Design optimization of square skylights in office buildings

This research focuses on design optimization of horizontal roof apertures known as skylights in office buildings. It is one of the steps towards design, evaluation, and optimization of roof-daylighting systems in office buildings, which will correlate architectural design features and parameters with illumination quality and quantity and overall energy performance. This research builds on previous work published by the authors that addressed daylighting illumination performance and the lighting electricity reductions achieved through the use of skylights.  This study extends the previous work to account for the energy and cost impacts of the thermal effects of the daylighting systems, suggests optimum aperture area and reports savings in energy consumption and operation costs in two distinct climates.