BASF Brings Daylight to Dark Spaces

BASF has developed an intelligent solution for transmitting natural daylight into building interiors—even into windowless rooms during the day—without requiring artificial light and enabling optimal use of sunlight behind glass facades without causing glare. The system, based on the principle of light guidance, consists of a film, a light shaft and luminaires. The film is placed inside insulated glass and directs light optimally from there into a light shaft containing reflective film, which brings sunlight deep into the building interior, allowing the luminaires to distribute sunlight throughout the rooms. These luminaires are equipped with LED bulbs used to illuminate rooms when natural sunlight is absent or insufficient. BASF Head of Intelligent Sunlight Management Cristobal Garrido Segura commented on this newly developed intelligent solution: "Particularly during winter months, many people leave home before sunrise and return after darkness falls, seeing almost only artificial light. The broad color spectrum in natural light has a significant impact on our health and performance. Light perception varies greatly from person to person. My vision is rooms where natural sunlight is reflected according to the user's personal preferences."

Human-Centric Lighting Concepts

Human-centric lighting (HCL) encompasses holistic lighting concepts that prioritize people and human health. HCL combines the visual, emotional and biological effects of light. BASF's newly developed daylight system will contribute to enhancing spatial quality in places such as schools, hospitals, shopping centers and office buildings. People feel better in natural light, concentrate better, are more motivated to work and have reduced likelihood of illness. Additionally, daytime use of natural light reduces artificial light consumption by more than 50 percent. Consulting firm A.T. Kearney calculates that the benefits of HCL to humanity will reach as high as EUR 870 million in Europe by 2020.

Diverse Design Possibilities for Architects

This system allows daylight to reach deep into building interiors without requiring any additional structures on the building facade. The system can be flexibly implemented inside the building and can either be hidden within a suspended ceiling or used as a visible element integrated into the building's interior design. Through the luminaires, daylight can reach areas far from windows and even corridors and rooms without direct sunlight. The system can be integrated into existing building surfaces and new building surface concepts without limiting design options. Additionally, it creates opportunities for developing new design concepts such as office environments with work and rest areas featuring natural green spaces to enhance quality of life.

From Concept to Market-Ready System Solution

The daylight management concept emerged during the Creator SpaceTM program implemented as part of BASF's 150th anniversary and teams from Switzerland used this idea to examine light and energy issues outside buildings. Working with BASF experts from various divisions, they created a concept that became an incubation project and developed into a market-ready system solution. The first prototype was deployed at Bartenbach GmbH headquarters in Austria.