Lighting Level Recommendations uses published recommended illuminance levels for a multitude of tasks and facility types from the Illuminating Engineering Society to demonstrate how to light a room. Following are the current recommended Illuminance categories and Illuminance values for lighting design. A general light-level guide for businesses, facility managers, etc. Individual applications will determine exact foot-candle levels. Please refer to the IES Lighting Handbook for a more detailed evaluation. see What to Know Before Purchasing Commercial Industrial Lighting
The amount of light falling on a surface is “illuminance”, and is measured in lux (metric unit = lumen/m2) or foot-candles (English unit = lumen/ft2). 1 footcandle equals 10.8 lux. This is the measurement you’ll work with the most for optimizing visual comfort because building regulations and standards use illuminance to specify the minimum light levels for specific tasks and environments. Besides the quantity, lighting should also be evaluated in terms of it’s quality, i.e. freedom from glare, shadows, and correct distribution.
For expert lighting level recommendations, a footcandle “is a unit of illuminance or light intensity widely used in the lighting industry. The name “footcandle” conveys “the illuminance cast on a surface by a one-candela source one foot away.”
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Application – Foot-Candle Level Aircraft Hangar 75-100 Assembly/Packaging – Medium 50-70 Assembly/Packaging – Fine 75-100 Auto Service Garage 60-80 Auto Showroom 50-80 Body Shop 80-120 Church 20-25 Cooler or Cold Storage Room 10-30 Engineering and Drafting 50-125 Food Processing 50-100 Foundry 40-60 Gymnasium Lighting – Recreational 30 Gymnasium Lighting – Elementary or Club 50 Gymnasium Lighting – High School 80 Hockey – Recreational 20-50 Hockey – Professional 50-100 Horse Riding Arena 25-50 Loading Dock 30-50 Machine Shop – Rough Detail 50-75 Machine Shop – Medium Detail 75-100 Machine Shop – Fine Detail 100-200 Manufacturing – Rough Detail 50-75 Manufacturing – Medium Detail 75-100 Manufacturing – Fine Detail 100-150 Multipurpose Room 30-75 Office 60-75 Parking Garage 15-30 Retail – Average 50-80 Retail – Super Center 80-120 Swimming Pool – Recreational 50 Swimming Pool – Club 75 Swimming Pool – Tournament 100 Warehouse – Active 20-30 Warehouse – Inactive 15-20 Woodworking Shop 60-80 |
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Lighting levels in various settings are regulated by standards set by organizations such as IESNA (Illuminating Engineering Society of North America) and ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers).
In factory settings, IESNA recommends a minimum average horizontal illumination of 30 footcandles and a minimum vertical footcandle of 20. Additionally, the IESNA recommends providing a minimum uniformity ratio of 1:2. This is to ensure that all areas are adequately illuminated and there are no areas of darkness.
In office settings, the IESNA also recommends a minimum average horizontal illumination of 30 footcandles with a minimum vertical footcandle of 20. However, the IESNA recommends a minimum uniformity ratio of 1:1.5 or higher to ensure that the workspace is evenly illuminated and that there are no areas of over-illumination or darkness.
In parking lot settings, IESNA recommends a minimum average horizontal illumination of 5 footcandles and a minimum vertical footcandle of 3. Additionally, the IESNA recommends providing a minimum uniformity ratio of 1:3. This ensures that all areas are adequately illuminated and there are no areas of darkness, even when the parking lot is occupied.
ASHRAE recommends lighting levels based on the activity or task being performed. For general office tasks such as desk work, the recommended lighting level is between 30-50 footcandles. For more visually demanding tasks such as drawing or reading, the recommended lighting level is around 70 footcandles.
It is important to note that the lighting level recommendations listed above are only general guidelines and will vary depending on the specific requirements and needs of the particular environment.
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