Lecture at the Solar Decathlon 21/22 at Wuppertal University. Light is not only a source to see our environment but triggers reactions in our body like alertness, cognitive performance and circadian rhythm. The recent discovery of the non-visual perception of light has influenced lighting in the last 20 years and had an impact on the Solar Decathlon in Wuppertal as well. As a result, the lighting design process has become more complex and systems thinking is an important strategy in order to respond to these challenges. The Solar Decathlon has proven that systems thinking enables teams to solve multiple lighting design tasks and to offer a surplus of energy to share with others.

1. Changing needs in lighting design:
From lux levels to systems thinking
Thomas Schielke
Solar Decathlon Europe - 25.6.2022

3. It’s of
fi
cial, light is not just for vision
Kevin Houser, 2021

4. Solar Decathlon is a sustainability
stage for next generation buildings
Washington, D.C., 2002

5. Space
Task Level Avg.
Original category
Ambient Level Avg
Added category
Living 30fc / 323lx 5fc / 54lx
Of
fi
ce 50fc / 538lx 5fc / 54lx
Kitchen 30fc / 323lx 10fc / 108lx
Bedroom 15fc / 161lx 5fc / 54lx
Bathroom 30fc / 323lx 10fc / 108lx
The
fi
rst competition started with
an initiative to think beyond tasks
and added a second category for
ambience.
Washington, D.C., 2002
E = Good lighting?
Illuminance

6. Macula
Lens
Rods
Cones
ipRGCs
iPRGC discovery questioned
the traditional way of lighting
design only for vision
Image: Wikimedia
E x EML = Good lighting?
Illuminance x Melanopic lux

7. Time pattern
Light level
Light spectrum
Spatial pattern
Input Output
Education: learning
Work: productivity
Travel: less jet lag
Health: quality of life
The race has started to
fi
nd the
right lighting formula to increase
performance

8. HUMAN
CENTRIC
LIGHTING
Health-washing products with this
term was a narrow-minded
misinterpretation of a holistic
lighting design approach

9. Reading small text and typewriting required
adequate illuminance for visual acuity.
Avonbank, Bristol, 1971
E = Good of
fi
ce lighting?
Illuminance

10. Of
fi
ces with large drawing boards and detailed
information required brightness and uniformity to
handle pen and safe erasing with a razor blade
Ercole Marelli, 1963
Image. Paolo Monti, Wikipedia
E x U = Good of
fi
ce lighting?
Illuminance x Uniformity

11. Of
fi
ces with glossy computer monitors required a
technology to reduce high luminance.
Computer Centre, Bremen, 1994. Image. ERCO
E x U x UGR = Good of
fi
ce lighting?
Illuminance x Uniformity x Visual comfort

12. Today we have matte luminous displays which we
can zoom into and easily correct errors with a
mouse click. Yet, our spaces are mainly still set out
according to old requirements.
Image. Mugenup, Wikipedia
E x U x UGR = Good of
fi
ce lighting?
Illuminance x Uniformity x Visual comfort

13. 20.000lx
15.000
10.000
5.000
0
4:00 8:00 12:00 16:00 20:00
Outdoor:
Daylight
Indoor: Recommended illumination by
standards and wide practice
Clear sky
spring
Overcast sky
winter
Interior lighting 500lx
4:00 8:00 12:00 16:00 20:00
20.000lx
15.000
10.000
5.000
0
Standard lighting lacks the dynamics of daylight
in brightness, colour, diffuse and direct light
Right
fi
gure based on Knoop et al., 2020

14. Bright and cool light for the day
Corn Harvest in Provence
Vincent van Gogh, 1888
Dimmed and warm light for the evening
Astronomer by Candlelight
Gerard Dou, late 1650s
In the past, people had a natural day-night rhythm.
Bringing daylight effects 1:1 to contemporary of
fi
ce life
would require much more than excessive energy.

15. Green illumination for Eiffel Tower celebrates
Paris Agreement’s Entry into Force
Image: Jean-Baptiste Gurliat / Wikipedia

16. „Systems thinking is concerned with expanding our
awareness to see the relationships between parts and
wholes rather than looking at just discrete, isolated parts.“
Megan Seibert

17. The view from space tells us where
we waste energy
NASA Earth Observatory
Image by Robert Simmon

18. Dark Sky Reserves offer an escape from light pollution
Rhön, Germany
Photo: Florian Trykowski. Image © Rhön GmbH

19. First subterranean urban
farm with renewable energy
bringing production closer
to consumers.
London
Image: Zero Carbon Farms
Glowing greenhouses:
LED lit agriculture attempts to feed
more people with less land.
The Netherlands
Image: Tom Hegen

20. ‘A torture experiment’:
plan for almost
windowless student
megadorm raises alarm
The Guardian, 2021
Nightmare of the
windowless dorm room
The New Yorker, 2021
Daylight protest: Glowing
screens simulate sunlight
for the world’s densest
dorm.
Munger Hall. Image: Van
Tilburg, Banvard &
Soderbergh/UC Santa
Barbara
Dear UC Santa Barbara:
Don’t let a petulant
billionaire build a prison
dorm on your campus
The Los Angeles Times,
2021

21. Dynamic integrated lighting with daylight
Apple Store, New York, 2019. Design:
Foster+Partners. Image: Apple

22. Schema based on Jennifer
Veitch, 1998: Lighting
Individual
well-being
- visibility
- activity
- social & communication
- mood, comfort
- health & safety
- aesthetic judgement
Lighting
quality
Economics
- installation
- maintenance
- operation
- energy
- environment
Architecture
- form
- composition
- style
- codes & standards

23. Individual
well-being
- visibility
- activity
- social & communication
- mood, comfort
- health & safety
- aesthetic judgement
Economics
- installation
- maintenance
- operation
- energy
- environment
Architecture
- form
- composition
- style
- codes & standards
Lighting
quality
Ecology
well-being
- society
- animals
- plants
Schema adapted from Jennifer
Veitch, 1998: Lighting quality
model

24. From bottled liquids to
enlightenment for millions: easy
innovative approach to providing
income opportunities.
Image: Liter of light

25. Natural materials for luminaries like
fl
ax-based printed circuit board
Bamboo pendant. Design: Brad Koerner
E x LCA = Good lighting?
Illuminance x Life Cycle Assessment

26. Lighting control change
Lighting distribution
change
Track
Adaptive luminaire design
with update service enables long
durability
Control gear update
Light source update

27. www.arclighting.de
1974
CRI
Colour
rendering
2000
1980
1960
1940
1920
1900
Lighting
Ecology
1917
E: 40-80lx
requirements
for of
fi
ces, USA
1930
E: 150lx
1947
E: 250lx
1960
E: 1000lx
Academia
1977
Dark Sky
International
Association
1998
Phase-out + Ecodesign
incandescent light bulbs
EU directive
2017
EML
WELL Standard:
Melanopic lux
2018
Fridays for Future
2002
Oil crisis
2007
Earth Hour
Lights turned off
2020
1908
DF
Daylight Factor
1989
DA
Daylight Autonomy
2005
UDI + DGP
Useful Daylight Illuminance
Daylight Glare Probability
2012
SDA + ASE
Spatial Daylight Autonomy
Annual Sunlight Exposure
Daylight
1982
E: 500lx
1995
UGR
Visual comfort
2013
Biologically
effective illumination -
Design guidelines
1974
EU resolution
Energy saving +
product impact
1939
U
Uniformity

28. lx x U x UGR x t x EML x W x I x LCA x M
illuminance x uniformity x visual comfort x time x energy x individuality x life cycle assessment x message
= Good lighting?
x User behavior x Daylight x Design x X m

29. lx x U x UGR x t x EML x W x I x LCA x M
illuminance x uniformity x visual comfort x time x energy x individuality x life cycle assessment x message
= Good lighting?
x user behavior x daylight x design x X m

30. #1
Accept that there is no quick
copy and paste option

31. #2
Prepare to understand new points of view

32. #3
Build in
fl
exibility

33. Architecture
- Vertical light for wide space
- Integration of luminaires in space
Activity
- Visual comfort through glare-control
- Adjust light for circadian rhythm
Atmosphere
- Focal points for visual attraction
- Changing lighting scenes for
individual mood
Systems thinking achieves
multiple bene
fi
ts
Images: Axel Groß, ERCO

34. Solar power
Daylight
Luminaires
Software
Input
Architecture
Activity
Atmosphere
Energy-Plus Building
Social message
Output
Systems thinking enables
high lighting quality solutions
and energy surplus
Images: Team MIMO
Architecture Activity Atmosphere
Systems thinking

35. Simulated sunrise versus real daylight boost
Luminaire: Mandalaki Studio.
Sensor: Geneva School of Art and Design. EPFL, 2019

36. Changing needs in lighting design:
From lux levels to systems thinking
Thomas Schielke
www.arclighting.de

37. Thank you
for your support:
Axel Groß
Brad Koerner
Dan Weissman
Heiko Becker
Henk Kosche
Isil Kalpkirmaz Rizaoglu
Jennifer Veitch
Karsten Voss
Kevin Houser
Mar
ti
ne Knoop and Team
Megan Seibert
MIMO
Tom Hegen
Werner Osterhaus
William Lam

38. Changing needs in lighting design:
From lux levels to systems thinking
Thomas Schielke
www.arclighting.de

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