Co-Simulation of the Different Parameters Affecting Lighting Conditions and User Preferences in Working Environments

This paper presents a co-simulation of the different parameters which affect the illuminance inside a working environment. A key factor in this analysis is the daylight illuminance that penetrates into the building skin and the variations that it presents for different days of the year and sky types. A second parameter that is examined is the lighting behavior of the users. Each user presents unique preferences which affect the use of manual blinds and artificial lights. The proper assessment of his/her preferences are in great importance and they should be taken into account by a future smart lighting system, considering that a personalized illumination level is the key to a better working environment. Based on measurements concerning internal illuminance in regard to work place occupancy and outdoor weather conditions, user preferences probability functions are presented. It is shown that subjective criteria, related to personal preferences, differentiate behavior patterns even for users with similar objective characteristics. These patterns, along with the simulated daylight penetration and the effect of manual blinds, can lead to the proper estimation of the energy demand for a user oriented lighting installation.