LIGHTING

FUNDAMENTALS
Colour + Glare
Feb 2021

Lorna Flores
Recap
Units
F I

Luminous flux
Lumen (lm) Luminous intensity
flux/solid angle
Candela (cd)

Illuminance L Luminance
E
flux/area intensity/ projected
Lux (lx) area
Candela per square
metre
(cd/m2)

All units are related.

Units. Relationships

Luminous intensity
Luminous flux flux/solid angle
Lumen (lm) Candela (cd)

Illuminance Luminance
flux/area intensity/ projected
Lux (lx) are
Candela per square
metre
(cd/m2)
Quiz Answers
 Q1
What is the unit of luminous intensity?

a. Lumens (lm)
b. Candelas (cd)
c. Lumens per square meter (lm m-2 or lux)
d. Candelas per square meter (cd m-2)
 Q2
■ A luminous globe with a diameter of 25cm emits the same
luminous intensity in all spatial directions. If the total luminous
flux emitted by the globe is 2000 lumens, what is its
luminance?

Total luminous flux: Φ = 2000 lm

Luminous Intensity: I= 159 cd

Apparent area: A = 0.049 m2

Luminance: L = I = 159 = 3244.9 cd/m2

A .049
 Q3
• What is missing from the wording
of the following question:
“What is illuminance at point P
shown in the image below,
assuming that it is located 2m away
from a light source emitting a
luminous intensity of 1000
candelas in its direction?”
Complete the question as you
consider it appropriate and then
answer it.
Q3 “What is illuminance at point P shown in the
image below, assuming that it is located 2m away
from a light source emitting a luminous intensity
of 1000 candelas in its direction?”

What incidence angle? Which incidence angle?

PLL’= LPP’ = Θ’
P’
Assume P is 20° off light source axis

Ep(MNPQ) = I*cos Θ’/ D2

Θ’
p

L
Θ’

L’
Q3 “What is illuminance at point P shown in the
image below, assuming that it is located 2m away
from a light source emitting a luminous intensity
of 1000 candelas in its direction?”

What incidence angle?

Assume P is 20° off light source axis
PSS’= SPP’ = Θ’ = 20°
Ep(MNPQ) = I*cos Θ’/ D2
2
Ep(MNPQ) = 1000*cos 20°/ 2
p
Ep(MNPQ) =235 lux
L

L’
 Q3
“What is illuminance at point P
shown in the image below,
assuming that it is located 2m
away from a light source emitting
a luminous intensity of 1000
candelas in its direction, and in
plane MNPQ 20° from the light
source axis?”
Ep(MNPQ) =235 lux

Note: Any other reasonable off axis angle would be acceptable too
 Q4

*Based on this concepts, Lumen Method can be use determine the total number of
luminaires required to produce a given an average illuminance in an interior setting.

ExLxW
N=
FxnxUFxMF

The number of luminaires (N) is a function of the required

illuminance (E), the flux in each lamp (F) and the number of
lamps per luminaire (n). LxW is the area of the space, length
and width.
 Q4
■ You are asked to determine whether it is required to
include more or removed luminaires in a new room that
it is required to have at least 250 lux in the room.

250x6.5x4
N=
1125x1x.9x.8

6500
N=
810 4m
6.5 m

N= 8 luminaires needed
* from the datasheet provided
COLOUR
Light https://images.app.goo.gl/fexs5KQLi7YFtvWf9

Colour properties

■ Colour Appearance

■ Colour Rendering

https://images.app.goo.gl/hctyB5EznpRP7kCX8
Light Red
Colour perception
Yellow Magenta

Secondary Colours

Blue
Green

Cyan
Light
Colour perception. Addition and substraction
Light
Colour perception. Addition and substraction
Colour Matching

■ Based on the human

colour vision
■ Additive mechanism

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82ItpxqPP4I
Colour Appearance
CIE Chromaticity Chart

■ Common language to Spectral locus

describe colour
■ Gamut of all calours we
are capable to see
CIE colour matching functions

Tristimulus Value

Tristimulus vectors map out the chromaticity diagram

MacAdams Ellipses

25 fixed points around the

CIE 1931

Shapes and size varies

depending on the initial fixed
point
CIE uniform chromaticity diagram
Mapping Colour in Kelvin

A: Tungsten
B: Direct Sun
C: Average Daylight
D65: Average daylight (6500 K)
E: Theorical energy white
Colour Appearance CCT
Colour Appearance CCT
 Colour Appearance CCT
https://images.app.goo.gl/NwmJjjARk7bw6cKN7

y- Chromaticity coordinate

Temperature as Kelvin (K)

Applicable to white light sources

Most common sources lie between

2700 K and 5000 K

x- Chromaticity coordinate
Colour Appearance
Groups for light sources

Colour Appearance Correlated Colour Temperature

Warm Below 3300 K

intermediate 3300 to 5300 K

Cool Above 5300 K

From BS EN 12464-1
Colour Appearance CCT
https://images.app.goo.gl/PfuMYbPMMkDsNyuEA

“warm” light “intermediate” light “cool” light

Colour Rendering CRI
CIE 13.3-1995

■ Colour samples

■ Illuminated by test lamp

■ Illuminated by reference lamp

Test Colour samples for the CIE CRI calculation.

The rendered colours are approximate.
Colour Rendering CRI
CIE 13.3-1995

■ Colour samples

■ Illuminated by test lamp

■ Illuminated by reference lamp

Good
Poor Colour
Colour Rendering
Rendering Ra
Ra 20
86

Test Colour samples for the CIE CRI calculation.

The rendered colours are approximate.
Colour Rendering CRI

https://images.app.goo.gl/Ja31uo3QXZFZobNj9

CRI 92+ CRI ~80

Colour Rendering CRI

Ra Rating

90-100 Excellent

80-90 Good

60-80 Moderate

<60 Poor
Colour Rendering CRI

Same CRI 95
https://images.app.goo.gl/Tsawx1uZ2oYzcjth7
Daylight vs LED
Colour Rendering https://images.app.goo.gl/bRhk5csiY4y8DESm9

IES TM-30-15

Colour Fidelity metric (Rf)

Similar method to CRI but

more accurate due to greater
sample population(99
samples)

Graph of the sample results

compared to the reference
source (circle)
Colour evaluation samples. Letters indicates colour types:
A(Nature), B(Skin), C(textiles), D(Paints), E(plastics), F
(printed), G(colour systems).
Colour Rendering
IES TM-30-15

https://www.chromatherapylight.com/uploads/7/4/2/9/74293369/tm-30-primer_hubbell.pdf
𝐴𝑡
Colour Gamut Index(Rg) 𝑅𝑔 = 𝑥100
𝐴𝑟

Rg is the ratio between the

area calculated and the area
from the reference source.
Range from about 60-140.

>100 overall under-saturation

<100 overall over-saturation
 IES TM-30-15
Colour Rendering

CIE F3
Rf = 59 Rg= 84
Phosphor LED
Rf = 79 Rg= 120

https://www.chromatherapylight.com/uploads/7/4/2/9/74293369/tm-30-primer_hubbell.pdf
Summary

■ Colour Appearance
– Measures the appearance of a light source
– Specified as Kelvin(K)
– Only applicable to white light sources

■ Colour Rendering
– The effect a light source has on the appearance of surface
colours relative to the effect of a reference light source.
– Two metrics: CIE 13.3 1995 and IES-TM-30-15
GLARE
Glare
What is it?

• Is difficulty seeing on the presence of bright light source.

• Glare can reduce visibility:

• Reduction of brightness of the rest of the scene by constriction
of the pupils
• Reduction in contrast of the rest of the scene by scattering of
the bright light within the eye

•Can cause eye strain, eye irritation, eye fatigue, and major impair
colour perception
Types of glare From SLL Handbook 2012

• Discomfort glare
Glare that causes discomfort
without necessarily impairing the
vision of objects. Discomfort glare
can be produced directly or by
reflection.
.25 𝐿2 𝜔
𝑈𝐺𝑅 = 8 log10 ෍
𝐿𝑏 𝑝2

• Disability Glare
Glare that impairs the vision.
https://images.app.goo.gl/pJh3pb5VCR41DX4D8

• Contrast: difference between the luminance of the target and the

background relative to the average luminance of the scene.
Types of glare https://images.app.goo.gl/MZMaPEEAv2BpMrbs9

• Direct glare
High illuminances in the visual
environment that are directly
visible to the viewer.

• Indirect Glare
Cause by very reflective or
glossy objects(specular surfaces).
-Reflected/Veiling glare

https://images.app.goo.gl/EpmSci1ixSVbH8529
Control and Reduction

• Limit the glare source in the direction of the eye

• Use diffuse covers for the light sources

• Re-position the work station so that the glare source is not in the
field of view of the worker

• Raise the background luminance against which the glare source is

seen (reduce contrast)
Summary

■ Occurs whenever one part of an interior is much brighter than the

general brightness in the space
■ It can impair vision: Disability Glare

■ It can cause discomfort: Discomfort Glare

Lighting properties of building materials

• Reflectance

• Colour

• Surface finishing
Lighting properties of building materials
Reflectance

• The appearance of
a surface can change
depending on how it is lit

• The actual diffuse

reflectances of building
materials cover a wide
range.

Reflectances of common materials found in buildings

Lighting properties of building materials
Colour of materials

• Specification of the system of

colour used, e.g. BS 4800,
Pantone, NCS, etc.

• Details of the reflectance of

other materials can often be
obtained from the
manufacturers or by using the
calibrated colour chart
included in SLL LG 11:
Surface reflectance and
colour (SLL/NPL, 2001) Reflectances of some paint colours
Lighting properties of building materials
Surface finish of materials

• Surface finish will affect

how light is reflected
from it, but this will also
be affected by the way
the surface is lit.

• Primary purpose of the

material:
• For effect
• For direction and
intensity of light
Lighting properties of building materials
Surface deterioration

• Accumulation of dirt and

wear

• Its important to consider

when the surface
intention is to be used as
indirect lighting.

https://images.app.goo.gl/LwSBUk1rAaQmhiaa6
Reading list …

■ SLL Lighting Handbook (2018)

■ SLL Lighting Code (2012)
■ SLL lighting Guide 0: Introduction to light and lighting (2017)
■ IES (2015). IES method for evaluating light source color rendition. IES TM-30-
15. New York: Illuminating Engineering Society of North America.
■ Boyce, PR (2014). Human factors in lighting. 3rd edition. Boca Raton, FL:
CRC Press, Taylor and Francis.