A review study on the application of the fibre optic daylighting system in Malaysian buildings

Abstract

As a developing country, Malaysia requires innovation to keep abreast of the rapid growth of technology to meet the highly demanding energy consumption. The application of daylighting systems especially by fibre optics is very limited, due to the absence of relevant knowledge and the lack of understanding of the system requirements and potentials, particularly the technology of illuminating enclosed spaces which are totally surrounded by internal walls (opaque). Thus, the aim of this literature review is to shed light on this new approach and to help the building technologists activate its application in building interiors. This paper presents and summarises the important technical issues that enhance the adoption of this technique for the Malaysian built environment.

Designing an integrated daylighting system for deep-plan spaces in Malaysian low-rise buildings

“…Christopher (2009) suggested the fiber optic daylighting system (FODS) as a viable solution. However, the application of FODS was found to be limited in this region because of the inconstancy of sky conditions (Abdul-Rahman and Wang, 2010;Munaaim et al, 2014aMunaaim et al, , 2014b. Furthermore, studies have shown that shading devices remain under research in this region due to constraints in sunlight quantity, i.e., direct and diffused sunlight (Al-Tamimi and Fadzil, 2011;Lim et al, 2013;Lim and Heng, 2016).…”

“…These systems have a similar function to that of SLs, which utilize direct and diffused sunlight for a light tube, whereas only direct sunlight is used in FODSs. However, both of these systems have limitations, i.e., they require clear skies and a continuous supply of sun rays during the day to function (Munaaim et al, 2014a). Christopher (2009) indicated that incorporating a lighting strategy into natural light remained a complicated procedure.…”

Performance Comparison of Solar Assisted and Inverter Air-Conditioning Systems in Malaysia

“…The application of solar energy to various types of HVAC systems proved its huge potential for reducing energy usage. However, solar radiation is a highly time-dependent energy resource and it does not always meet the building demand (Munaaim et al, 2014;Al-Obaidi et al, 2017). This problem can be addressed by storing and releasing thermal energy according to building load (Aminuddin and Rao, 2008;Sulaiman, 2005).…”

Empirical Evaluation of the Effect of Heat Gain from Fiber Optic Daylighting System on Tropical Building Interiors

“…In reality, these studies have indicated the presence of heat during light transfer. Munaaim et al [5,15] reviewed and tested Parans SP3 under Malaysian sky conditions. However, all these studies did not determine the amount of heat generated from this system.…”

“…However, these systems reduce light distribution as the depth of a room increases. Drawbacks related to sky conditions, such as glare, excessive brightness and heat, are also observed; moreover, arranging wires in light pipe systems is difficult [4,5].…”