A Modelling Tool for Lighting Systems Based on Visual Comfort and Energy Consumption—Case Study of a Residential Building

Abstract

Most buildings in the European Union (EU) have lighting systems that are outdated and inefficient. To achieve the targets proposed by the EU in terms of decarbonization and energy efficiency in buildings, it is necessary to optimize and moderate the energy consumption in buildings, including the parcel of electricity consumed with lighting. An efficient lighting system in a residential building can easily be achieved through an adequate design using numerical modelling tools. Moreover, a proper lighting design is not only essential for energy efficiency but also for the visual comfort of the occupants, especially when contemporary society spends a large part of its daily life exposed to artificial light, which in turn can lead to sleep disturbance, cancer, and other health problems. This chapter presents the analysis of different lighting systems in a residential single-family building in Portugal using the DIALux modelling tool. This study involves the analysis of the existing lighting system and different solutions that can be implemented to reduce electricity consumption. Moreover, it documents several parameters which can reduce lighting demand in a residential building and highlight the need of standardization of lighting design in the residential sector. In summary, the energy savings that can be achieved by the proposed solutions were determined with this tool, including the impact of the studied parameters on the visual comfort of the residents.