To make sure it does, governing bodies such as the EN and the International Commission on Illumination have established regulations specifying minimum lighting requirements and made recommendations concerning the quantity and quality of illumination in the workplace.
Technological changes, the presence of multiple generations in the workplace, evolving needs, and growing awareness have made the question of office lighting more acute. Businesses are recognizing that lighting can improve employees’ emotional and mental comfort – by, for example, providing lighting that supports circadian rhythms.
But work remains to be done, and sometimes merely following the regulations isn’t enough. What follows is a checklist for both lighting professionals and people responsible for operating workspaces. The goal is that they understand the added value that office lighting brings – and, even beyond the norms, the various ways to achieve high lighting quality, and thus comfort, in the workplace.
Though an average of 500 lux is the norm, it’s crucial to adjust office lighting so that it facilitates the smallest tasks, giving employees maximum personal control and flexibility. While normal light intensity is sufficient to illuminate the task area of a CAD workstation, someone who’s proofreading or doing skilled manual labor, for example, will require 750 lux. For multi-purpose spaces, depending on the needs, type, and size of the installation, Philips designs lighting systems such as SpaceWise, Interact Pro, and Interact Office. Among other functionalities, these systems let users easily adjust lighting levels and settings in their own personal spaces.
It’s also important to consider the surrounding and background areas of the task field you’re working with. A lighting distribution that’s well-balanced between these areas promotes visual comfort and performance.
In addition, consider the ages of the people who use your space. Elderly people, especially those performing tasks that require higher levels of visual performance, could require more than 500 lux – and even up to 1000 lux.
And don’t forget that lighting should also make people look better, highlight objects, and reveal texture – goals that you can achieve using cylindrical illuminance, modelling, and directional lighting.
Uniformity is the ratio of the minimum lighting level to the average lighting level in a specified area. It’s a quality parameter for the overall illuminance distribution.
A working environment with a 0.60 ratio is one in which people don’t notice different lighting levels with the naked eye and feel themselves in an environment in which light is well-distributed. Raising the ratio to 0.65 will give even better uniformity, which will make people with poorer vision more comfortable.
Lighting simulations can in some cases let you calculate uniformity in an office space. It’s important, however, to be aware of the products’ beam shape you’re working within actual conditions. Certain shapes can result in sufficient values but create a negative impact, for example by throwing harsh shadows.
Using its unrivaled know-how, Philips develops optimum beam shapes, thus avoiding potential visual discomfort. Philips’ office products make it easy to achieve good uniformities, in both simulations and real-life applications. SmartBalance, for example, provides high vertical illuminance while maintaining a UGR level below 19.
Glare is the quality that makes it difficult to see in bright light. It comes in two types, which sometimes overlap. Discomfort glare makes you want to look away from a bright source. Disability glare actually affects your vision negatively.
Bright areas can cause discomfort glare, which a person can experience as disability glare. For office work areas, make sure you keep the Unified Glare Rating (a measure defined by CIE) under 19, the recommended limit. In corridors or common spaces like break-out areas, the UGR can vary between 19 to 25.
CIE recommends a much lower UGR value of 16 for elderly people, specifically for writing, reading, and typing activities.
Cylindrical illuminance is defined by calculating the average vertical illuminance on a cylinder. The European standard states that it should be equal to or higher than 50 lux.
In offices where good visual communication is important, such as an open plan office or a meeting or training area, EN recommends that cylindrical illuminance shouldn’t be under 150 lux, with uniformity equal to or higher than 0.10.
Modeling lets you determine the balance between directed and diffuse light. It’s indicated as the ratio of cylindrical illuminance to horizontal illuminance.
For uniform luminaire arrangements, somewhere between 0.30 and 0.60 is a good modelling ratio.
Better cylindrical illuminance means better visual communication. Today’s offices feature diverse types of areas: areas where people gather for impromptu conversations, for example, and areas where they hold more formal scheduled meetings. Sufficient light promotes good communication, letting people better perceive each other’s facial expressions and body language.
Philips has developed its office-compliant portfolio, including products like SlimBlend, to ensure high vertical illuminance and uniformity. A working environment with high vertical lighting levels will also be one with good modelling. The end result is high visual comfort.
Just like illuminance in a task area, illuminance on the surfaces that surround it has a significant impact on visual comfort and performance. EN stipulates illuminance values for walls as 50 lux and for ceilings as 30 lux, with uniformity equal to or higher than 0.10. Higher illuminance values for walls (75 lux) and ceilings (50 lux) are appropriate for promoting visual comfort in office environments.
Philips makes single-product solutions that provide for high lighting levels on walls and ceilings, and with top-quality optics. But it also designs lighting system and software applications depending on the user needs and different installation types. The SmartBalance product family includes recessed, free floor standing, suspended, wall-mounted, and surface-mounted luminaires, for example. This variety gives users high lighting levels and the chance to create diverse lighting scenarios by combining different product types in the office, while maintaining a consistent look and feel across the lighting equipment.
Philips’ SpaceWise wireless lighting solution is another choice for efficiently providing excellent lighting in a way that takes into account your workplace’s spatial parameters and the need for space optimization. It provides lighting in occupied areas without sacrificing lighting levels on surrounding surfaces.
Lighting Application Specialist
