Light Learning: General Observations
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General Observations
 
Our goal is to give the lighting practitioner a very usable aid, as well as some basic guidelines on how to provide energy effective illumination in architectural spaces.

Our very best advice...
Include an accomplished Lighting Designer on your project team.

In many ways, light is actually incomprehensible.  For all its ordinariness, light's essential nature is baffling.  It acts much like water as it bends arround objects, making even the sharpest shadow edges slightly fuzzy.  At the same time, it acts like streams of tiny billiard balls knocking electrons out of silicon atoms in solar cells to power calculators and home guarden lamps (thus, the light meter does not fully capture what the eye perceives).  Physics has had to conclude, rather uncomfortably for the logical mind, that light is a particle and a wave at the same time.

If done well, lighting will evoke the right emotion when someone first sees the space.

Why spend big bucks for a stand out interior if it simply does not stand out when the lights are on?

Rule of thumb...
You will want to project lighting onto what you want people to see.


We see by contrast, not footcandles.

Good lighting design starts with a good understanding of the intended use of the space, mood, and personality that the space planner wishes to achieve.

  • To properly orient people quickly,the intended path of movement should be highlighted.
  • Help people acquaint themselves to the space by adequately illuminating the walls and vertical surfaces.
  • Focus light on accent objects to add human interest.
  • Put light on all architectural elements.
  • You will probably want to put light on the ceiling.
  • Pools of light add drama and interest.
  • Task lighting is best achieved by specific, properly positioned and well shielded fixtures.
  • You may want to use "lighting to look at" decorative luminaries to add visual interest.
  • Use a Color Temperature lamp rating that will properly enhance the desired mood.
  • Be aware of glare and control it.



Change the lighting and you can change the perception of the space
Light colors reflect more light than dark colors.  It would be best if all major surfaces were matte, not shiny, to avoid possible annoying reflected Glare.

A small increase in room reflectance produces a big improvement in efficiency.  A lighter room provides 55% more light on the work surface for the same expenditure of energy.





  

 

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