BASF Brings Daylight to Dark Areas

BASF's innovative light guidance system illuminates windowless rooms. This new solution will contribute more to human health and lower energy consumption.  This new intelligent solution from BASF also offers a wide range of design possibilities for architects. BASF has created a smart solution to transmit natural daylight to the interiors of buildings so that even windowless rooms do not need artificial light during the day and that sunlight can be optimally used behind glass facades without causing any glare. The system, based on the principle of directing light, consists of a film, a light chimney and lighting fixtures. The film is placed inside the insulated glass and optimally directs the light from there to a chimney containing reflective film, while the light chimney brings sunlight deep into the interior of the building, so that the lighting fixtures emit sunlight inside the rooms. These lighting fixtures were equipped with LED bulbs, which were used to illuminate rooms when natural sunlight was not available or insufficient. Together with Bartenbach GmbH, BASF demonstrated this innovative daylight management system with its 1:10 scale model at the Light + Building exhibition in Germany. Cristobal Garrido Segura, Head of Smart Sunlight Management at BASF, said: "Especially in winter, many people leave their homes before sunrise, return home after dark in the evening, and see almost exclusively artificial light. The broad spectrum of colour in natural light has a significant impact on our health and performance. The perception of light varies greatly from person to person. My vision is for rooms where natural sunlight is reflected in accordance with the user's personal preferences." Human-centered lighting concepts Human-centered lighting (HCL) includes holistic lighting concepts that care about people and people's health. HCL combines the visual, emotional and biological effects of light. The new daylight system developed by BASF will contribute to improving spatial quality in places such as schools, hospitals, shopping malls and business centers. Human beings feel better in natural light, concentrate better, are more motivated to work, and are less likely to get sick. In addition, the use of natural light during the day reduces the use of artificial light by more than 50 percent. Consulting company A.T. Kearney calculates that the benefits of HCL to humanity will reach as high as 870 million euros in Europe in 2020. Wide range of design possibilities for architects This system ensures that daylight is delivered to the depths of the interior of the buildings without the need for any additional structures on the façade of the building. The system can be flexibly implemented inside the building and used as a visible element, either by hiding inside a suspended ceiling or as part of the building's interior design. Through lighting fixtures, daylight can travel from windows to remote areas and even to corridors and rooms where there is no sunlight. The system can be integrated into existing surfaces of buildings and new building surface concepts without limiting design options. In addition, it provides opportunities to create new design concepts, such as office environments with work and relaxation areas with natural green spaces to improve the quality of life. From idea to go-to-market solution The idea for daylight management originated during the Creator SpaceTM program, which was launched as part of BASF's 150th anniversary, and teams from Switzerland based on this idea examined the issue of light and energy outside buildings. Together with BASF experts from various units, they created a concept that became an incubation project and was developed as a market-ready system solution. The first prototype is in use at the Bartenbach GmbH headquarters in Austria.