Buildings are responsible for approximately 40% of global energy consumption, putting pressure on the construction industry to mitigate its environmental impact. Therefore, there is an urgent need for innovative solutions to reduce power consumption, particularly in lighting systems. This study’s primary objective was to investigate novel integrated lighting solutions that significantly reduce energy use, as well as to explore their enhancement through Building Information Modelling (BIM) and the Internet of Things (IoT) to improve energy efficiency further and reduce the carbon footprint of buildings. Hence, this literature review examined energy-saving actions, retrofitting practices and interventions across a range of multi-use buildings worldwide, focusing on research from 2019 to 2024. The review was conducted using Scopus and Web of Science databases, with inclusion criteria limited to original research. The objective was to diagnose the goals being undertaken and ultimately validate new actions and contributions to minimise energy consumption. After applying eligibility criteria, 48 studies were included in the review. First, daylight harvesting and retrofitting solutions were examined using the latest technologies and external shading. The review indicates a lack of proper coordination between daylight and electrical lighting, resulting in energy inefficiency. Secondly, it reviews how the integration of BIM facilitates the design process, providing a complete overview of all the building variables, thus improving indoor daylight performance and proper lighting with energy analysis. Lastly, the review addresses the role of the Internet of Things (IoT) in providing real-time data from sensor networks, allowing for continuous monitoring of building conditions. This systematic literature review explores the integration of these fields to address the urgent need for innovative strategies and sustainability in the built environment. Furthermore, it thoroughly analyses the current state of the art, identifying best practices, emerging trends and concrete insight for architects, engineers and researchers. The goal is to promote the widespread adoption of low-carbon systems and encourage collaboration among industry professionals and researchers to advance sustainable building design. Ultimately, a new parametric design framework is proposed, consisting of five iterative phases that cover all design stages. This framework is further enhanced by integrating BIM and IoT, which can be used together to plan, reconfigure, and optimise the building’s performance.

The number of desk workers who frequently conduct their jobs at home has increased dramatically during Covid-19. Work-from-home flexibility makes it attractive for workers and companies, resulting in a “Work-Style Reform” after the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the quick conversion of home spaces into workplaces cannot always sufficiently respond to users’ visual comfort and daylight performance needs which are primary contributors to occupant well-being and productivity. Therefore, this study adopts a mixed-methodology method that integrates parametric thinking, biomimetic, conceptual design, kinetic strategy and the DIVA approach to develop a real-time parametric-generative circular design for multi-objective adaptability that optimizes visual comfort and electric lighting energy efficiency for multiple occupants simultaneously. Parametric simulations of 1458 different options (five different runs per case: a total of 7290) were conducted to assess how the louvers perform regarding daylight, glare, and electric energy usage. Implementing an interactive kinetic louver greatly improved daylight performance in all orientations while simultaneously avoiding visual discomfort for multiple occupants. Furthermore, the use of this façade modification resulted in a substantial decrease in electrical lighting energy consumption, reducing the values from 14.22 to 0.2 kWh/m2/year, 8.1 to 0.18 kWh/m2/year, and 12.88 to 0.18 kWh/m2/year for South, East, and West orientations, respectively. Integrating users' lighting level preferences and the dynamic transitory sensitive area on the façade considerably reduces electric lighting consumption by around 99% compared to the ASHRAE 90.1 standard's lighting profile.

A holistic approach to daylight dynamics in our built environment can have beneficial outcomes for both physiological and visual effects on humans. Simulations of how daylight variables affect light levels on the horizontal work plane are compared to their physiological effects, measured as melanopic EDI (Melanopic Equivalent Daylight Illuminance) on a vertical plane. The melanopic EDI levels were calculated in a simulated office space in ALFA software (Adaptive Lighting for Alertness) employing the daylight variables of orientation, time of day, season, sky conditions and spatial orientation. Results were analyzed for how daylight design can contribute to the physiological effects of dynamic light in office buildings. Daylight is shown to be a sufficient light source in the majority of cases to meet the recommended values of EDI and provide the suggested horizontal lx level according to the Danish Standards. A mapping of daylight conditions, focusing on the specific factors presented here, can provide guidelines in the design process and future smart building systems. The complex interrelationship between these parameters is important to acknowledge when working with daylight dynamics as a sustainable element in architecture and lighting design.

Light is the foundation of the visual perceptual process that initiates the evaluation of the surrounding area. Linked to various aspects and rhythms of the body, light connects us to both the natural environment and the interior space. The process of perceiving and assessing space for children and adults with different viewing heights and viewing perspectives as well as the role of light to facilitate this are the key elements of this study. The paper describes general lighting design strategies for kindergartens, specifically developed to create an environment that takes into account the children’s scale and cognitive processes. The objective was to discuss environments that support the child’s spatial perception along with shape and object recognition by means of lighting design, for example by creating distinct, well-placed shadows. The proposed strategies are informed by a literature review on the concepts and interrelations of light, human physiology and the perception of scale and space. In addition, our process also included visits to kindergartens to observe and analyse existing lighting as well as the use of simulation programs to test lighting scenarios and their patterns/distribution of light and shadow. The outcome described in this paper is a proposal and strategy to take into account children’s vantage points when designing lighting in kindergartens that is still open to practical interpretations in real-world sites.

Buildings are responsible for approximately 40% of global energy consumption, putting pressure on the construction industry to mitigate its environmental impact. Therefore, there is an urgent need for innovative solutions to reduce power consumption, particularly in lighting systems. The study’s primary objective was to investigate novel integrated lighting solutions that significantly reduce energy use and they explore their enhancement through Building Information Modeling (BIM) and the Internet of Things (IoT) to further improve energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint in buildings. Hence, this literature review aimed to examine energy-saving actions, retrofitting practices and interventions across a range of multi-use buildings worldwide over the past six years. The objective was to diagnose the goals being undertaken and ultimately validate new actions and contributions to minimise energy consumption. First, daylight harvesting and retrofitting solutions were examined in conjunction with the latest technologies, also referred to the external shadings. In consequence of this matter, comes the lack or unappropriated coordination, and so waste of energy, between daylight and electrical lighting. Secondly, how the integration of BIM facilitates the design process, providing a complete overview of all the variables of the building, thus improving indoor daylight performance and proper lighting with energy analysis. Lastly, the review addresses the role of IoT in providing real-time data from sensor networks, allowing for continuous monitoring of building conditions. This systematic literature review explores the integration of the fields to address the urgent need for innovative strategies and sustainability in the built environment. Furthermore, it thoroughly analyses the current state of the art, identifying best practices, emerging trends and concrete insight for architects, engineers, and researchers. The goal is to promote the widespread adoption of low-carbon systems and encourage collaboration among industry professionals and researchers to advance sustainable building design.