Lighting Design

For those specifying color characteristics of light sources, a few words of caution: While color temperature and CRI are important, the true complexities of a light source’s color characteristics cannot be captured with a few numbers, which is why there is no substitute for seeing the lamps in a given application. A separate mockup with [...]

Light is actually made up of colors. For an object to be perceived a certain color, that color must be present both in the object and the light striking it. Because of this, choice of lamp can influence how colors are perceived in a space. This means that perception of objects in the space is, [...]

Excessive luminances or luminance contrasts may also lead to a visual sensation called glare, which, even though it is also light, can impair or disable vision rather than enable it. Glare is categorized as several different types according to its effects. Direct glare is caused by directly viewing a light source, such as a bright [...]

Specifying color quality appropriate for the application is essential. In a high-end retail application, good color quality can make products, especially clothing, appear more vibrant, truer and ultimately more appealing. In an office application, color quality can facilitate social interaction by rendering faces more naturally and thereby helping to create a more productive and appealing [...]

Lighting quality goes beyond task performance to address other needs related to aesthetic judgment, mood and atmosphere and visual comfort, all of which indirectly affect user satisfaction and task performance. The first two needs, often left out of the retrofit process, become primary considerations in a relighting or new construction project, covering patterns of light, [...]

One of the most important functions of a lighting system is to support visual performance by ensuring appropriate visibility of tasks and objects the designer wants seen. The human eye can adjust to a wide range of light levels, including about 10,000 footcandles on a sunny day to about 0.01 footcandles under full moonlight. As [...]

Light is radiant energy that travels in waves composed of vibrating electric and magnetic fields. Light waves have both frequency and length; the ranges of frequency and wavelength differentiate light from other forms of radiant energy such as heat and radio waves. These properties are expressed on the electromagnetic spectrum. Certain light waves comprise a [...]

IESNYC has announced that the Lumen Awards Ceremony and Gala will be held at Chelsea Pier 60 on Wednesday, June 9, 2010 starting at 6:00 PM. IESNYC will be celebrating the 2010 Lumen Awards recipients. Cocktail hour starts at 6:00 PM and the dinner ceremony commences at 7:30 PM. Sponsorship tables are now available for [...]

An article I wrote for Electrical Contractor Magazine about lighting design and, specifically, different techniques used to apply light to spaces, was published in the April issue. If you’re interested in a good introduction to basic design techniques, I highly recommend a read. Check it out here.