Thermal and Daylighting Performance of an Automated Venetian Blind and Lighting System in a Full-Scale Private Office

Dynamic envelope/lighting systems have the potential to optimize the perimeter zone energy balance between daylight admission and solar heat gain rejection on a real-time basis, and to increase occupant comfort. Two side-by-side full-scale offices in Oakland, California were built to further develop and test this concept. An automated venetian blind was operated in synchronization with a dimmable electric lighting system to block direct sun, provide the design workplane illuminance, and maximize view. The research program encompassed system design refinements, energy measurements, and human factors tests. In this study, we present lighting energy and cooling load data that were monitored in this facility over the course of a year. Significant energy savings and peak demand reductions were attained with the automated venetian blind/ lighting system compared to a static venetian blind with the same dimmable electric lighting system. Correlations between key weather parameters and cooling and lighting were used to illustrate how the dynamic system was able to simultaneously achieve optimization between lighting and cooling end uses under the full range of weather conditions of this sunny, moderate climate. Energy-efficiency estimates were conservative since experience shows that conventional daylighting control systems and manually operated shading devices are rarely used effectively in real world applications.