Frontiers of Lighting Design with CAD and BIM

Maurizio Rossi

doi:10.23738/RCASB.018

Frontiers of Lighting Design with CAD and BIM

Authors

Maurizio Rossi

Politecnico di Milano

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0480-7912

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23738/RCASB.018

Keywords:

Digital lighting design, Lighting simulation, Lighting verification, Virtual prototyping, Lighting CAD, BIM, Photorealistic rendering, Lighting performance evaluation

Synopsis

This text, through the presentation of design problems and applications, describes/demonstrates methods and tools that enable the inclusion of quantitative and qualitative evaluations of lighting in the project development process, prior to the installation. The tools that have been consolidated in the new millennium are primarily CAD systems made available by information technology, specifically those aimed at accurate lighting calculation. The purpose is not to create beautiful images, like those in cartoons, but to provide automatic calculation tools for virtual verification of the lighting design. After CAD, in more recent times, the way buildings are designed and maintained is changing even more radically, thanks to the Building Information Modeling (BIM) methodology. This further methodological revolution is also starting to affect Lighting Design, although with still limited software tools. The book is aimed at designers and researchers, to all those who are interested in understanding how the way of designing lighting has evolved and knowing how to simulate the behavior of artificial and natural light, in interiors and exteriors, using software tools that can be on anyone's desk, with low costs but with enormous potential.

The text introduces the aspects of the inclusion of virtual prototyping tools in the process of light design, with insights regarding the latest regulations and recommendations of the lighting industry, and then analyze in a comprehensive but accessible way the technological limits, the perceptual problems of the tools available for the virtual analysis of light, and methods to reasonably manage these issues in the relationship of the designer with the use of computer tools. Case studies of increasing complexity are presented, ranging from artificial and natural lighting for interiors to artificial lighting for exteriors, and including solutions for addressing problems related to lighting cultural sites and monuments. The text then examines the ways of using computational tools for virtual photometric measurements and, finally, addresses the actual usability of virtual photographs for qualitative assessment of illumination.

In the first chapter, digital lighting design is introduced as a multidisciplinary field that integrates physical measurement, perceptual evaluation, and design intent. The chapter outlines the fundamental role of light in shaping visual performance, psychological response, and spatial experience, emphasizing the need for an integrated management of illuminance, material properties, color, and visual tasks under both natural and artificial conditions. Given the impossibility of physical prototyping in lighting design, the chapter frames digital simulation as an essential methodological tool. A clear distinction is established between rendering-oriented tools and Lighting CAD systems developed for physically based calculation and quantitative verification, highlighting both the potential and the limitations of current digital approaches.

In the second chapter, computer-based tools for lighting design and verification are presented as components of a virtual design workshop supporting both quantitative evaluation and qualitative assessment of light in built environments. The chapter outlines the technical skills required to operate within this digital framework and examines software systems for artificial lighting calculation, focusing on space modelling, photometric data management, and the assessment of illuminance, luminance, and visual comfort using established metrics. Particular emphasis is placed on the limitations of rendering as a perceptual aid and on the necessity of technically grounded representations. Through applied case studies and references to optical simulation software, the chapter highlights the role of digital tools in integrating environmental lighting design with product-level analysis.

In the third chapter, the integration of lighting design within Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows is examined, with a focus on tools and methodologies for verifying lighting and evaluating performance. While BIM is widely used for coordinating architectural and engineering disciplines, the chapter highlights how lighting design remains only partially integrated into BIM authoring environments, often depending on external software or proprietary add-ins. A clear distinction is drawn between Closed BIM approaches, based on integrated plugins, and Open BIM workflows, which rely on standardized interoperability formats such as IFC. Through the analysis of representative software tools, the chapter discusses issues of interoperability, workflow continuity, analytical scope, and data resilience, emphasizing the need for methodological awareness and informed tool selection in BIM-based lighting design.

In the fourth chapter, photorealistic rendering is examined as a complementary instrument in lighting design, primarily supporting perceptual evaluation rather than normative verification. The chapter discusses the inherent limits of photographic representation and human visual perception, clarifying why perfectly photorealistic images remain unattainable and what this implies for digital lighting simulation. It introduces key global illumination models, outlining their theoretical foundations and computational implications within lighting design workflows. Particular attention is given to the management of geometry, materials, light sources, and calculation parameters, with an emphasis on the distinction between quantitative lighting analysis and qualitative visual synthesis. Through applied examples, the chapter illustrates how rendering functions as a virtual prototyping tool that connects measurable data with experiential assessment in both professional and educational contexts.

Author Biography

Maurizio Rossi, Politecnico di Milano

Full Professor of Design (ICAR/13) at the Department of Design, Politecnico di Milano, where he has been in service since 2019. Previously, he was Associate Professor (2010–2019) and Assistant Professor (2002–2010) at the same institution. He has been Scientific Manager of the Laboratorio Luce at Politecnico di Milano since 2002 and a member of the Faculty of the PhD in Design.
Since 1998, he has directed more than 30 research projects on light and colour, funded through public tenders and research contracts. In 2021, he received the ADI Design Index for the research Circadian Lighting Design in the LED Era.
He is President of the AIC – International Colour Association (2024–2025), Vice-President (2022–2023), and a member of its Executive Committee since 2018. He served as President of the GdC – Associazione Italiana Colore from 2012 to 2018 and was a member of the Board of Directors of SID – Società Italiana Design from 2021 to 2024.
Since 2014, he has been Editor-in-Chief of the Color Culture & Science Journal. He has published more than 200 scientific works, including books, edited volumes, journal articles, and conference proceedings. He has chaired 10 international conferences.
At Politecnico di Milano, he teaches Lighting Design, Design Methods and Interaction Design. He has been Director of the Master in Lighting Design & LED Technology since 2010 and of the Master in Color Design & Technology since 2014. He has also directed 51 lifelong learning courses and 33 higher education courses.
He holds a PhD in Computer Science (2004) and a degree in Science (1989), both from the Università degli Studi di Milano.

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