This simulation-based study investigates the potential of tubular daylight guidance systems (TDGS) to enhance daylight availability in historical buildings. Historical buildings often face challenges in providing sufficient daylight to non-lit areas without altering the building’s facade. TDGS offer a passive, building-integrated solution that redirects daylight to target areas while preserving the building’s originality. The study focuses on a historic passage building without ground floor openings and aims to improve visual comfort and daylight availability. Climate Studio software is used to assess the current daylighting conditions and to simulate various scenarios for TDGS implementation. The study considers four TDGS alternatives with different diameters, evaluating their impact on useful daylight illuminance (UDI) and spatial daylight autonomy (sDA). The findings reveal significant increases in UDI and sDA, ranging from 68.7 % to 403.7 %, and from 79.9 % to 1813.6 %, respectively, depending on the tube diameter. These results underscore the importance of daylight tube diameter in increasing the availability and distribution of useful daylight. The study emphasizes the potential of TDGS to optimize daylighting experiences in historical buildings with limited daylight.
1. Baglivo, C., Bonomolo, M., Congedo, P.M. Modelling of light pipes for the optimal disposition in buildings // Energies (Basel), 2019, Vol. 12, # 22; DOI: 10.3390/en12224323.
2. Li, H., Wu, D., Yuan, Y., Zuo, L. Evaluation methods of the daylight performance and potential energy saving of tubular daylight guide systems: A review // Indoor and Built Environment, 2022, Vol. 31, # 2, pp. 299–315; DOI: 10.1177/1420326X21992419.
3. Healthy Schools Network Inc. Daylighting in Education // 2012, Beldon Fund and Educational Foundation of America.
4. Inanici, M., Brennan, M., Clark, E. Spectral Daylighting Simulations: Computing Circadian Light // Proceedings of BS2015: 14th Conference of IBPSA, Hyderabad, India, 2015, pp. 1245–1252.
5. Kontadakis, A., Tsangrassoulis, A., Doulos, L., Topalis, F. An active sunlight redirection system for daylight enhancement beyond the perimeter zone // Build Environ, 2017, Vol. 113, pp. 267–279; doi: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2016.09.029.
6. Buda, A, de Place Hansen, E.J., Rieser, A., Giancola, E., Pracchi, V.N., Mauri, S., Marincioni, V., Gori, V., Fouseki, K., Polo López, C.S., Lo Faro, A. Conservation-compatible retrofit solutions in historic buildings: An integrated approach // Sustainability, 2021, Vol. 13, # 5, p. 2927.
7. Marzouk, M., Elsharkawy, M., Mahmoud, A. Optimizing daylight utilization of flat skylights in heritage buildings // Journal of Advanced Research, 2022, Vol. 37, pp. 133–145; DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2021.06.005.
8. Ascione, F., Bianco, N., De Masi, R. F., De’Rossi, F., Vanoli, G.P. Energy retrofit of an educational building in the ancient centre of Benevento. Feasibility study of energy savings and respect of the historical value // Energy and Buildings, 2015, Vol. 95, pp. 172–183; DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2014.10.072.
9. Balocco, C., Calzolari, R. Natural light design for an ancient building: A case study // J. Cult Herit, 2008, Vol. 9, # 2, pp. 172–178; DOI: 10.1016/j.culher.2007.07.007.
10. Malet-Damour, B., Guichard, S., Bigot, D., Boyer, H. Study of tubular daylight guide systems in buildings: Experimentation, modelling and validation // Energy and buildings, 2016, Vol. 129, pp. 308–321; DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2016.08.019.
11. Oakley, G., Riffat, S. B., Shao, L. Daylight Performance of Light Pipes // Solar Energy, 2000, Vol. 69, # 2, pp. 89–98; DOI: 10.1016/S0038-092X(00)00049-9.
12.Thakkar, V. Experimental study of Tubular Skylight and comparison with Artificial Lighting of standard ratings // Int. J. Enhanc. Res. Sci. Technol. Eng., 2013, Vol. 2, # 6, pp. 1–6.
13. Petržala, J., Kocifaj, M., Kómar, L. Accurate tool for express optical efficiency analysis of cylindrical light-tubes with arbitrary aspect ratios // Solar Energy, 2018, Vol. 169, pp. 264–269; DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2018.04.053.
14. Malet-Damour, B., Bigot, D., Boyer, H. Technological review of tubular daylight guide system from 1982 to 2020 // European Journal of Engineering and Technology Research, 2020, Vol. 5, # 3, pp. 375–386; DOI: 10.24018/ejers.2020.5.3.1809.
15. Shuxiao, W., Jianping, Z., Lixiong, W. Research on energy saving analysis of tubular daylight devices // Energy Procedia, 2015, pp. 1781–1786; DOI: 10.1016/j.egypro.2015.11.305.
16. Kocifaj, M, Darula, S, Kittler, R. HOLIGILM: Hollow light guide interior illumination method–An analytic calculation approach for cylindrical light-tubes // Solar Energy, 2008, Vol. 82, # 3, pp. 247–259; DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2007.07.003.
17. Mayhoub, M.S. Innovative daylighting systems’ challenges: A critical study // Energy and Buildings, 2014, Vol. 80, pp. 394–405; DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2014.04.019.
18. Mahawan, J., Thongtha, A. Experimental investigation of illumination performance of hollow light pipe for energy consumption reduction in buildings // Energies (Basel), 2021, Vol. 14, # 2; DOI: 10.3390/en14020260.
19. Maňková, L, Hraška, J, Janak, M. Simplified determination of indoor daylight illumination by light pipes // Slovak Journal of Civil Engineering, 2009, Vol. 4, pp. 22–30.
20. TARKEM. Historical Akin Passage, Historical Kemeralti Construction Investment Trade Inc., 2022.
21. Climate Studio. Welcome to the ClimateStudio User Guide, 2020.
22. Soleimani, K., Abdollahzadeh, N., Zomorodian, Z.S. Improving daylight availability in heritage buildings: A case study of below-grade classrooms in Tehran // Journal of Daylighting, 2021, Vol. 8, # 1, pp. 120–133; DOI: 10.15627/jd.2021.9.
23.VELUX. Daylight calculations and measurements, n.d.

• Previous article
• Next article

• historical buildings
• tubular daylight systems
• case study
• simulation