Core Sunlighting System, a New Approach to Daylighting in Buildings

Abstract

The building industry recognizes the importance of incorporating daylighting into the illumination of buildings to improve energy performance and lighting quality. There are several well-known methods that building designers use to increase the daylighting level in buildings, including windows and skylights. However, these methods are usually not capable of illuminating the core of the building, and may increase the energy usage of the building due to reduced insulation. There are other systems designed for illuminating the core of buildings with daylighting, but all have some limitations that have impeded widespread adoption.An alternate daylighting system described here offers a novel approach to illuminating the core of buildings. This system consists of active and passive optical components that capture sunlight outside multi-floor buildings and transfer it to the dark core. Active sunlight redirectors, mounted at roof level on the edge of the building, track the sun throughout the day and redirect the sunlight towards building façades at a certain angle. Passive concentrator elements mounted on the façades of the building capture and concentrate the light and direct it into light guides. The sunlight is then distributed within the building via interior light guides to efficiently illuminate the building.