Daylight oriented optimization of photovoltaic integrated skylights for railway station waiting hall represented large space buildings in China

Abstract

Photovoltaic Integrated Skylights (SIPVs) have been widely used due to their unique synergistic benefits of shading and power generation. Their variable shading and light transmission properties upon varying lighting climates could aggravate the complexity of the daylighting conditions, especially when applied to large space public building skylights. In this study, Chinese cities Lhasa and Beijing were selected as representative cities for semi-transparent photovoltaic (STPV) skylight surveys corresponding to high and moderate solar radiation levels. Railway station waiting halls as the typical large space building, together with SIPVs in varying distribution modes and skylight-to-roof ratios (SRRs) have been modeled and examined. By the aid of dynamic daylighting indicator metrics and DAYSIM simulation tool, this work verified critical roles that SIPV SRRs play in indoor daylighting qualities, for both centralized and uniserial array skylight distributions. As a result, 30 % ∼ 35 % and 23 % ∼ 30 % were determined as the best value ranges for centralized SIPVs, while 16.52 % ∼ 19.27 % and 11.01 % ∼ 19.27 % were confirmed as the best value range for uniserial array distributed SIPVs, for Beijing and Lhasa accordingly. For the first time SIPV SRR based design recommendations considering both typical distribution modes had been concluded for railway station represented large space buildings, for Lhasa and Beijing represented daylighting climates or similarities. The research outcomes can assist more effective SIPV designs and daylight optimizations for such large space type public buildings.