Day lighting

Part I: Light
By: Dipali Kulkarni

1. Light
2. Dual nature of light
3. Distribution of Light
4. Photometric quantities of Light
5. Munsell colour system
6. Visual field
1. Light
• There are two sources of light natural (daylight) and artificial.
• The ultimate source of daylight is the sun. which in addition to visible light also
gives thermal radiation (heat).The illumination in bright sunshine is around 100,
000 lux while its intensity is about 1 kW/m2 .The natural sources of light inside a
building are sun, sky and building’s glazing
• Light is perceived as a narrow wavelength band of electromagnetic radiation from
about 380 to 780 nm (1nm=10 ¯⁹ m.

Radiation Spectrum
2. Dual nature of light
• Although, Light is perceived as a narrow wavelength band of
electromagnetic radiation from about 380 to 780 nm (1nm=10 ¯⁹ m) light
or energy radiation shows dual characteristics; as a particle and as a
wave. Light thus consists of particles which travel as a wave.
• Mostly light is emitted and absorbed like a energy particle (photon) ,but it
travels through space (“propagates’) like a wave. This wavelength of light
gives determines its colour. Light containing all visible waves is perceived
as white. Human eye sensitivity is greatest around 550 nm (yellow).
 3. Distribution of light
Light incident on an object can be distributed in 3 ways:
(1) reflected (r), (2) transmitted (t) and (3) absorbed (a).
Properties of object/materials/surface are described in terms of proportion of these
three components. In all cases, r+ a+ t =1, For opaque objects, t=0, hence r+a =1

3a Transmission of light
Transmission of light is the moving of
electromagnetic waves (whether visible
light, radio waves, ultraviolet, etc.) through
a material.

Some materials when exposed to light transmit a large part of it . Such objects are known
as transparent objects.eg glass.

Objects which block the passage of light are known as opaque objects.eg-brick wall.

Objects which allow light to pass through partially are known as translucent objects. Such
objects break the straight passage of light and scatter it in all directions creating “diffuse”
light.eg plastic, coloured glass
3. Distribution of light ….contd
3b. Reflection of light
• Light is reflected from surfaces in 4 ways.
• Specular Reflection: If parallel rays of incident light remain parallel after reflection
from a surface, then it is known as specular reflection and in this case the surface
is a plane mirror. For a plane mirror, the angle of reflection is equal to angle of
incidence.
• Diffuse Reflection : In case of surface falling on a matt surface, the light will be
scattered in all directions giving diffused lighting.
• Spread Reflection and d) Semi diffuse reflection :
• In most cases two kinds of reflections occur, which can be termed semi-diffuse or
spread reflection depending on the magnitude of the two components
3. Distribution of light ….contd
1.Absorption of Light
Materials /surfaces are selective in their reflectance. They may absorb
certain wavelengths of incident light; the remainder reflected light
will show a colour effect. Some materials which do not change the
wavelength composition of light after reflection have neutral
reflection properties and will be seen in white light.
If r is above 0.75, color seen is white
If r is between 0.05 and 0.75, then grey colour is seen
If r is below 0.05, then black colour is seen
 4. Photometric quantities of light
The photometric quantities of light are:
• Intensity of Light
Intensity is like brightness, and is measured as the rate at which light energy
is delivered to a unit of surface, or energy per unit time per unit area. It is
defined as the intensity of a 1/60 cm² uniformly emitting black body radiator
at melting point temperature of platinum. Unit of intensity is candela (cd)
• Flux
Flux or flow of light is measured in lumens (lm). One lumen is the flow of light
emitted by a unit intensity (cd) point source, within a unit solid angle
• Illumination
Illumination is measured as the amount of flux falling on unit area, ie
lm/m².The total amount of external illumination available is a function of
weather conditions and altitude. The eye responds to a range of illumination
levels such as 0.1 lux (moonlight) and 100000 lux (bright sunshine)
• Luminance
Luminance Is the measure of brightness of a surface. Luminance has two
units; cd/m2 and apostilb.1 cd/ m2 = 3.14 asb. (apostilb)
5. Munsell colour system
The Munsell system is a system used to classify surface colours based on the human
visual system’s perception of color. It was developed by Professor Albert H. Munsell
in early 20 th century. The Munsell Color Order System is a three-dimensional model
based on the premise that each color has three qualities or attributes: hue, value
and chroma.

Hue
Hue (H) is the actual “color” that we perceive and follows a natural order of red
(R), yellow (Y), green (G), blue (B) and purple (P); designated principle hues. The
hues are arranged in an equally divided circle and form the Munsell Hue Circle.
Hue is represented as one of five main hues and 5 intermediate hues, totaling 10
primary hues Red (R), Yellow-Red (YR), Yellow (Y), Yellow-Green (YG), Green (G),
Green-Blue (GB), Blue (B), Blue-Purple (BP), Purple (P), and Purple-Red (PR). Note
that the letters within parentheses are the color designations within the Munsell
system, that is, to specify the color Red, the letter R is used. Within each hue there
are 10 steps, e.g., for Red there is 1.0 R, 2.5 R, 5.0 R, 10.0 R, etc., thus there are 100
primary hues on a Munsell color wheel (10 hues * 10 steps = 100 hues)
5. Munsell colour system…..contd
• Value
Value (V) indicates the darkness or lightness of a color. The scale of value
ranges from 0 for pure black to 10 for pure white. Black, white and the
grays between them are called “neutral colors.” They have no hue. Colors
that have a hue are called “chromatic colors.” The value scale applies to
chromatic as well as neutral colors. Value of 0 means absolute black while
10 means absolute white.

• Chroma
Chroma, is also known as the intensity, saturation, richness, or purity of
a color, and refers to the comparison of a hue to a neutral gray whereby
the neutral gray is achromatic and a full hue (color) is fully saturated or
pure and brilliant. Colors of low chroma are sometimes called “weak,”
while those of high chroma are said to be “highly saturated,” “strong” or
“vivid.” The chroma scale starts at zero, for neutral colors, but there is no
arbitrary end to the scale. Fluorescent materials may have chromas as
high as 30.
 5. Munsell colour system…..contd

Value and Chroma levels are all numbered so any colour can be given a precise
numerical description; for example, the colour circled below is a red with a Value of 5
and Chroma of 4, hence it would be called 5R 5/4.
5. Munsell colour system…..contd

The above image represents only one horizontal segment- the entire 3D figure
called Munsell Colour Solid looks like a warped sphere. Looking inside the sphere
we see that colours get lighter from bottom to top and brighter or less gray from
center to outer rim.
5. Munsell colour system…..contd
A vertical cross-section through the centre of the solid would produce a 2D
image.
 6. Visual field
The visual field of an average person extends to 180 ͦ horizontally and 120 ͦ verƟcally.
Visual comfort and efficiency can be ensured by control of luminance distribution in
visual field.