Chapter 3— Illumination and

Lighting Design
 Outline
3.1 Light and Illumination

3.2 Basic Principles in Lighting Design

3.3 Lighting Design Process

3.4 Design Factors

3.5 Lighting Calculations

 3.1 Light and Illumination…
• Light is defined as electromagnetic radiation that is
capable of affecting the sense of sight.
• The EM spectrum spreads over a range of frequencies
or wavelengths.
• The wavelength l is related to the frequency f by:

• Those EM waves that are visible (light) have wave-

lengths that range from 0.00004 to 0.00007 cm.
 Cont’d
Luminous Flux

• Luminous flux (F) is the portion of total radiant

power that is capable of affecting the sense of sight.

• Typically only about 10% of the power (flux) emitted

from a light bulb falls in the visible region.

• The unit for luminous flux is the lumen.

 Cont’d
A Solid Angle- Steradians (Ω)

• Working with luminous flux requires the use of a

solid angle measure called the steradian (sr).

• A solid angle of one steradian (1sr) is subtended at

the center of a sphere by an area A equal to the square
of its radius (R2).
Cont’d
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Luminous Intensity

• luminous intensity is the quantity of visible light that

is emitted in unit time per unit solid angle

• The luminous intensity (I) for a light source is the

luminous flux per unit solid angle.

• The unit is candela (cd).

Cont’d
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Illumination or Illuminance (E)
• The illumination E of a surface A is defined as the
luminous flux per unit area (F/A).
• An illumination of one lux occurs when a flux of one
lumen falls on an area of one square meter.
• Illumination is given as

• The unit of illumination is lux (lx), which is equal to

lumen per square meter
 Cont’d
• The illumination E of a surface is directly
proportional to the intensity I and inversely
proportional to the square of the distance R.

• Or

• This equation applies for perpendicular surfaces only.

Cont’d
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3.2 Basic Principles in Lighting Design
Sources of light:

1.Natural sources of light

– Natural light sources occur within nature and are

beyond the control of people. These include sunlight,
moonlight, starlight, various plant and animal sources.

– Light occurs in nature, and sunlight, moonlight, and

starlight are the most important sources of light to life.
But because of their need for additional light, humans
have learned to create light as well.
 Cont’d
2. Artificial light source

• Artificial light source is human made and can

emanate from source including fire, gaslight, electric
lamps and so on.

• Today however, the term artificial lighting generally

refers to lighting that emanates from electric lamps.
 Cont’d
Artificial light types

• Source of artificial light are of three main types:

– Incandescent or arc lamps: is an electric light with a
wire filament heated until it glows.

– Lamps based on discharge of gas: such lamps use a

nobel gas (argon, neon, kyrpton and xenon)

– Light emitting diodes: is a semiconductor light source

that emits light when current flows through it.
 3.2.1 Lighting schemes and their
types
Direct Lighting:
–By this method most of the light source is made
available on the working surface and very few percent is
wasted.

–The light energy is lighting sources, are hung and light

is diverted by proper shaped reflectors or globs.

-Though this system is most efficient, the drawback of

the system is that dark shadows fall on the working plate
moreover there is a glare on the eyes.
 Cont’d
Semi-Direct Lighting Schemes :
–In this scheme, about 60 to 90% of total light flux is
made to fall on the working surface and 10 to 40% is
allowed to fall on the ceiling and walls.

–Such a scheme is best suited to rooms having bigger

heights.
 Cont’d
Semi-Indirect Lighting Schemes :
– In this system, 60 to 90 % of the total light flux is diverted
to fall on the ceilings from where the light is directed on the
working surface by diffused reflection.

– Only 30 to 40 % flux reaches the working plane.

– It is used for indoor decoration purposes.

 Cont’d
Indirect Lighting Schemes :
– The light does not reach the working surface directly.

– The maximum light (about 90 %) is thrown towards

the ceilings.

– As if the ceiling acts as a light source therefore the

glare is reduced to the minimum value.

– Illumination is pleasant, defused and very soft and

shadows are illuminated.
 Cont’d
• This scheme is suggested for function halls, cinema
theatres, three star hotels.
• Also suggested for big workshops in the industries to
avoid accidents due to shadows.
 3.3 Lighting Design Process
There are about 8 steps in lighting design process:

Step 1: Establish design criteria.

Step 2: Record architectural conditions and constraints.

Step 3: Determine visual functions and tasks and

required levels of illumination.

Step 4: Select lighting systems to be used.

 Cont’d
• Step 5: Select luminaire and lamp types.

• Step 6: Determine number and location of luminaires.

• Step 7: Place switching and other control devices.

• Step 8: Assess aesthetics and other intangibles.

 Cont’d
The basic approach to lighting design is

– Determine lighting design criteria

– Quantity of illumination (lighting level, lux)

– Quality of illumination (e.g. overall appearance,

colour)

– Codes and regulations (e.g. building, electrical,

energy)
 Cont’d
• Record architectural conditions & constraints, e.g.
– Window location & size,

– Ceiling height,

– Finishing materials

• Determine visual functions & tasks to be served

• Select lighting system to be used

 Cont’d
• Select luminaire and lamp types
– To produce the desired light & fit the client’s needs

• Determine number & location of luminaires

– Through calculations & assessment

• Place switching & other control devices

 Cont’d

Aesthetic & other intangibles

– Aesthetic & psychological factors should be
considered.
 3.4 Design Factors
Important factors to be considered:
– Situation – is it a working, viewing, circulation or a
living space?
– Function – what will people do in the space?
– Quantity and Quality of Light – what's needed to
perform the tasks?
– Architecture and Décor – consider the aesthetic of the
space
– “Atmosphere” – what is the mood or ambience of the
space?
 Cont’d
Lighting quality and criteria

– Lighting level (lux or luminance e.g. road lighting)

– Luminance distribution
• Better distribution of brightness within the field of view

– Freedom from disturbing glare

– Spatial distribution of light
• General lighting, directional lighting, backlighting and
uplighting, diffuse lighting
 Cont’d
– Light colour and colour rendering

– Colour temperature and colour rendering index

• Directional effects (form, dimension & texture)

 Cont’d
Glare

• Is defined as a condition in which vision is affected

by an excessive luminance and/or excessive
differences in luminance in the visual field (i.e; parts
of this field are excessively bright).

• Glare occurs whenever one part of an interior in the

field of vision is much brighter than the general
interior.
 Cont’d
• Reduce glare from artificial light sources

– Limit the luminance of sources in eye’s direction

• Replace a bright source with few weak sources

• Restrict light distribution to minimum sideways

light to the eye.
 Cont’d
• Disability Glare, defined as glare causing an actual
physiological reduction in visual capability (impaired,
perception of contrasts and forms),
• Disability Glare occurs when vision is actually
impaired. It can be the cause of accidents and a
serious reduction of visual performance.
• This is a more extreme form of glare and is most
likely to occur when there is an area close to the line
of sight which has a very high luminance.
 Cont’d
• The most common causes of glare indoors are
windows and electric light sources which are seen
either directly (direct glare) or indirectly by reflection
(reflected glare).

• Discomfort Glare, defined as glare considered solely

in terms of its psychological effect on the occupant.
 Cont’d
• Discomfort Glare often occurs, after continuous
exposure to high background contrast or high source
luminance either directly or indirectly.

• Discomfort glare experienced by the occupant of a

room increases with time and leads to premature
fatigue and a reduction in performance, performance
attitude, and well-being.

• It can cause eye fatigue and headaches.

 3.5 Lighting Calculations
• Lighting calculations is critical for commercial &
institutional buildings.

• It is seldom required for residential designs.

• Basic considerations in lighting calculations are

– Light sources (lamp lumens)

– Luminaires & light distribution

– Initial vs. maintained light levels (as lamps age and

luminaires get dirty, light level drops)
 Cont’d
• Three lighting calculation methods are available:
1.𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑠/ 𝑚2 method

2.Lumen method

3.Point by point computer calculations

• Rough estimation based on a Watts/sq.m method

– Not very accurate

– good for preliminary planning

 Cont’d
• Lumen method calculations
– Average illumination

– Good for general lighting

• Point-by-point computer calculations

– Most complicated

– Starts from fundamental laws

– Can be used for outdoor lighting

3.5 Lighting Calculations… lumen
method
 Cont’d
• Utilization factor (UF)
– The ratio of lumens reaching the working plane to the
total light given out by the lamp or lamps, when the
installation is new, is known as utilization factor or
coefficient of utilization.

– UF tables are prepared for general lighting with regular

arrays of luminaires, for 3 main room surfaces: ceiling
cavity, walls, and floor cavity or horizontal reference
plane
 Cont’d
• Maximum spacing to height ratio (SHRmax)
– Luminaire spacing shall not exceed the maximum to
ensure uniformity.

– SHRmax is quoted by luminaire manufacturer.

Cont’d
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Maintenance factor (MF) is the term used to take
account of the reduction in illuminance over the
maintenance period due to:

1. Reduced reflectances due to the accumulation of dirt

and dust on room surfaces. Room Surface Maintenance
Factor (RSMF).

2. Reduced light output from the luminaire due to the

accumulation of dirt and dust on the luminaire.
Luminaire Maintenance Factor (LMF ).
 Cont’d
3. Reduced light output due to lamp ageing. Lamp
Lumen Maintenance Factor.(LLMF)

4. Reduced light output due to lamps failing.

Manufacturer data will give the percentage lamp
failures for a specific number of hours operation. The
Lamp Survival Factor (LSF) will be 1 if spot lamp
replacement is carried out.

MF = RSMF x LMF x LLMF x LSF

 Cont’d
Example. Calculate the maintenance factor for an
installation where the LLMF, LMF and RSMF are as
shown in the figure. The luminaires are cleaned after
3000 hours, the lamps are replaced after 6000 hours and
room surfaces are cleaned after 6000 hours. Spot
replacement of failed lamps is also carried out.
Cont’d
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Lumen method’s calculation procedure
1.Calculate room index K, floor/ceiling cavity index

2.Calculate effective reflectances of ceiling cavity, walls &

floor cavity

3.Determine utilisation factor (UF) from manufacturer's data,

using the room index and effective reflectances

4.Determine maintenance factor (MF)

5.Obtain numbers of luminaires required (using lumen

method)
 Cont’d
6.Determine a suitable layout

7.Calculate the geometric mean spacing-to-height ratio

8.Check the layout does not exceed SHRmax

9.Calculate illumination achieved by the final layout

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 Cont’d

• Flux for lamp is 1800 lumen and maintenance factor

is 0.8, find total lamp
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