USER CONTROL AND SATISFACTION WITH DIFFERENT ILLUMINANCE RANGES

摘要

This study explored user satisfaction with light levels set by adjustment of dimming control within two continuous ranges of illuminance, these offering maximum settings of 500 lx and 700 lx. As in previous work, the lower illuminance range elicited a significantly lower preferred illuminance. Ratings of satisfaction with light level did not suggest a difference in acceptability of settings made with the low and high ranges despite the difference in the maximum illuminances they allowed. These results suggest that occupants will tend to select a lower light level when presented with a moderately lower illuminance range and they will be no less satisfied with this lower light level than if they had chosen a higher illuminance from a higher illuminance range. This in turn suggests the potential to reduce energy consumption without reducing satisfaction by giving users control of light levels within a reasonable range.