ARC 040: ARCHITECTURAL INTERIORS

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

F 8:00 – 1:00

Research #3
“LIGHTING”

03-1314-02012
FERRER, ZILDJIAN M.
Student

AR. LESTER GARCIA

Instructor

A.Y. 2019-2020
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NATURAL LIGHTING

Natural lighting, also known as daylighting, is a technique that efficiently brings natural
light into your home using exterior glazing (windows, skylights, etc.), thereby reducing artificial
lighting requirements and saving energy. Natural lighting has been proven to increase health and
comfort levels for building occupants.

We start our discussion by defining the sources of natural lighting. Then in order to better
understand the design principles and the daylighting fixtures available, we introduce natural
lighting design and daylighting fixtures. Lastly, we include cost analysis to help you evaluate the
most cost effective options.

SOURCES OF NATURAL LIGHTING

Effective natural lighting will admit natural light, but will avoid admittance to direct sun on task
surfaces or into occupants’ eyes. Daylight inside a home can come from three sources:

DIRECT SUNLIGHT
- direct light from the Sun.

EXTERNAL REFLECTION
- light reflecting off of ground surfaces, adjacent buildings, light shelves, and wide window
sills. Excessive reflectance is undesirable as it causes glare.

INTERNAL REFLECTION
- light reflecting off of internal walls, ceiling, and the floor of your home. This also
includes high reflective surfaces such as smooth or glossy surfaces, light colored finishes,
and mirrors around a room.

NATURAL LIGHTING DESIGN

Most daylighting components are integrated in the original construction plan, however,
technologies such as tubular daylighting devices, skylights, electric lighting controls, and
optimized interior design may be considered in retrofit projects.

The science of daylighting design is more complex than simply bringing light into a
home. When adding a daylighting fixture, you must consider balancing heat gains and losses,
glare control, and variations in daylight availability. Additionally, window size and spacing,
glass selection, the reflectance of interior finishes, and the location of interior partitions all must
be considered. Furthermore, there are many different types of daylight fixtures and each has its
own unique set of design considerations.
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DAYLIGHTING FIXTURES

WINDOWS

- are by far the most common daylighting source. Windows specifically used for
daylighting are generally implemented in the design phase since the window head height
and glare control is easier to deal with during that time.

SKYLIGHTS

- are a common top lighting source, and are implemented in the design phase. Skylights
can be either passive or active, though the majority of skylights are passive. Active
skylights are windows that have a mirror system within the skylight that tracks the Sun,
and are designed to admit more sunlight by channeling the light into the home.
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TUBULAR LIGHTS

- also known as solar tubes, are light channels that allow light to enter from the roof and be
reflected using mirrors into a home. They have become more popular for top lighting in
recent years. This is largely because they can be installed in retrofit projects easier than
skylights and are cheaper for the homeowner.

REDIRECTION DEVICES

- take incoming sunlight and direct it towards the ceiling space. They aim to reduce glare
and to increase daylight penetration. These devices typically take on of two forms:
louvered systems or a large horizontal element. Horizontal elements are commonly
referred to as light-shelves.
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SOLAR SHADING DEVICES

- Are often implemented to control the solar gains and potential glare from windows.
These shading devices include overhangs and blinds.

DAYLIGHT-RESPONSIVE ELECTRIC LIGHTING CONTROLS

- incorporate photocells to sense the available light and act accordingly by dimming or
turning off the electric lighting system in response.
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ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING
Has the capacity to create a number of different ambiences in the same space making it a
sort of “space shaper”, adapting the atmosphere according to the consumers' needs. The use of
warm lighting can produce cozy and calm atmospheres, whereas cold light stimulates mental and
physical activity.

Lighting has always been a fundamental element in the conception of architectural

spaces, for it is capable of playing with volumes, distorting the perception of space and even
dramatizing the shapes and textures of the materials, enhancing their aesthetic features
dramatically. But light does not only play a major role at a decorative level. The quality of
illumination makes all the difference when it comes to the comfort -even the health- of those
who experience living in these spaces.

How Artificial Lighting Can Improve (or Worsen) Architecture

Of the varying aspects of architectural and interior design, lighting is one element that
can visually enhance or destroy a space. This influence stems from the wide range of artificial
lighting designed for the most widely differing tasks, environments, and purposes, including
internal and even external spaces such as facades and landscape projects. Think of two
environments with the same dimensions and layout. Suppose that in the first, only one point of
light was applied - a general, unspecified point of light in this case - while in the second a light
project was performed considering the use of space and valuing certain aspects of the
architectural design. Undoubtedly, the second option is a more pleasant space. In the same way,
poor lighting design can ruin an environment. But how is it possible to achieve these different
results?

In a previous article, we already showed how to calculate the correct light intensity
required for each environment. Here, we compile a list of some of the key types of lighting
systems.

Direct lighting
 LIGHTING RESEARCH NO. 1

Direct illumination is a method of lighting in which the luminous flux hits a surface
directly, permitting no loss in the luminosity of the light due to absorption in the walls or ceiling.
Practically, it should be used for work or task areas such as kitchen worktops, work areas, office
desks, etc.

Direct illumination should be employed with caution because it can become visually
tiring through its creation of “hard” shadows. It is also worth noting that it should not be
positioned on surfaces that glare or reflect, such as mirrors or glass.

Indirect lighting

Unlike the previous method, this lighting system directs the light source to another
surface so that part of the light is absorbed and the other is reflected in the opposite direction,
producing a soft light without directing bulks of light onto a single surface. In short, we can say
that light is reflected off the surface and only then disperses throughout the environment.
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Overall, this system conveys comfort and visual well-being, and is often applied to
relaxation spaces such as living rooms, dormitories, hospitals, and spas.

Diffused lighting

In this system, the luminous flux of a light source passes through a diffuser element
(which may be milky glass or an acrylic plate, for example), and is directed in all directions
without light beams. This system produces few variations in shadows and much of the light
reaches the intended surface by reflecting off ceilings and walls, making the ambient lighting
quite homogeneous.
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Effect lighting

In this method, the light source remains embedded in the ceiling or some architectural
element and serves to highlight only the light itself, creating a dramatic effect. It is often used
indoors in crown molding and outdoors in landscaping or façades.

Accent lighting
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Directed to illuminate points or zones of interest, this lighting system features a light
source positioned directly over a prominent object such as a painting or sculpture. It is often
employed in residential and commercial environments, but also in museum spaces. It is
imperative that the correct lamps are utilized in each situation, because with such direct light
projection, certain lamps tend to raise the temperature of the object illuminated, causing
deterioration.

Wall Washing

Creating a scenic illuminating effect, wall washing employs a series of light points in a
series or by means of a led strip, producing so-called “light washes” on a surface. It is ideal for
highlighting facades and enhancing architecture.