As we have just seen, visual efficiency is increased with increased illumination, subject of course to the law of diminishing returns. This means that it is much easier to distinguish fine detail if there is more light, however not all tasks require involve fine detail. As a result, the CIE (Commission International de l’Eclairage) and IES (Illuminating Engineers Society) have published recommended lighting levels for various tasks. These recommended values have since made their way into national and international standards for lighting design. In Australia, AS1680.2.X defines minimum required lighting levels for a wide range of tasks and environments.
The following is a list of minimum lighting levels for a range of common tasks and environments. This list is provided for illustrative purposes only, attempting to show some commonality within the codes. You must consult the various standards applicable to your location for more specific details.
| 50 Lux |
|---|
| Car Parks Main Entrances and exits Store rooms Outdoor platforms Stables Hotel bedrooms Garages |
| 100 Lux |
| Corridors and passageways Stairs and escalators Entrance gates Changing rooms Rest rooms Raw material stores Machine rooms Loading bays Foyers Domestic living rooms |
| 200 Lux |
| Lifts and lift lobbies Waiting rooms Medical stores Machine assembly rooms Finished goods stores Vaults and strong-rooms Print rooms Shopping centre circulation areas Airport lounges Museum areas (general) School assembly halls Lecture theatres Gymnasiums Sports spectator areas |
| 400 Lux |
| Enquiry desks and counters Food preparation areas Consulting and treatment rooms General clerical offices Library reading tables Assembly hall platforms Classroom white-boards Laboratories Hospital dispensing rooms Workshop benches |
| 600 Lux |
| Engine testing rooms Cutting and assembly rooms Inspection and product testing benches Computer rooms Drawing board task lighting Food sales counters Cashier counters Supermarkets School art rooms Vision testing rooms Sewing rooms |
| 900 Lux |
| Electronics assembly areas Instrumentation workbenches Supermarket displays |
| 1200+ Lux |
| Sorting and grading areas Clothing inspection areas Hand engraving workbenches Jewellery workbenches Boxing rings |
Related Links
- Lighting - the Electronic Textbook
- http://www.saud.ku.edu/book/contents.htm