Purpose: With the increase in the energy consumption in the building sector, many studies have recently been conducted to address this issue. Due to its efficiency, diverse studies on a light-shelf, which is a natural lighting system, are in progress. However, there has been no research on the external illumination that determines the performance of a light-shelf. Therefore, the present study aimed to prepare the external illumination standard for securing the lighting performance of a light-shelf through the light-shelf performance evaluation based on a 1:1 scale testbed, and to suggest a height-adjustable light-shelf based on an open and closed concept for the case in which the lighting performance of the light-shelf significantly deteriorates, by collecting the external illumination. Method: In this study, a 1:1 scale testbed was established for performance evaluation, and the external illumination standard for securing the performance of the light-shelf was prepared by comparing the lighting performance of the light-shelf depending on the open and closed condition of the light-shelf and the external illumination. Result: 1) In this study, a light-shelf that can be opened or closed depending on the external illumination was suggested. As a result, the prospect right can be secured by creating the condition where there is no light-shelf installation by moving the light-shelf to the top of the window when the lighting performance is not secured. 2) In the summer solstice, the external illuminations appropriate for lighting energy reduction were more than 75,000 lx and 60,000 lx for the light-shelf width of 0.3 m and 0.6 m, respectively. 3) In the intermediate period, the external illumination appropriate for lighting energy reduction was 60,000 lx. In the winter solstice, making the condition where there is no light-shelf installation by closing the light-shelf would be appropriate. 4) Based on the aforementioned results, the external illumination standard for the opening and closing of the height-adjustable light-shelf based on an open and closed concept suggested in this study was 60,000 lx, and the light-shelf with a width of 0.6 m would be advantageous for lighting energy reduction.