Careers in HVAC&R: Daylighting

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Careers in HVAC&R

Daylighting

Since electric lights represent a large fraction of the air-conditioning load in most office buildings, turning off or dimming lights can represent significant financial and energy savings. Daylighting is the name given to the art of reducing artificial lights through the proper placement and treatment of windows. Through the use of light shelves (to bounce sunlight off the ceiling deep within the building) and clerestories (windows installed high in the wall to also allow sunlight to reach deep into the building), designers have demonstrated that lighting levels can be significantly reduced.

The selection of the type of glass material in the windows can also have a significant impact on the size and energy consumption of the building heating and cooling systems. By allowing the visible portion of the solar spectrum to enter while filtering out harmful ultraviolet and heat-producing infrared radiation, new windows offer today's designers many opportunities. Other methods of controlling energy costs include selecting energy efficient glazing material for large window areas in an office building, as well as incorporating skylights often seen in the atrium of a shopping mall or hotel.

For more information on daylighting, contact these web sites:

www.eren.doe.gov

www.iesna.org

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Revision Date: June 2, 1999