Energy Performance and Savings Potentials with Skylights

This study systematically explores the energy effects of skylight systems in a prototypical office building module and examines the savings from daylighting. For specific climates, roof/skylight characteristics are identified that minimize total energy or peak electrical demand. Simplified techniques for energy performance calculation are also presented based on a multiple regression analysis of our data base so that one may easily evaluate daylightings effects on total and component energy loads and electrical peaks. This provides additional insights into the influence of skylight parameters on energy consumption and electrical peaks. We use the DOE-2.15 energy analysis program with newly incorporated daylighting algorithms to determine hourly, monthly, and annual impacts of daylighting strategies on electrical lighting consumption, cooling, heating, fan power, peak electrical demands, and total energy use. A database of more than 2000 parametric simulations for 14 U.S. climates has been generated. Parameters varied include skylight-to-roof ratio, shading coefficient, visible transmittance, skylight well light loss, electric lighting power density, roof heat transfer coefficient, and electric lighting control type.