What do we want from our lighting?

Abstract

The paper attempts to answer three questions: (a) What does a user want from his lighting system ? (b) What design criteria are available to the lighting provider to enable him to satisfy the user's requirements? (c) Are these criteria adequate to provide, in practice, what is wanted? The first question is answered in general terms under five headings—visibility, comfort, revelation, communication and continuity, requirements that are applicable to all lighting installations but with varying relative emphasis. The second question is answered by referencing design criteria that are found in lighting standards, codes and guides, or that have been proposed for the future. The third question is answered by a critical review of these.