LIGHT

TRANSMISSION:

Some materials when exposed to light transmit a large part of it –

transparent.

Opaque materials - block the passage of light.

Light incident on an object can be distributed three ways :

Reflected - reflectance (r)
Absorbed - absorbance (a)
Transmitted - transmittance (t)

In all cases: r+a+t=1

In case of opaque objects: t=0, thus, r +a = 1

 VISUAL EFFICIENCY

Purpose of lighting is twofold:

a. Practical: to facilitate the performance of a visual task & ensure
visual comfort..
b. Artistic: to create certain emotional effects.

For practical purposes we need to measure visual efficiency, as this

depends on lighting. It can be measured by its three factors:

1. Visual Acuity: acuteness/sharpness/clearness of vision -

measured as the reciprocal of the visual angle ρ (expressed in
minutes) subtended at the eye by the least perceptible detail.

E.g., if the least perceptible details subtends an angle of 2’ the acuity

will be 1/ρ = ½ = 0.5
Visual acuity (VA) is
acuteness or clearness of
vision, which is dependent
on the sharpness of the
retinal focus within the eye.
VISUAL EFFICIENCY

2. Contrast sensitivity (CS): the visual ability to see

objects that may not be outlined clearly or that do not stand out
from their background. The ability to see a shade of gray on a white
background or to see white on a light gray background declines
with age. Cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and other conditions can
also affect contrast sensitivity.
A person with low contrast sensitivity may have such vision
difficulties as:
•Trouble seeing traffic lights or cars at night
•Not being able to see spots on clothes, counters, or dishes
•Missing facial gestures
•Not seeing whether a flame is burning on a stove
•Needing a great deal of light to read
•Experiencing tired eyes while watching television
Contrast sensitivity
•Contrast is created by the difference
in luminance, the amount of
reflected light, reflected from two
adjacent surfaces.

•Contrast = Lmax – Lmin

Lmax

•Lmax = Luminance on the lighter

surface
Lmin = Luminance on the darker
surface
•When the darker surface is black
and reflects no light, the ratio is 1.
Contrast is usually expressed as
percent, then the ratio is multiplied
by 100. The maximum contrast is
thus 100% contrast.
 •Probably the most widely used device to
test contrast sensitivity is the Pelli
Robson contrast sensitivity chart.

•Like a standard Snellen visual acuity

chart, the Pelli Robson chart consists of
horizontal lines of capital letters. But
instead of the letters getting smaller on
each successive line, it is the contrast of
the letters (relative to the chart
The Pelli Robson contrast background) that decreases with each
sensitivity chart tests the line.
ability to detect letters
that are gradually less
contrasted with the white
background as eyes move
down the chart.
3. Visual performance: the time required for seeing, expressed as
the number of characters perceived per second.
ALL THREE FACTORS, CONSEQUENTLY VISUAL EFFICIENCY , DEPENDS ON THE LEVEL OF
ILLUMINATION
ILLUMINATION QUANTITY:
The eye responds to a range of illumination levels:
From 0.1 lux (full moon night)
To 100 000 lux (bright sunshine)

For practical situations & various activities, detailed illumination

requirements are recommended:
VISUAL TASK ILLUMINATION
(LUX)
Casual seeing 100

Ordinary task, medium detail (e.g., general office work) 400

Fairly severe task, small detail (e.g., drawing office, sewing) 600

Severe, prolonged task , small detail (e.g., fine assembly, silk weaving, 900
hand tailoring)
Exceptionally severe task, with minute detail (e.g., watch & instrument 2000 – 3000
making)

*Based on IES (Illuminating Engineering Society, London) Code , 1968

ILLUMINATION QUANTITY:
•Decision regarding the level of illumination to be adopted depends
to a large extent on socio-cultural & economic factors - in other
words ‘ how much light we can afford’.

Comparison of recommendations of illumination requirements in

various countries
Country Drawing offices Exceptionally severe tasks
(fairly severe tasks) lux
lux
USSR 50 - 150 150 – 300
Hungary 150 - 300 300 - 500
UK 600 2 000 – 3 000
USA 1 500 5 000 – 10 000
India* 300 - 500 700 – 10 000

* Recommended illumination level according to BEE (Bureau of

Energy Efficiency, Govt.of India) code
ILLUMINATION QUALITY:

•In lighting design - designer must ensure light which is both

adequate & suitable for the visual task.
•Suitable in this context would mean the following qualities:

Colour of light - depends on the light source – daylight cannot

be controlled.

Light distributrion (direct or diffuse) - depends on the fittings

& their positions – in daylighting it depends on windows &
reflective surfaces.

Freedom from glare

 DAYLIGHT
Daylight – sunlight on earth – combination of all direct & indirect
sunlight outdoor during the day. We perform all activities on earth in
this daylight.
Intensity of daylight varies depending upon the atmospheric
conditions.
Sunlight – very bright in the morning, dull in the evening.
Brightness – more in the afternoon causing glare – uncomfortable.
Availability of sunlight within a bldg. will not be the same as it is
outside – because of roof & walls.
Admission of daylight inside a bldg. depends upon - no. of openings in
the bldg.
In India it is preferable to use as much daylight as possible inside a
bldg. - to save energy.
Sometimes it is not possible to provide total daylight inside a bldg. – a
combination of artificial & natural lighting is preferred.
DAYLIGHT INTENSITY IN DIFFERENT CONDITIONS

NO. ILLUMINANCE EXAMPLE

1 120,000 lux Brightest sunlight

2 110,000 lux Bright sunlight

3 10,000 – 25,000 lux Typical overcast day, midday

4 <200 lux Extreme of darkest storm clouds, midday

5 400 lux Sunrise / sunset on a clear day (ambient illumination)

6 40 lux Fully overcast, sunset / sunrise

7 <1 lux Extreme of darkest storm clouds, sunset / sunrise

TYPICAL RECOMMENDED MINIMUM DAYLIGHT FACTORS FOR ROOMS
WITH SIDE LIGHTING ONLY
Sl. No. Bldg. Type Location Daylight factor
(percentage)

1. Dwelling Kitchen 2.5

Living room 0.625
Bed room 0.313
Study room 1.9
Circulation 0.313

2. Schools & colleges Classrooms / teaching areas 1.9

Lecture theatre 1.9 – 2.5
Laboratories 1.9 – 3.8
Art room 4
Staff room / common room 3
TYPICAL RECOMMENDED MINIMUM DAYLIGHT FACTORS FOR ROOMS
WITH SIDE LIGHTING ONLY
Sl. No. Bldg. Type Location Daylight factor
(percentage)

3. Office & Banks General office, counters, 1.9

accounting book areas
Drawing office 3.8
Enquiry / public areas 0.625 – 1.9
Typing table / computer 3.8

4. Hospitals General wards 1.25

Pathological lab 2.5 – 3.8
Reception room / waiting room 1.9
Pharmacies 3
TYPICAL RECOMMENDED MINIMUM DAYLIGHT FACTORS FOR ROOMS
WITH SIDE LIGHTING ONLY
Sl. No. Bldg. Type Location Daylight factor
(percentage)

5. Library Stack room 0.9 - 1.9

Reading room 1.9 - 3.8
Counter area 2.5 – 3.8
Catalogue room 1.9 – 2.5

6. Assembly & concert Foyers, auditoriums, stairs 1

halls
Corridors (on floors) 0.5

7. Art galleries & General area 1

museums
On pictures 6
TYPICAL RECOMMENDED MINIMUM DAYLIGHT FACTORS FOR ROOMS
WITH SIDE LIGHTING ONLY
Sl. No. Bldg. Type Location Daylight factor
(percentage)

8. Sport halls General 1.9

9. Swimming pool Pool surfaces 2

Surrounding floor areas 1

Daylight Factor – percentage ratio of the instantaneous illumination level at a

reference point inside a room to that occurring simultaneously outside in an
unobstructed position.
CALCULATION OF THE OPENINGS FOR NATURAL LIGHTING

Amount of
daylight
needed for
performing an
activity can be
derived from
the previous
tables.

Required
number of
openings can
be derived
from this
figure.
 CALCULATION OF THE OPENINGS FOR NATURAL LIGHTING

The following assumptions are made for calculating the openings for
natural lighting:

Window areas are for metal sashes with usual dirt collection on glass.

For windows with wooden sashes these areas should be increased by

10%.

The window areas are for room depths upto 10 metres.

The windows should be located such a way to have uniform spread of

light.

Sill level should be 0.9 to 1.2 metres.

The height of window should be 1.2metres or more.

 CALCULATION OF THE OPENINGS FOR NATURAL LIGHTING

The graph gives window areas for isolated buildings only.

When adjoining buildings are quite high & obstruct light, the values
should be increased:

Ratio=Distance between the bldgs./Height of the obstructing bldgs.

Ratio Percentage of increase

2.0 15
1.5 30
1.0 60
0.5 200
 GUIDELINES FOR GOOD NATURAL LIGHTING

Interior surfaces of the walls should be painted with bright colours to

reflect more light.
Ceiling of the room should be painted in white colour to reflect more
light.
Corners of a room can be provided with windows to avoid dark
corners.
Broad openings give better distribution of light.
Deep openings minimize glare.
Two opposite side openings give uniformity of light.
Windows should be provided with shading devices to eliminate glare.
Metal window sashes admit more light than wooden frames.
Ventilators at roof level can be judiciously used to bring more light.