Integration of Natural and Artificial Lighting in Office Spaces to Promote Sustainability

The study examines the methods and technologies employed in integrating natural and artificial lighting in office environments with a focus on sustainability. It explores how artificial lighting can be effectively activated when the illuminance level—an essential aspect of visual comfort—cannot be met by natural light during the day. An example of how natural lighting—defined as a variable light source—can be made energy efficient through automated control systems, when supplemented by artificial lighting, a constant light source, is evaluated in a case study. An office with a renewed spatial organization and an updated automation system was selected for the case study. The analysis focuses on changes in spatial planning, ceiling lighting arrangements, the use of presence and light sensors, and zoning in spatial lighting. The natural lighting is analyzed using computer simulations that compare the previous office layout, PLT 1, with the later layout, PLT 2. Additionally, a partitioned office space is investigated as a preliminary assessment of glare. The evaluation, analysis, and comparisons yield significant findings. Consequently, important insights have been gained regarding the integration of natural and artificial lighting in an office space that has undergone spatial changes and where the automation system has been updated.