Zumtobel Research

General refurbishment of Sonthofen Secondary School

Ratec Licht, Lindenberg | DE
Zumtobel Lighting Application Management, Dornbirn | AT
27/10/2011
Abstract 5

Short Summary 6

1 Problem denition 8
2 State of science
3 Research hypotheses
4 Research methods 4.1 Selection of methods 9
4.2 Test setup 9
4.3 Test procedure 10
4.3.1 Room lighting 10
4.3.2 Solar protection 11
4.3.3. Control 13
5 Results 15

6 Best practise 16

7 Discussion and outlook 17
8 Literature 18
9 Brief portraits of the partners 19
Zumtobel Research
General refurbishment of Sonthofen Grammar School
Sonthofen Grammar School
5
The Sonthofen Grammar School was built in the 1970s based on a reinforced con-
crete frame construction according to the Kassel model. At that time, the operating
costs of a building only played a subordinate role. Also, due to a very negative ener-
gy balance, many buildings of this type in Germany today are in need of rehabilita-
tion. Partial refurbishment attempts or projects mainly oriented to faade insulation
have lead to unsatisfactory energetic results. An adequate primary energy limit was
achieved with the Sonthofen Grammar School using a holistic planning approach
oriented towards passive house standards. In particular the electrical consumers
such as lighting influence the primary energy factor to a very high level with a factor
of 2.7. Starting points in this project were therefore also efficient luminaires, use of
daylight with optimum solar protection systems and a bus system with decentralised
control of lighting. The useful area was extended by a further storey in the special-
ised classroom section from 7,800 m
2
to 8,800 m
2
. At the same time, primary ener-
gy requirements could be reduced from 37.1 kWh/m
2
a to 17.6 kWh/m
2
a and end
energy requirements from 13.7 kWh/m
2
a to 6.5 kWh/m
2
a.
Abstract
According to the decision of the Municipality of Sonthofen, the main
aim of the general refurbishment of the grammar school should be as
low an energy level as possible if technically feasible and financially
viable: at passive house level.
The target value for heating energy requirements was thus set at
around 15 kWh/m
2
. Comparable universal (passive house) limits for
electrical energy consumption are currently not yet available, as with
non-residential buildings the reference building approach leads to
differing, building-specific values. However, in the recent past build-
ing concepts have been developed that managed to combine a high
level of user comfort with minimum primary energy requirements and
with moderate investment and significantly reduced operating costs,
e.g. EnOB or solar construction projects. For these buildings, pri-
mary energy requirements of max. 100 kWh/m
2
a were set and were
achieved in the majority of cases. This includes the energy demand
for heating, cooling, ventilation, hot water and lighting. With a uniform
distribution of the targeted limit, 1520 kWh/m
2
remain for the spe-
cific consumption areas. This also applies to the lighting.
With the primary energy factor of 2.7 for electricity, this gives an end
energy requirement of max. approx. 7.5 kWh/m
2
a for room lighting in
order to achieve the target value of 20 kWh/m
2
a. This appears to be
impossible with conventional system solutions.
What resulted from these target specifications was a multidimen-
sional planning approach consisting of the following individual tasks:
Short Summary
7
Measurands, evaluated parameters
1. Room lighting: Design of lighting system in compliance with relevant
standards
Observance of photometric quality criteria
Selection of highl y ef ficient products
Optimisation of system ef ficiency
2. Solar protection: Optimisation of solar/anti-glare protection and light
ingress (direction of light)
Consideration of maintenance costs and protection
against destruction
Comparison of various slat systems
3. Control: Definition of control strategy for room lighting
Definition of control strategy for solar protection
Presence-based control for classrooms and ancillary
rooms
However, the process of optimisation is not finished with the end of
planning. The most important step is with commissioning of the com-
plete system. This is carried out over a period of three years (fine-
tuning step by step) as part of monitoring accompanying the con-
struction implementation. At the current time (March 2012), real
consumption values are not yet available. Construction work has not
been completed yet.
Problem definition
Refurbishment today is always connected with measures for improv-
ing energy efficiency. This often results in subsidy grants based on
energy performance certificates. In order to achieve ambitious aims
or defined specifications, a holistic planning approach has to be cho-
sen that ensures the interplay of innovative artificial lighting and
daylight-based technologies via a lighting management system. In
addition, these parameters are connected to a large extent with user
acceptance and human well-being. Energy-efficient measures in
lighting concepts often entail limitations of working or living environ-
ments, e.g. illuminance levels that are too low or a monotonous light-
ing concept resulting from restrictive lighting design.
1 Problem definition
2 State of science
3 Research hypotheses
State of science
Lighting technology in professional building illumination offers innova-
tive options for maximum user acceptance and maximum energy ef-
ficiency. This is possible for example via efficient light distribution and
glare limitation. Daylight has maximum acceptance, and is available
at high intensity over many hours of the day for free, but on the other
hand may cause glare and high room temperatures. This is why for
the achievement of energy performance indicators for lighting, a
clever interplay of daylight and artificial lighting is implemented.
Maximum utilisation of daylight combined with optimum solar protec-
tion systems offer very good energy balances with high user comfort.
An excellent level of coordination is achieved via lighting manage-
ment.
Research hypotheses
The study aims to respond to the following question: can strictly de-
fined energy performance indicators be achieved via a well thought-
out holistic approach involving the interplay of daylight, artificial light-
ing and structural situations without having to restrict user comfort?
9
4 Research methods
4.1 Selection of methods
The energy values for the Sonthofen Grammar School were analysed
and optimised using artificial lighting and daylight calculation pro-
grammes, simulation and visualisation for various slat systems and
measurements in sample rooms. Further optimisation was carried out
after finishing the construction via accompanying activities and
measurements during operation.
4.2 Test setup
Following the analysis and decision phase for the lighting, lighting
control and slat systems, the energy requirement for room lighting
was calculated and evaluated according to three calculation meth-
ods:
Energy requirement according to DIN V 18599
Energy requirement according to MINERGIE

Energy requirement according to a user profile drawn up by the

project team
The actual energy consumption for the lighting system is monitored
and optimised following completion of the construction project.
4.3 Test procedure

4.3.1 Room lighting
Due to the depth of the classrooms of over 8 m, a triple axis luminaire
configuration was chosen to achieve homogeneous room illumina-
tion. With a standard classroom covering a floor space of around
70 m
2
, initial calculations (300 lx) resulted in 9 luminaires (pendant
luminaires with specular louvre, direct/indirect distribution) with 49 W
lamps per luminaire. After discussing the various lighting and lumi-
naire concepts, the decision was made to use a surface-mounted
luminaire designed according to the Mellow Light concept with high
quality of light (no cave effect).
Thanks to the high light output ratio and optimum positioning, the
lamps fitted could be reduced from 49 W to 35 W in a second step
(classroom with 70 m
2
and 300 Ix).
Several calculations were also made for the blackboard lighting.
Finally, a double-length surface-mounted luminaire with asymmetric
light distribution and a flat aluminium housing (2 x 1 x 54 W, 500 lx
vertical for the blackboard area) was chosen.
Measurement in a sample classroom gave a new illuminance value of
around 460 lx with uniformity of 0.56 (g1 = E
min
/E
mean
). The measure-
ment confirmed the photometric values calculated (Em = 440 lx, g1 =
0.52).
For the corridor areas a wall luminaire was used consisting of a bat-
ten luminaire (1 x 35 W) and an attachment optic of white perforated
sheet.
After carrying out the complete detailed planning, the following com-
parative values between existing and new system were determined.
Lighting concept for classrooms
Comparative values between existing and new system
Useful area Number of Electrical Specific Energy Energy
dimmed luminaires installed connected requirements requirements
load load end energy 3,000 K
m
2
Qty kW W/m
2
kW/m
2
a kW/m
2
a
Existing building 7,800 1,410 128 16.4 13.7 37.1
Building af ter refurbishment 8,800 1,380 67 7.6 6.5 17.6
A second storey is added to the specialised classroom section.
11
4.3.2 Solar protection
Sunlight can make a significant contribution to reduction of the en-
ergy requirements with artificial lighting, although 42 % of solar ra-
diation is in the IR range and, thus, also heat radiation. This is why
well-functioning solar protection (heat protection) is usually unavoid-
able. In contrast to faade design, not much can be changed on the
buildings geometry and room layout during refurbishment. At around
8.2 m, the room depth of most classrooms of the Sonthofen
Grammar School is so large that sufficient supply of the rooms with
daylight is not possible. By taking away the protruding balcony ele-
ments and modifying the faade to a generously glazed band faade,
a relatively good supply of daylight to the room half near the windows
was achieved. The daylight quota, however, sinks from around 10%
near the windows to a value of about 1 % in the room centre, so that
the inner room half only gets insufficient daylight.
In order to be able to distribute the daylight somewhat more uni-
formly in the room, solar protection providing direction of light should
therefore be implemented. The primary evaluation criteria of a solar
and anti-glare protection system with direction of light are:
Reduction of heat ingress
Protection from excessive luminance levels (anti-glare protection)
Guiding of the daylight deeper into the room
Ensuring a view of the outside (see through)
Energetic optimisation of the room lighting
Operating and maintenance costs
Protection from mechanical destruction
Before further testing, the integration of the slat system into a com-
posite window was decided upon. This should firstly reduce mainte-
nance and operating costs (protection from the external climate) and
secondly avoid the danger of mechanical destruction (vandalism with
use indoors).
In order to select a suitable slat system and for the energetic evalua-
tion of its functions, a professional simulation with various slat sys-
tems from the Braunschweig-based ALware company was carried
out.
Course of daylight quotient from the window axis to inner wall (approx.
8 m). The daylight quotient is the ratio of illuminance at a single point in
the interior to external illuminance.
The visual and photometric comparison of the three selected slat
systems during the course of a day showed that the concave specu-
lar slats most optimally met the requirements as a whole. These were
specifically:
Reduction of the solar ingress of heat
(total energy transmission factor)
Reduction of window luminance levels (glare limitation)
Redirection of light for better room illumination (energy efficiency)
Consistent and professional calculation programmes for holistic
qualitative evaluation (lighting effect in the room, visual impression)
and quantitative evaluation (illuminance and luminance levels, energy
efficiency etc.) of artificial lighting systems and solar protection sys-
tems are until now unavailable on the market. A specific calculation
model was, however, developed in order to still be able to evaluate
the influence of the selected slat system on the energy requirements
of the artificial lighting:
Distribution of sunlight in the course of a day and a year in a
simplified scheme (time segments)
Calculation of illuminance levels achieved by daylight within the
time segments specified above
Evaluation of the required supplementary lighting
As a result, the model supplies a dimming value related to the indi-
vidual luminaire axes (given in %) in the form of a matrix (dimming
value per luminaire axis at defined times of the day).
Simulation of various slat systems
Calculation model for determining the electrical supplementary requirement for artificial
lighting
13
4.3.3. Control
In order to achieve relevant savings with artificial lighting, daylight-
based control is required. This means that only so much artificial
lighting is added as is needed to achieve the illuminance levels re-
quired by relevant standards. Basically, a variety of concepts is avail-
able. The simplest version is manually switching off individual lumi-
naire rows with sufficient daylight. The advantage of this method is
the low costs, and the disadvantage is the discontinuous modifica-
tion of illuminance levels and the functional dependence on the dis-
cipline of the staff. The latter disadvantage can be rectified with au-
tomatic, axis-related switching off. However, practice has shown that
the step-by-step switching away of individual axes can lead to sig-
nificant acceptance problems. In contrast, with an automatically
controlled lighting system the level set during commissioning ensures
that precisely the illuminance level desired or required is achieved in
each room. This leads among others to the over-dimensioning of the
system due to application of the maintenance factor (new value
higher by 2550 %, depending on maintenance factor) being bal-
anced out. Two different concepts are available for automatic, day-
light-based adjustment of illuminance levels:
Central lighting control
Local lighting control
With central lighting control, daylight and sky condition are measured
at a central location, e.g. on the roof of a building. Based on room-
specific correction factors, artificial lighting is added to the daylight
available in the room. The benefit of this method is the disturbance-
free measurement of daylight (celestial sphere). The disadvantage is
the open control circuit, meaning there is no direct control (feed-
back) of the lighting situation in the room.
With local lighting control, one or two light sensors are installed in
each room to measure the existing total quantity of light. In this way
each room is a closed control circuit. Actual and set values are con-
stantly compared and the lighting system is adjusted as needed. The
benefit of this method is the level of control due to the closed circuit.
The disadvantage is the increased system costs and the sensitivity of
the measurement space recorded by the sensor to changes (mov-
ing furniture, colour changes etc.).
Within these concepts, there is a number of electronic system solu-
tions available, ranging from simple, wired, room-related minimum
solutions to building management concepts. Following extensive
discussion, the planning team of the Sonthofen Grammar School
opted for installation of a bus system including local lighting control.
The reasons for this decision were:
Integration of heating/cooling, ventilation (CO
2
), lighting and
presence detection in the control system (consideration of
mutual dependencies, e.g. solar protection heating/cooling).
Buildings in a very tight building shell (passive houses) heat up
much more quickly compared to conventional buildings. This is
why they respond more sensitively to erroneous behaviour.
The best precaution is automatic adaptation of control
parameters if extreme disturbances occur (e.g. excessive outside
temperatures).
Continuous control of artificial lighting guarantees disturbance-
free school lessons.
Concentration is not inhibited by abrupt peripheral changes.
The closed control loop offers the best monitoring of the lighting
conditions in the room.
The specifically designed bus system enables optimisation of the
complete system (temperature, CO
2
, lighting, solar protection)
during the planned monitoring phase.
Energetic optimisation of room lighting can also be most
effectively achieved with an integrated control concept including
solar protection.
Optimum energetic room conditioning is best achieved with this con-
trol concept based on a flexible bus system that has a clearly com-
prehensible technical complexity.
15
5 Results
Several partly modified calculation methods were used to calculate
the energy requirements for artificial lighting: firstly, a somewhat re-
duced process according to DIN V 18599 Part 4, then a simplified
method of calculation based on the Swiss Minergie concept, and a
third requirement calculation based on a user profile drawn up to-
gether with the school. The different values achieved in determining
the energy requirements result from the specifically used calculation
paths and from the corresponding definition of the effective operating
time per year.
The requirement calculation in compliance with DIN V 18599 is based
on user profiles according to Part 10, considering relative absences
and planned presence detection. Daylight-based lighting control was
not taken into account. The reason for this is the complexity of the
calculation method on the one hand, and excessively coarse screen-
ing with respect to the basic units for the various types of room and
use on the other hand.
The excellent documentation of many Swiss Minergie projects today
delivers an extensive array of figures for school lighting. The data
covers geometric specifications, specific connected loads and con-
sumption data as well as user profiles. These were used as a basis
for the second requirement determination in a slightly adapted form.
A user profile was drawn up together with the school administration
for the third calculation that considers both the free days and holi-
days and the various types of room occupancy.
The lowest requirement value was achieved with the calculation
based on the user profile drawn up by the project team. According to
this calculation, the energy requirement for artificial lighting is
6.5 kWh/m
2
a.
Building area m
2
Q (18599) Q (MINERGIE

) Q (user prof.) W/m

2
W
Ground floor 21,904.70 19,148.80 14,469.11 17,386.00
class section 2,157.16 10.15 8.88 6.71 8.06
kWh/m
2
a kWh/m
2
a kWh/m
2
a
Ground floor 10,102.16 8,706.00 7,473.57 8,596.00
specialised 1,393.20 7.25 6.25 5.36 6.17
class section kWh/m
2
a kWh/m
2
a kWh/m
2
a
1st floor 22,583.94 20,896.25 14,378.78 16,447.00
class section 2,046.71 11.03 10.21 7.03 8.04
kWh/m
2
a kWh/m
2
a kWh/m
2
a
1st floor 17,816.88 16,449.70 11,125.19 16,865.00
specialised 1,402.69 12.70 11.73 7.93 12.02
class section kWh/m
2
a kWh/m
2
a kWh/m
2
a
2nd floor 13,492.31 14,305.90 11,573.36 13,933.00
class section 2,042.40 6.61 7.10 5.67 6.82
kWh/m
2
a kWh/m
2
a kWh/m
2
a
Total values 73,227.00
9,042.16 85,599.98 79,704.65 59,020.02
9.50 8.81 6.53
kWh/m
2
a kWh/m
2
a kWh/m
2
a
Specific energetic parameters of the three calculation methods
6 Best practise
The fact that these values can be achieved at the Sonthofen Grammar
School is confirmed by the consumption figures from Switzerland,
some of them being in the range of 4.5 and 6.5 kWh/m
2
a.
Buildings with planning according to SIA 380/4
School and sports building overview
Area Energy Consumpt. Consumpt. EKZ Construction Q-control TL-meas-
Building m
2
MWh kW W/m
2
kW/m
2
completion urement
Albisriederplatz 6180 40 39 6.3 6.4 Aug 08
Allenmoos I 2437 21 19 8 8.6 Jan 04
Allenmoos II (HPS) 4608 30 43 9.4 6.5 Dec 06
Am Wasser 1894 17 21 11.1 9 Aug 00
Apfelbaum Section A 2586 4 16 6.3 5 Aug 03 25.5.05
Apfelbaum Section B+C 1412 7 9 6.4 5.2 Aug 04 31.1.07 x
Apfelbaum Section D incl. gymn. 3242 29 24 7.4 8.9 Aug 03 25.5.07 x
Balgrist sports hall 599 3 6 9.5 4.2 Nov 05
Buchwiesen 5585 40 44 7.9 7.1 Aug 03 12.4.05
Buchwiesen pavilion 1+2 581 4 6 10 7.2 Aug 04 12.4.05
Buchwiesen Section A 1416 6 9 6.3 4.4 Oct 04 12.4.05
Bhl C 1741 13 13 7.7 7.3 Nov 03 1.12.03
Dltschi 5761 50 50 8.7 8.6 Aug 09
Fallet extension 4954 74 54 10.9 14.9 Oct 06
Fluntern 4003 20 27 6.7 5 Dec 05 23.1.06 x
Gotthel fstrasse (HPS) 2293 14 15 6.7 5.9
Hardau (sports hall) 5627 62 37 6.5 11 Aug 07
Hardau BWS 2051 16 19 9.2 7.7 Aug 05 9.2.06 x
Hardau Primary School 2074 13 17 8.3 6 Aug 05 9.2.06 x
Hirzenbach new hall 2392 10 19 7.9 4.4 May 07
Hirzenbach new kindergarten 1486 9 11 7.5 6.2 Dec 06
17
7 Discussion and outlook
The three calculated and thus theoretical values demonstrated will
have a corresponding deviation to the real consumption data. Diverse
other tested and documented projects show that such deviations can
be significant and are highly dependent on user behaviour. This can
only be eliminated by a self-sufficient system control, the behaviour
of which cannot be influenced. But that should not and can never be
a fundamental planning aim. Users should always be able to influ-
ence the lighting control system to be able to individually adjust the
values and settings defined by the system according to their needs.
The acceptance and the energy values of the system can be re-
corded via simultaneous monitoring initiated following completion of
the building construction. Deviations from the calculated and actual
consumption can then be determined to supply highly useful contri-
butions for other buildings.
We assume that the determined values can be achieved, at least after
commissioning and after an obviously necessary information, training
and accustomisation process.
Major challenges are seen in the determination of the real ratio of
lighting to the complete consumption of energy, and this task should
be solved with the support of further project partners (universities).
8 Literature
MINERGIE

Switzerland
www.minergie.ch
Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Nachhaltiges Bauen e.V.
www.dgnb.de
Greenbuilding
www.greenbuilding.com
19
9 Brief portraits of the partners
Ratec Licht
Consultation and planning energy-efficient lighting solutions

Ratec GmbH
Blumenstrae 8a
D-88161 Lindenberg
Tel. +49 (0) 83 81 / 80 17 56
Mail: info@ratec-licht.com
Internet: www.ratec-licht.com
Ratec Licht, Hans-Christian Winter, has developed a highly efficient,
holistic building concept involving the interplay of daylight, artificial
lighting and lighting management in a decentralised lighting control
system and its integration into a bus system. The specific energy
requirements were determined based on three calculation methods.
The project continues to be monitored by Ratec Licht.
zumtobel.com
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T +49/(0)5261 212-0
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info@zumtobel.de
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Austria
Zumtobel Licht GmbH
Donau-City-Strae 1
1220 Wien
T +43/(0)1/258 26 01-0
F +43/(0)1/258 26 01-82845
info@zumtobel.at
www.zumtobel.at
Switzerland
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Thurgauerstrasse 39
8050 Zrich
T +41/(0)44/305 35 35
F +41/(0)44/305 35 36
info@zumtobel.ch
www.zumtobel.ch
Headquarter
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Postfach 72
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