PERFORMANCE OF LIGHTPIPES

Abstract

Energy consumption has been increasing constantly with the growing population and global warming will become more serious as more fossil fuels are burned to create energy. Therefore, it is crucial to find alternative ways to solve the issues. The introduction of lightpipes is one of the options for reducing energy consumption and for reducing the impact of environmental pollutants. This research aims to study the performance of lightpipes through both subjective and objective studies. The subjective studies include survey and interview. The survey is conducted to find out whether there is significant difference in the visual comfort between lightpipes and artificial lights. Statistical t test was used to analyze the data and results indicate that lightpipes can provide the same quality of lighting as artificial lights. The interview was carried out to collect cost information and to understand relevant technology for the life cycle costing analysis. The objective study was done through on-site measurement and it was conducted to test the illuminance level of lightpipes. The result shows that the illuminance level meets the requirement according to Singapore Standard SS 531: Part 1: 2006. Life cycle costing analysis is performed to find out its Net Present Value (NPV) and simple payback as compared to the artificial lights. It shows that lightpipes have a larger NPV and the payback period is 2.1 years. It is concluded that lightpipe is cost-effective in the long run and satisfactory to users, although it has high initial cost. Therefore, lightpipes is recommended for similar low-rise buildings in Singapore.