New Lighting Guidelines Will Mean Big Changes in Design
The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), in its 9th edition of their authoritative
lighting design manual, will have a significant impact on the way that lighting systems are now designed.
Photo: Brad Feinkonph
Instead of the traditional approach that was limited to "how many footcandles
should be on the desks," the new standards emphasize other equally important aspects of lighting design such
as lighting the walls, the color of the light and avoiding glare from shiny ceiling fixture louvers.
Gary Steffy of Gary Steffy Lighting Design, in the September 2000 issue of Building
Operating Management says, "We are particularly concerned about harsh
glare from light louvers or specular reflectors."
Unfortunately, undesirable fixtures of this type have been used
for so many years that they continue to be specified simply because of habit.
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Clearly, school building committees and
facilities managers should ask the architect:
+Will the design provide enough brightness on the upper
walls. (Wall brightness is occupants' predominant way of judging if a space is cheery and welcoming.)
+Will the design avoid using excessively bright overhead
fixtures?
+Will the design avoid very shiny (specular) louvers
on the fixtures?
+Will the design avoid wall colors that are excessively
dark?
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The web address for IESNA's website is http://www.iesna.org/
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