Software and evaluation methods

Energy-efficient, integrated daylight and artificial lighting solutions in buildings are not being implemented as often as they could be. This is essential in order to achieve current energy policy goals. The potential is huge. Compared to previously-installed systems, today's solutions are at least five times more energy efficient. One of the main reasons for the poverty of developments in this area is the absence of adequate energy evaluation standards and planning tools.

The focus of work and projects in this field is on developing photometric and radiation algorithms to evaluate and optimize the transmission of daylight and radiation through façades. By integrating these algorithms into widely-used planning software such as DIALux evo, planners and manufacturers of lighting systems will be able to design better and more energy-efficient lighting solutions in the building sector in the future.

Other design and consulting tools developed by the researchers of the working group enable, for example, potential to be analyzed and evaluated when renovating lighting systems.

Through the development of evaluation methods for standardization in the field of national and international standards (cf. DIN V 18599-4, EN 15193-1, ISO 10916), requirements governing the efficiency of integrated daylight and artificial lighting solutions can be set.

In dense urban environments, glass façades are increasingly causing glare and high concentrations of solar radiation. To evaluate potentially critical plans, new methods for assessing glare and solar concentrations have been developed and applied in different projects.