly saving (Fig. 21), it is possible to notice how
it is logically higher in the day’s central hours, when the sun
Fig. 19. Requested luminous level and power supply (DISANO catalogue).
the axis of the pipe (azimuth = 0◦ ).
Estimating the annual obtainable saving, it is necessary
to remember that the comparison is done with an environ-
ment where there is the employment of direct sunbeam’s
shielding elements (remembering the presence of the lou-
vers), and moreover, to remember that the plant is provided
with a continuous power control (dimmer): both these char-
acteristics contribute to elevate the visual comfort level and
to exploit at least partly the natural component.
Frequently, on the contrary, there are environments where
as already seen, the building’s envelope becomes a bar-
rier that separates from the external world, creating a habi-
tat completely artificial. Considering these conditions, for
which the daylighting’s contribution is used in a marginal
way or it is completely absent, it is obvious that the energy
saving’s potential of the light pipes appears in a clearer and
more evident way, bringing surely to savings that are quanti-
tatively higher than those one obtained in the just explained
case.
On the other side, the advantages obtainable on the energy
savings by employing the daylighting component can easily
be changed into potential disadvantages owing to the growth
of the energy loads due to the environments’ cooling caused
by the thermal gains induced by the infrared radiation. The
global energetical analysis of a building in which there has
been adopted the device presented in this study is now in
course and it will be the object of a following publication. In
any case, the proposed pipe allows to considerably limit the
glazing area keeping, however, the same average illuminance
 R. Canziani et al. / Energy and Buildings 36 (2004) 1163–1176 1175

Fig. 20. Monthly lighting energy consumption.

Fig. 21. Monthly average hourly saving of lighting energy.

level obtainable with larger openings and assuring, therefore,
in any case, a control of the summer thermic loads and a
strong reduction of the winter ones.
5. Conclusions
The focal point in the exploitation of the potential of
daylighting’s energy saving is located in the redefinition and
optimization of the glazing element that must not only be
delegated to the captation of the sunbeam but also to its
control and to the correct distribution of the light in the en-
vironment, in accordance with the requested characteristics
of comfort.
As it also come out from the results of this study, the
light pipes consent to optimize the dimensions of the glazing
openings in relation to the wished conditions of thermic and
visual comfort in such a way as to exploit to the utmost the
natural light for lighting and, at the same time, to reduce
the negative thermic fluxes of exchange with the external
environment.
In terms of visual comfort, the advantages offered by the
light pipe’s device are evident: the values of the illuminance
gradient on the work plane and the values of the illumi-
nance in the deeper zone of the room have shown the right
distribution and uniformity of the luminous field that is an
essential condition to obtain an adequate level of luminous
comfort and to prevent and reduce the visual fatigue. The
performed simulations have demonstrated that this group of
dynamic devices of daylighting’s exploitation has a potential
of energy saving, both electric (energy for artificial lighting)
and thermic (energy for heating and cooling of the environ-
ments); in addition, they are able to avoid the appearance of
phenomena such direct irradiation, glare, overheating and to
uniformly distribute the illuminance, optically modulating
the contrast ratios and assuring an adequate luminous com-
fort. A possible development that could improve the pipe’s
efficiency is the improvement of the reflector, realizing a
1176 R. Canziani et al. / Energy and Buildings 36 (2004) 1163–1176
much more efficacious reflecting device from the optical
point of view, no more only for the sunbeam’s collimation
but also for its concentration. In this way, it could be pos-
sible to obtain an acceptable contribution also in overcast
conditions exploiting for example, the anidolic systems [7].
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