在廉价的电能和空调出现之前，日光是商业和机构建筑中的主要光源，作为不可再生能源的替代品被重新发现。对评估替代日光方案的技术发展进行审查，以便在HVAC和照明子系统之间进行权衡，从而将生命周期成本效益分析作为理想的节能标准。通过利用日光减少电力设施的峰值负荷，可以实现额外的节能。引文:密歇根州底特律ASHRAE学报第85卷第2部分研讨会

Daylight, the primary light source in commercial and institutional buildings before the advent of cheap electric energy and air conditioning, is rediscovered as a replacement for nonrenewable energy. A review of the development of techniques for evaluating alternative daylight schemes to permit trade offs between the HVAC and lighting subsystems leads to life cycle costbenefit analysis as a desirable energy conservation criterion. Additional energy conservationcould be accomplished by utilizing daylight to reduce peak loads on electric utilities.