Daylighting and solar shading performances of an innovative automated reflective louvre system

Traditional windows, as the major source of daylight, have a common problem which is uneven distribution of daylight in the room. Several innovative daylighting systems such as light shelves, fixed and movable reflective louvres, reflective sills, prismatic glazing, light pipes, etc., have been developed to address this problem. This paper reports on a research programme that investigates retrofitted solutions to uneven distribution of daylight in deep-plan office buildings. The work presented here follows initial investigations into the design and applicability of an automated retrofitted panel thermal shutters which can also act as a sunshade and daylighting system. The system has a patented function which allows each shutter/louvre to be controlled and placed separately from other louvres. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the system when acting as a sunshade, light shelf, reflective louvre, and reflective sill under clear, overcast, and sunny sky conditions. According to the results, the system significantly improved daylight distribution and reduced the need for artificial lighting by 60%. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.