WHAT IS LIGHTING QUALITY AND HOW DO WE APPLY IT TO LIGHTING DESIGN?

摘要

Lighting quality in architectural spaces has been hard to define because many aspects of quality seem intangible and unquantifiable. Some lighting issues such as "room surface brightness" or "visual interest" appear less important and are classed as merely "aesthetic" by some designers. There is also a dilemma: users of lighting may not even notice the lighting unless it is particularly bad - glaring, gloomy or uneven. When the lighting is excellent, users may instead notice the interior design, or the work surfaces or the low energy bill or the beautifully-revealed art objects so lighting may not be recognized for what it does. This paper identifies the important issues of lighting quality in long-term working environments and suggests a common vocabulary for discussion of these issues. Research needs are also discussed. A new approach for making lighting quality factors a routine and integral part of lighting designs is described together with how this approach is being implemented in the forthcoming 1999 Lighting Handbook of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America.