Basic Concepts of Lighting Design | Electrical Engineer | MEP Design |
Lighting system design is a very important aspect of construction projects, and the best performance is achieved when lighting is specified through detailed calculations and not “rules of thumb”. However, lighting has a key difference with other building systems like HVAC and plumbing: there is a subjective and artistic factor involved. Lighting systems must provide adequate visibility, but they also set the ambiance of built environments. Effective communication is important in any engineering design process, and this is only possible if the parties involved are familiarized with key technical concepts. This article will provide an overview of the main terms used when specifying lighting systems.
Lighting system design is a very important aspect of construction projects, and the best performance is achieved when lighting is specified through detailed calculations and not “rules of thumb”. However, lighting has a key difference with other building systems like HVAC and plumbing: there is a subjective and artistic factor involved. Lighting systems must provide adequate visibility, but they also set the ambiance of built environments.
Effective communication is important in any engineering design process, and this is only possible if the parties involved are familiarized with key technical concepts. This article will provide an overview of the main terms used when specifying lighting systems.
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The Lumen: <strong>Basic</strong> Unit <strong>of</strong> Luminous<br />
Flux<br />
Just like a car with a higher MPG value has a lower fuel cost for a given distance<br />
traveled, a light source with a higher lm/W value has a lower electricity cost for a given<br />
lighting output. Upgrading to LED lighting is one <strong>of</strong> the most cost-effective energy<br />
efficiency measures for a building.<br />
Lumens are useful when describing the output <strong>of</strong> a lamp or fixture, but a different<br />
measurement unit is required to describe the lighting needed by a specific area. For<br />
example, 10,000 lumens is more than enough lighting for a small <strong>of</strong>fice, but the effect is<br />
barely noticeable in a large warehouse.
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