Optimizing the lighting environment in college teaching buildings in the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan region based on hybrid lighting patterns

Leyan Zhang, Bi’nan Zuo, Xi Jin, Canlong Liu and Yufeng He

PLOS ONE, 2026, vol. 21, issue 10, 1-21

Abstract: With the rapid expansion of higher education campuses in China, teaching buildings have become major contributors to lighting-related energy consumption. Most university teaching buildings adopt interior corridor layouts, in which classrooms rely primarily on single-sided daylighting, often resulting in insufficient daylight availability, particularly in north-facing spaces. Improving the lighting performance of interior corridor–type teaching buildings is therefore critical for enhancing energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality. In this study, an evaluation framework for indoor lighting environments is established, and the Chongye Teaching Building at Hunan University of Technology is selected as a representative case. Through a combination of on-site measurements and daylighting simulations, the daylighting characteristics of interior corridor–type teaching buildings in the Changsha–Zhuzhou–Xiangtan (Chang–Zhu–Tan) region are systematically analyzed. Four hybrid lighting patterns integrating natural and artificial lighting are proposed, including High-Density Layout (HDL), Medium-Density Layout (MDL), Low-Density Layout (LDL), and Targeted Layout (TL). The results indicate that all four patterns significantly enhanced daylight utilization across multiple metrics—including illuminance, spatial uniformity, daylight factor, spatial daylight autonomy, and target illuminance duration—thereby reducing dependence on electric lighting during daytime classroom operation. Through this proof of concept, the present study provides guidance and references for optimizing the luminous environment in interior-corridor classrooms under comparable architectural and daylight climate conditions.

Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0359574

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0359574

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