MSc Light & Lighting: BENV0135 Lighting Innovation and Sustainability
Coursework Brief
Lighting Through Time: Evolution of Innovation and Sustainability
1. Brief
This coursework invites you to critically examine the relationship between innovation and sustainability in lighting design, encompassing the lit effect created by daylight and engineered light sources, buildings and landscapes.
You are asked to compare two buildings or outdoor spaces in London, built more than 50 years apart, and of comparable typology (e.g., two office buildings, two hospitals, two schools, two houses, two bridges, or two parks designed with night-time lighting).
Your analysis should explore how technological, social, and environmental factors have influenced lighting design strategies—within their respective contexts, whether historical or contemporary. You are expected to discuss:
• How each building or outdoor space demonstrates innovation (either in lighting itself and/or affecting the lit appearance) at the time it was built.
• How sustainability has been integrated (or not) into its lighting design, materials, systems, and/or operational performance.
• The design of luminaires, their selected light sources, and their architectural integration.
• The insights that emerge from comparing the two eras and approaches.
Your discussion should go beyond descriptive comparison and demonstrate critical thinking and your own perspective on how innovation and sustainability have evolved within the lighting design field.
You will present your selected buildings or outdoor spaces in class on 13th November for formative feedback.
By 16th October, please decide on a building or outdoor space type that interests you and give a short (2 minute) verbal presentation without slides, introducing your preliminary ideas.
These presentations are non-binding, which means that you can change your choices after the presentations.
2. Workshops and Presentations
You will participate in small-group workshops to discuss your chosen buildings and developing arguments.
A short in-class presentation (10 minutes comprised of 5 minutes presentation, 5 minutes feedback) will take place on 13th November. This presentation is ungraded but offers valuable feedback on your direction, sources, and arguments before submission.
3. Deliverables
The final submission is an essay of 3,000 words (excluding captions and bibliography). Include:
• Quality visual material (photographs, plans, sections, diagrams, or sketches) that support your analysis.
• Clear captions and references for all images.
• Critical commentary synthesising your research into a coherent argument.
You are not expected to conduct original fieldwork or archival research but should critically analyse published material and authoritative sources (academic, professional, or official). Avoid unverified sources such as Wikipedia.
4. Marking Criteria
Criterion Weight
Background research and use of 20
sources
Identification and clarity of focus 10
Argumentation and critical views 40
Structure and narrative 20
Presentation and visual communication 10
Argumentation and critical views carry the most weight. You are expected to justify your perspective on how the selected buildings or outdoor spaces demonstrate (or fail to demonstrate) innovation and sustainability, especially regarding lighting design.
Grades are provisionally classified as:
>70 = A | 60–69 = B | 50–59 = C | <50 = Fail
5. Choosing Your Case Studies
• From the same typology (e.g., two museums, two schools, two bridges, or two parks).
• Built at least 50 years apart.
• Sufficiently documented to allow meaningful comparison.
• Possible points of analysis include:
• Innovations in daylighting or electric lighting.
• Luminaire design, light source selection, and architectural integration.
• Material and technological developments influencing lighting performance.
• Energy efficiency and environmental design strategies.
• Integration of lighting within architectural expression and user experience.
• Social, economic, and cultural factors influencing sustainability and innovation.
6. Plagiarism and Use of AI
Clearly distinguish between referenced material and your own commentary.
Do not use generative AI to produce written text, images, or analytical content. AI tools may only be used for support tasks such as proofreading, translation, or reference formatting.
• Refer to:
• UCL Academic Integrity: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/students/exams-and-assessments/academic-integrity
• Avoiding Plagiarism: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe-writing-centre/reference-effectively-avoid- plagiarism/plagiarism-guidelines
7. Submission
Submit a single PDF document (max 3,000 words) including:
• Coursework title page (available on Moodle).
• UCL Candidate Code.
• Word count statement.
Submission: via Moodle. Deadline: 12th January 2026, 11am.