Development of photoluminescent composites for energy efficiency in smart outdoor lighting applications: An experimental and numerical investigation

In recent years, the urgent need for reducing the environmental footprint of the building sector has prompted the development of several kinds of new adaptive materials for the built environment. In this work, cutting edge experimental and numerical techniques are used for exploring the potential integration of innovative photoluminescent components in outdoor lighting systems. To this aim, spectroradiometric techniques are used for quantifying the interaction among several compounds and different light sources. Furthermore, numerical simulations are used for evaluating the possible integration of photoluminescent disks in an existing pedestrian path in central Italy. Results show that the proper photoluminescent “active” material should always be coupled to specific light sources, e.g. a mix of yellow and blue afterglow compounds optimizes the afterglow intensity and duration when exposed to a typical white light or to the solar radiation. An optimization procedure could also be used for selecting the number and disposition of photoluminescent disks in real scale applications, as to guarantee the required illuminance levels for pedestrian comfort and sustainability.