What is lighting and what varieties exist

Lighting is important in all areas of life, because most of the information people receive through the sight. It is impossible to provide normal working or resting conditions if the light is too dim. This impairs visibility and causes increased fatigue. When you work in a room with insufficient light for a long time, you develop vision problems.

What is lighting

Lighting is light that can come from natural or artificial sources. The quality of light is determined by its brightness, uniformity of distribution and a number of other characteristics.

While natural light is difficult to regulate, artificial light has a number of requirements. It is divided into different types, depending on the purpose, location and other factors. The most commonly used combination of natural and artificial light. Combining the two options allows for a better effect.

Lighting - an indispensable element of any room.

Natural light

This is the light coming from the sun during the daytime. This may vary depending on the region, cloud cover, location of buildings and trees near the building. The following types of lighting are distinguished:

1. Lateral. Comes into the room through window openings, which can be on one, two or more sides, depending on the features of the building. When designing buildings determine the optimal size of windows to ensure the normal penetration of natural light. It is also taken into account that the south and east side is much better illuminated than the west and north.
2. Upper. In residential buildings is realized by installing roof windowsWhich are built into the roof. Often used domed and other similar structures in greenhouses or swimming pools. In the production facilities used the so-called skylights - additions to the roof with windows on both sides. Suitable for buildings of large size, where the light from the windows is poorly penetrated into the interior of the shops or warehouses.
   Overhead lighting is most often used in public buildings.
3. Combined. It is a combination of overhead and side lighting, which allows for a better result. But this option is the most difficult to implement and it can not always be used.

The coefficient of natural light - an indicator that is used in the inspection. Measurements are carried out with special equipment.

Artificial lighting

This option is used when there is a lack of natural light. It allows you to provide optimal conditions regardless of external conditions, so it is considered basic. Depending on the purpose there are different types of lighting of this type, each has its own characteristics.

General lighting

General lighting should provide perfect visibility.

Can be used both outdoors and indoors. There are almost everywhere, often it is the only option, which is enough for normal work or rest. The following should be remembered:

1. Fixtures are most often located on the ceiling, but can also be installed on the walls.
2. For different types of rooms have their own standards of illumination, which should be adhered to when choosing equipment and its power.
3. Of great importance is the uniformity of the distribution of luminous flux. Therefore, powerful fixtures with diffusing plafonds are used. The indicators are measured on the areas that are illuminated worst.
4. When illuminating the site the location of lights selected to ensure normal working conditions at the production or any other site. Often the most important places or objects of increased danger are additionally highlighted to increase safety.
5. In production facilities, the location of lights, their type and power are selected in advance. Installation work is carried out strictly according to the project.
6. In living rooms, general lighting is often provided by chandelier. But there may be options using multiple recessed luminaires or other equipment.

If there are many employees over the age of 40, lighting standards need to be increased.

Zonal and local.

These types of electric lighting are used as supplemental lighting. With their help, you can provide convenience of work or rest, as well as illuminate a section of the room, if necessary. Here it is important to remember the following:

1. The zoned option allows you to highlight a certain area, if it is required to do the work. For example, this option is often used in kitchen, when illuminating the workspace.
   Zoning the dining area in the kitchen.
2. Local lighting allows you to highlight a small area. For example, a desk or machine does not make sense to light from above, it makes much more sense to put a lamp with directional light and adjustable lamp shade. This can include wall and bedside lamps.
3. When choosing equipment it is worth remembering that the highlighted area should not be much brighter than the space around it. This is especially true for directional fixtures. A large difference in brightness causes visual discomfort and provokes rapid eye fatigue.

Decorative

This option is necessary for the arrangement of accents in the room, highlighting objects or zones. It is always used in addition. The features are as follows:

1. You can use built-in equipment, as well as wall, ceiling or floor lamps. It is best to use models with adjustable plafonds to adjust them to the peculiarities of the room.
2. For illumination of paintings or sculptures are chosen options of small size. It is important to accentuate a certain object, but at the same time not to highlight it too much.
3. Backlighting can be used in aquariums, swimming poolsThe lighting can be used in aquariums, swimming pools, along paths in the garden, or even in flowerbeds and alpine gardens. There are no restrictions, but for open air choose equipment with high resistance to moisture.

Decorative lighting can be a full-fledged element of interior design.

Architectural, advertising and showcase lighting

These lighting systems are used in outdoor decoration, so they must meet a number of requirements. It is especially important to comply with standards in conditions of dense urban development and an abundance of light sources. The following is important:

1. Architectural lighting should not fall out of line if the building is located in the city. On private territories there are no special restrictions, the main thing is to choose safe and economical equipment. Technology now allows you to spend a minimum amount of energy on lighting thanks to LED lights.
   Architectural lighting distinguishes a building against the general background.
2. Advertising lighting should draw attention to billboards and other objects. In this case, it is regulated by a number of standards and agreed with the city authorities or the organization servicing the route. On the premises, advertising elements are distinguished not only by brightness, but also by color, often for this purpose using dynamic lighting or various flashing signs.
3. For shop windows have their own standards. They should not dazzle pedestrians and drivers and create too bright an area. In addition, for different types of products has its own recommendations, somewhere it is better to use cold light, and somewhere - warm.

By the way! Showcases can have general lighting and accent zones to to highlight individual products.

Emergency

This option is necessary for the evacuation or safe movement of people in case of power outages. The system is designed with a number of requirements in mind and coordinated with supervisory authorities. The features are as follows:

1. Equipment with a self-contained power supply is used. Most often these are LED lights with a battery.
2. The illumination rate is not less than 5% of the indicators used in standard conditions.
3. Obligatorily marked exits and staircases. The distance between the lights shall not exceed 25 m.

Emergency lighting provides safe movement.

Read also

Types of emergency lighting and what are the requirements

 

Outdoor and security lighting

These options are required to increase security and make it easier to monitor the area and premises. As for outdoor lighting, the perimeter, building walls and objects that require special control are most often highlighted. These lights are often equipped with motion detectors to save energy.

Perimeter security lighting.

Security lighting Used in corridors and production facilities. More often than not, it also serves as a duty light at the same time or is used to ensure safe movement in areas that are not used when working at night.

Video lesson: Lighting classification.

Division according to application

Depending on the purpose, there are different types of electric lighting. The main ones are as follows:

1. Industrial buildings and facilities, as well as public spaces. These can be workshops and offices, as well as classrooms in schools or warehouses. The list is large and each type has its own standards and requirements.
2. Private homes и apartments. Here it matters not only the quality of lighting in the rooms, but also the interior design. In residential areas there are no firm norms, but there are recommended values.
3. Street lighting. There are two options - street lamps in residential areas and local light sources in courtyards and private areas.

Street lights can also be decorative when used to facade lighting.

Methods of illumination

Depend on the design of fixtures and chosen individually. To understand the features is not difficult:

1. Directed light - thanks to the reflector, it spreads to a particular surface and highlights it well.
2. Reflected - the flow is directed to the ceiling and walls and floods the room with uniform light.
   Reflected light in the modern interior.
3. Scattered - due to the plafond of matte material, the light is evenly distributed around.
4. Mixed - combines two or three options to ensure a good result.

To understand the peculiarities of lighting and its varieties is not difficult, if you use the information from the review. The main thing is to comply with the norms and recommendations established for a particular area.