Lighting: Rooms
Peralta, Julius Alexon D. R. 11 September 2014
2009 – 44366 IE 134 U – 2L
Recent studies show that the lighting quality in a room affects people in a lot of ways. Worker satisfaction and productivity can be positively affected by well-lit workplaces. People are more attracted to well-lit facilities, commercial spaces, parks, and walkways. Good lighting can greatly enhance the ambiance, mood, and desirability of certain places. This contributes greatly to people’s sense of well-being. But as some point, lighting conditions may be excessive. Excessive lighting can affect people negatively. People may get irritated by very intense lights or by too much glare. Light can stir emotions, set the mood, create an atmosphere, offer direction and guidance, or even cause great disturbances. With these things considered, it may be wise to ask: How much lighting do we need?
To maximize the positive effects and benefits of lighting on people, there are several factors to consider. These include the dimensions of the room, the kind of light to be used, the intended use of the room, and some of the light measurements. The first thing to consider is the dimensions of the room. Measure the length and the width of the room to get the area of the room. For odd shaped rooms, segment them into parts to get the whole area of the room. The area value obtained will then be multiplied to 1.5 and this will be estimated amount of watts to sufficiently light a room. Adjust this wattage level upwards for rooms that require more lighting like rooms for elderly people and workplaces by multiplying the area of the room to 2.5 for a higher level of lighting. The lighting wattage requirement will then be dispersed around the room to achieve both task-specific lighting and appropriate ambient lighting. Another method to use is to know the required number of foot candles to use in a specific room type or room purpose. For example, ten to twenty foot candles are needed in a living
2009 – 44366 IE 134 U – 2L
Recent studies show that the lighting quality in a room affects people in a lot of ways. Worker satisfaction and productivity can be positively affected by well-lit workplaces. People are more attracted to well-lit facilities, commercial spaces, parks, and walkways. Good lighting can greatly enhance the ambiance, mood, and desirability of certain places. This contributes greatly to people’s sense of well-being. But as some point, lighting conditions may be excessive. Excessive lighting can affect people negatively. People may get irritated by very intense lights or by too much glare. Light can stir emotions, set the mood, create an atmosphere, offer direction and guidance, or even cause great disturbances. With these things considered, it may be wise to ask: How much lighting do we need?
To maximize the positive effects and benefits of lighting on people, there are several factors to consider. These include the dimensions of the room, the kind of light to be used, the intended use of the room, and some of the light measurements. The first thing to consider is the dimensions of the room. Measure the length and the width of the room to get the area of the room. For odd shaped rooms, segment them into parts to get the whole area of the room. The area value obtained will then be multiplied to 1.5 and this will be estimated amount of watts to sufficiently light a room. Adjust this wattage level upwards for rooms that require more lighting like rooms for elderly people and workplaces by multiplying the area of the room to 2.5 for a higher level of lighting. The lighting wattage requirement will then be dispersed around the room to achieve both task-specific lighting and appropriate ambient lighting. Another method to use is to know the required number of foot candles to use in a specific room type or room purpose. For example, ten to twenty foot candles are needed in a living
References: Bryant, R. H. Lumens, Illuminance, Foot-candles and bright shiny beads. Retrieved from: http://www.theledlight.com/lumens.html Fay, K. L. (2014). How to Calculate How Much Light a Room Needs. Retrieved from: http://www.ehow.com/how_10032470_calculate-much-light-room-needs.html Maxim Lighting. (2012). How Much Light Do I Need? Retrieved from: http://maximlighting.com/fpage_lighting_need.aspx