PolyArch

Abstract

The challenge of the future is to minimize the energy consumption of buildings while maintaining an optimal comfort level in the interior. Controlling the energy streams in and out of the building , and especially daylight management, plays an important role. It deals with many, sometimes conflicting functions of the building:

Generally a maximum of natural lighting is desired to reduce the need for lighting energy which in today’s buildings accounts for approximately 30% of the total electricity demand. But daylight contains a lot of energy. We need to block sun radiation in summer to prevent overheating, whereas in winter this incoming energy is desired to reduce the need for heating energy.

By means of the PolyArch project we aim at clarifying the energy savings potential as well as identifying the technological challenges that need to be tackled in order to get PolyArch market ready. Prototypes of the product will be displayed and tested in the LightVan, a mobile light laboratory.