Natural Lighting

During the day you should be able to walk throughout the house into all rooms without turning on a light. The science of lighting is very technical and there are many calculations that can be made to determine the correct amount of light in a room. There is however, a rule of thumb which most designers use;

A minimum of approximately 20% of your wall space in each room should be glazed.

This will of course depend on the orientation of the window and use of the room. Don’t follow this rule blindly; it is simply a guide to make sure that each room has a natural light source and ventilation opportunity.

When planning for natural light keep in mind;

• The orientation of the window

• What time of day/year direct sunlight will enter the window

• What type of glass is fitted in the window- single or double glazed, Tinted or low-e glass

• The shading device fitted inside or outside

• Will there be any glare from surfaces underneath the window

• The size of the room to be lit

• The colour of the walls and ceilings

For more information on natural lighting see
Windows

Artificial Lighting

You can make or break the feel of a room with the choice of artificial lighting fixtures.

Always consider the following in determining the right lamp for an application;

• Light output required – low/high

• Colour temperature – cool/warm

• Colour rendering – important or not

• Operating hours – short/long

• Lamp options available that would suit application

• Lamp running cost

• Cost of the lamp

• Replacement frequency, difficulty and cost

When planning consider;

• The electrical set out for the lights

• If mounting lights on the wall it is best to have lamps opposite each other across the room.

• If you lamps will be on the ceiling consider whether they will be set flush or hanging down,

• If so how low will they be?

• What will they hang over?

• What kind of shades will fit over the lamp type?

• Places for standing lamps and table lamps

• Do you need direct light?

• If lamps are over head they can cause shadowing on tasks

• Over bench lights will provide good task lighting

• In cupboard lights are good for pantries and for aesthetics in display cabinets.