Methods to Predict Energy Use for Lighting Systems: An Overview and an Application on a Real Case Study

The study of Demand Response strategies application is widely related to the evaluation of the energy consumption. It is fundamental to optimize the design and management of the plants in the smart buildings. During the design steps, it is necessary to predict the above-mentioned energy consumption. This paper reviews some methods that can be applied to predict energy consumption related to lighting systems. In particular, three categories of methods have been analysed: methods proposed by technical standards, methods based on mathematical indices for daylight assessment, and methods based on simulation models. These methods have been described and applied by calculating the energy consumption by considering a case study plant located at the University of Palermo. Finally, the results of the calculation have been compared with real energy consumption measured in the case study by considering different control strategies in order to underline the criticism of these simplified methods.