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Lighting for the Built Environment: Places of Worship
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Lighting Guide 13:

Lighting for
places of worship
222 Balham High Road, London SW12 9BS, UK
Tel: 020 8675 5211. Fax: 020 8673 3302. E-mail: sll@cibse.org. www.sll.org.uk
The Society of Light and Lighting is part of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers

This document is based on the best knowledge available at the time of publication.
However, no responsibility of any kind for any injury, death, loss, damage or delay
however caused resulting from the use of these recommendations can be accepted
by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, the Society of Light
and Lighting, the authors or others involved in its publication. In adopting
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Lighting, the authors and others involved in their publication from any and all
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of any negligence on the part of those indemnified.
The rights of publication or translation are reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or

transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission of the
publisher.
©March 2014 The Society of Light and Lighting
The Society is part of CIBSE which is a registered charity, number 278104.
ISBN 978-1-906846-42-8
Layout and typesetting by The Lavenham Press.
Printed in England by The Lavenham Press
Cover illustrations (clockwise from upper left): St Leonard’s Parish Church, Langho;
St Paul’s Cathedral, London; Jamia Masjid Hanfia Mosque, Bradford; Fairhaven
United Reform Church, Lytham (all photographs courtesy of Hilclare Lighting).
Note from the publisher

This publication is primarily intended to give guidance. It is not intended to be
exhaustive or definitive, and it will be necessary for users of the guidance given
to exercise their own professional judgement when deciding whether to abide by
or depart from it.
Any commercial products depicted or described within this publication are

included for the purposes of illustration only and their inclusion does not
constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Society.

Foreword
This guide to lighting for places of worship is published by the Society of

Light and Lighting, part of the Chartered Institution of Building Services
Engineers. It is intended as an introduction to the subject for lighting
engineers and designers, specifiers, users and students alike. Because of this
aim of making the guide suitable for a wide readership, it has been written
as a reference document of experience, and has concentrated upon the
practical applications of lighting in as many types of building as practically
possible, and on giving proven solutions to practical problems. The guide
also includes up-to-date legislation where relevant and incorporates best
practice principles throughout. Individual characteristics have been aligned
to BS EN 12464-1: 2011 where possible, including the introduction of a
distinction between task area and surrounding areas, and the subsequent
recommendation of uniformity for those areas. Indeed, uniformity has
been given far more importance throughout the guide, with recommended
minimum values in the tables appertaining to each particular application.
The author would like to acknowledge the help of Hilclare Lighting for their
assistance during the formulation of this guide, and also grateful thanks
is given to all the individuals who contributed by authenticating various
descriptions and allowing the numerous photographs to be included.
Author
David Holmes (Hilclare Ltd.)
Technical Editor
Peter Boyce
SLL Secretary
Brendan Keely
CIBSE Head of Knowledge

Nicholas Peake
Editorial Manager
Ken Butcher
Editor
Alasdair Deas

Contents 1 Introduction........................................................................1
2 Lighting considerations......................................................2
2.1 The illuminance of the task........................................................................2
2.2 The plane of the task................................................................................2
2.3 Illuminance uniformity...............................................................................2
2.4 Modelling.................................................................................................4
2.5 Obstruction...............................................................................................4
2.6 Lighting of the general surround...............................................................4
2.7 Surface reflectances..................................................................................5
2.8 Direct glare...............................................................................................5
2.9 Indirect glare.............................................................................................5
2.10 Colour properties......................................................................................5
2.11 Stroboscopic effects..................................................................................5
2.12 Environmental conditions..........................................................................6
2.13 Maintenance.............................................................................................6
2.14 Energy consumption.................................................................................6
2.15 Emergency lighting....................................................................................8
2.16 Daylight....................................................................................................8
2.17 Listed buildings.........................................................................................9
2.18 People with disabilities............................................................................10
3 Interior lighting................................................................13
3.1 Introduction............................................................................................13
3.2 Anglican and Catholic churches...............................................................14
3.3 Mosques.................................................................................................20
3.4 Synagogues............................................................................................26
3.5 Methodist churches.................................................................................33
3.6 Salvation Army citadels............................................................................38
3.7 Mormon Chapels and temples.................................................................45
3.8 Kingdom Halls of Jehovah’s Witnesses.....................................................53
3.9 Christadelphian ecclesias.........................................................................59
3.10 Christian Science churches......................................................................65
3.11 Quaker meeting houses...........................................................................71
3.12 Pentecostal and Evangelist halls...............................................................78
3.13 Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh temples...........................................................83
3.14 Monasteries and convents.......................................................................90
3.15 Non-religious venues and buildings ........................................................96
3.15a Masonic halls..........................................................................................96
3.15b Chapels.................................................................................................103
3.15c Prayer rooms.........................................................................................110

4 Emergency lighting........................................................113
4.1 Introduction..........................................................................................113
4.2 Escape lighting......................................................................................115
4.3 Standby lighting....................................................................................116
5 Exterior lighting..............................................................117
5.1 Introduction..........................................................................................117
5.2 Car parking...........................................................................................117
5.3 Security lighting....................................................................................119
5.4 Floodlighting.........................................................................................119
5.5 CCTV surveillance..................................................................................125
5.6 Obtrusive light......................................................................................126
6 Equipment.......................................................................129
6.1 Light sources.........................................................................................129
6.2 Luminaires.............................................................................................132
6.3 Control systems.....................................................................................136
6.4 Maintenance of lighting equipment ......................................................137
7 Lighting design...............................................................141
7.1 Introduction..........................................................................................141
7.2 Objectives.............................................................................................141
7.3 Specification.........................................................................................141
7.4 General planning..................................................................................141
7.5 Detailed planning..................................................................................148
Appendix 1 Light source colour.....................................150

A1.1 Apparent colour of the emitted light.....................................................150
A1.2 Colour rendering...................................................................................150
Appendix 2 Field measurements of illuminance..........151

A2.1 Functions of field measurements...........................................................151
A2.2 Illuminance meters................................................................................151
A2.3 Field surveys..........................................................................................152
Glossary...........................................................................155
Bibliography....................................................................162
Index................................................................................165
Introduction 1
1 Introduction Religion and worship have been world culture for several thousand years. The
scope of this guide is concerned with electric lighting for the majority of types
of places of worship found in most towns and cities. The list, however, is not
exhaustive and reference should be made, in many cases, to the types of building
and fabric rather than the religion itself. A place of worship is taken to be a
building, or a particular room within a building, where people congregate to
carry out prayer and activities relevant to their faith. Associated areas such as
offices, vestries, boiler rooms and bell towers are also considered in this guide,
to assist the designer in carrying out the design for the building in its entirety.
Lighting is concerned with the primary purpose of enabling people to see
to perform tasks, whether they are prayer, reading or simply access. Light is
necessary for one to see, and as many gatherings take place at night as well as
during the day, a system of artificial lighting is required to either replace or
supplement the available daylight.
The places of worship for various religions differ considerably in both size and
design, therefore the approach adopted here is to consider each religion or
variant of that religion separately, where possible, appreciating the specific
lighting problems posed by a particular religious activity or building layout. Some
types of ancillary rooms, such as toilets, plant rooms and corridors, are repeated
in each section to avoid the reader having to cross-reference around the guide.
If you cannot find a mention of the religion which interests you in this guide
then examining the discussion of an analogous room or building will often be
worthwhile.
Lighting, as used in places of worship, has four objectives: to enable participants

in the religious activity or ceremony to see what they are doing; to enable the
congregation or assembly to see what is happening around them; to contribute
to the safety of everyone within the room or building; and to create a good visual
environment. With these objectives in mind, the several parts of this lighting
guide have been compiled.
It must be stressed that it is as important to apply the correct source of lighting

as it is to accurately achieve a specified illuminance. The success of an installation
should not be judged by light meters but through the eyes of those who have to
perform the ceremonies and those who watch them. Similarly, efficiency should
not be rated simply by the effectiveness of gathering all the lamp lumens and
exclusively directing them onto the task plane, but rather by the ease with which
the task can be seen and by the contribution of the lighting installation to making
the environment more agreeable.
Anyone consulting this document is urged to read through the whole of the guide
and not simply to turn to the tables of recommendations. Throughout the text,
successful lighting techniques are discussed. Learn to analyse the visual task and
the lighting problem. If members of the congregation or assembly tend to sit in
one particular area this should be focal to the design brief. If certain parts of the
service or ceremony appear better with the aid of daylight, try to understand why.
The recommendations and advice given in this guide are representative of

good practice and are based on practical experience, scientific knowledge and
economic reality.
2 Lighting Guide 13: Lighting for places of worship
2 Lighting In order to provide good lighting conditions for places of worship it is necessary to
consider carefully several points. The aspects of lighting design per se are considered
consider- in depth in chapter 7, but there are other subjects of which the lighting designer
should be aware and possess at least a basic understanding. Some of these points
ations have gained more importance in recent legislation.
2.1 The Most places where both natural and artificial lighting are put to use contain at least
one task area. Places of worship are no exception as tasks are part of a particular
Illuminance ritual or ceremony. The illuminance in the task area is the main quantitative
of the task criterion used for all forms of functional lighting. It is the illuminance on the
task which, in combination with the reflectiveness of the materials from which
the task is constructed and the immediate surroundings to the task, determines
the sensitivity of the visual system. The illuminances recommended in this guide
are given in the form of maintained illuminances; that is, the illuminances on the
task averaged over the relevant area and over one complete maintenance cycle of
the installation. The relevant area can be the immediate task or a part of a room
or the complete building.
The illuminances recommended in this guide are consistent with those

recommended in the SLL Code for Lighting (SLL, 2012) and BS EN 12464-1:
2011. As such, they represent good lighting practice. However, as this guide is
the first of its kind, certainly within the Society of Light and Lighting, there are
many recommendations which are not covered adequately in other documents.
The illuminances recommended here are generally similar to those for equivalent
tasks or actions within other guides. They are, however, based on additional
considerations, such as theatrical performance and the appearance of the room
or building. As an example, it is recommended that uniformity within a prayer
or worship area can be lowered if a particular lighting effect is justified. Such
an example could be a narrow beam spotlight over a font in a Christian church.
Likewise, a similar spotlight could be used to light the Koran in a mosque or the
Scriptures in a synagogue.
2.2 The plane of It is common in places of worship for tasks to occur on different planes: horizontal,
vertical and anywhere in between. The illuminance recommendations given in
the task this guide are to be produced on the plane in which the task lies.
A common failing of lighting in Christian churches is the provision of low

illuminances on the vertical plane. The usual causes are the use of narrow
distribution luminaires, choice of luminaire by lay people or insufficient
numbers of luminaires. Illuminance on the vertical plane in buildings with high
ceilings is much more sensitive to changes in spacing between luminaires than is
illuminance on the horizontal plane. Therefore it is possible to have conditions
in which the illuminance on the horizontal plane meets the illuminance
recommendations but the illuminance on the vertical plane is much reduced and
markedly non-uniform. Typically, the best approach to avoiding this problem is
to use luminaires with a wide distribution, at a reduced spacing. Higher room
surface reflectances can also be beneficial, although it is appreciated that this
particular aspect cannot always be controlled by the lighting designer (see section
2.7).
2.3 Illuminance The maintained illuminances recommended in this guide are averages over
the relevant area. For such values it is always necessary to consider the range
uniformity of illuminances that should be allowed to occur about the average. This is the
purpose of the illuminance uniformity criterion (Uo). This criterion takes two
forms. First, in the task area the illuminance uniformity should be not less than
the minimum uniformity values given in the relevant tables in this guide. This
criterion is appropriate for a space which is to be lit uniformly, but it must be
Lighting considerations 3
noted that in large buildings with different areas, such as cathedrals, task areas
will through necessity have to be taken individually and not considered as a
whole.
The illuminance of the ‘immediate surrounding area’ should be related to the

illuminance of the task area and should provide a well-balanced luminance
distribution in the visual field. The immediate surrounding area should be a
band with a width of at least 0.5 m around the task area within the visual field.
The definition of this area should be stated and documented by the designer. The
illuminance of the immediate surrounding area may be lower than the illuminance
of the task area, but shall be not less than the values given in Table 2.1.
Table 2.1 Relationship of illuminances in ‘immediate surrounding areas’ and ‘background

areas’ to the illuminance on the task area
Illuminance on the task Illuminance on immediate Illuminance on background

area Etask (lux) surrounding area Eisa (lux) area Eba (lux)
≥ 7500 500 100
500 300 100
300 200 50
200 Etask 50
150 Etask 50
100 Etask 50
≤ 500 Etask Etask / 2
However, in places of worship, particularly those devoid of daylight, a large part

of the area surrounding an active and occupied task area needs to be illuminated.
This area, known as the ‘background area’, should be a border at least 3 m wide
adjacent to the immediate surrounding area within the limits of the space and
should be illuminated with a maintained illuminance of at least 1/3 of the value of
the immediate surrounding area. In practice, in large buildings these bandwidths
will be considerably larger than the minimums stated. One method of achieving
this criterion would be to use electronic controls with automatic dimming. The
size and position of the background area should be stated and documented. For
electric lighting or by the use of roof lights the illuminance uniformity (Uo)
should be a minimum of 0.4 in the immediate surrounding area and a minimum
of 0.1 in the background area.
Figure 2.1 Relationship

of defined areas
3m Background
IV
area
0.5m
IV
Immediate
surrounding
area
Task area
2.4 Modelling In addition to lighting the task, the volume of space occupied by any people
should be lit. This particular light is required to light objects, reveal texture and
improve the appearance of people within the space. The terms ‘mean cylindrical
illuminance’, ‘modelling’ and ‘directional lighting’ describe the lighting
conditions.
Good visual communication and recognition of objects within a space are

essential within any religious building. This is achieved by providing adequate
mean cylindrical illuminance (Ez) in the space.
The maintained mean cylindrical illuminance (average vertical plane illuminance)

in all public areas should be at least 50 lux, with Uo ≥ 0.1 on a horizontal plane
at a specified height. This height would normally be 1.2 m for seated or kneeling
persons and 1.6 m for people standing.
It should also be noted that in those areas where good visual communication
is important, such as altars, lecterns and circulation areas, Ez should be at least
150 lux with Uo ≥ 0.1.
2.5 Obstruction It is a common feature of many religious buildings that there is extensive
obstruction to the distribution of light from the lighting installation. Large
vertical stone pillars, wooden cross beams, heaters and banners can all cause
such obstruction. If obstruction and the consequent possibility of shadowing are
thought likely to be a problem then special care is required in the design of the
installation.
There are a number of approaches which can be used to reduce the problems
caused by obstructions. First, if the obstruction is by overhead cross beams, etc., the
possibility of positioning the lighting below the obstruction should be considered.
Second, if there are a few large obstructions in the space, such as stone pillars,
a suitable approach is to check that all parts of the space are lit by at least two
luminaires. These luminaires can be roof mounted or can be floodlights mounted
on the walls or pillars themselves. This approach, together with high surface
reflectances in the interior, should eliminate any patches of low illuminance. Third,
and most generally, the spacing between luminaires can be reduced, the amount
of reduction being greater the larger the size and number of obstructions and the
lower the reflectances of the obstructions. Typically, a one-third reduction in the
maximum spacing to mounting height ratio may be required.
2.6 Lighting of Except in those areas where it is detrimental, illuminance of the walls and overhead
surfaces will improve the appearance of the room or building. Luminaires having
the general a sharp cut-off, i.e. with no upward light component, when used in areas with
surround low reflectance create a tunnel-like appearance which can be depressing. In high
buildings where the ceiling consists of dark oak panelling or similar low-reflectance
material, it would be appropriate to use some upward light so that the ceiling form
can be seen. It is not necessary in this case to use large amounts of light, but rather
ambient levels to reduce the tunnel effect.
There are, of course, certain times when rituals or ceremonies are performed by
candlelight. In these circumstances the electric lighting generally is not used.
However, consideration should be given to the use of uplighting with light
sources of a warm colour, to illuminate the ceiling and upper walls and to blend
in with the candlelight at the lower levels.
2.7 Surface The reflectances of the surfaces in an individual interior can make an important
contribution to the quality of the lighting. By making use of high reflectances for the
reflectances surfaces in the interior, the installation will be made more efficient, the shadowing
effect of any obstructions will be reduced and the magnitude of discomfort glare
will be reduced. Ideally, the reflectance of the floor should be at least 0.2 and the
walls at least 0.5. If light is reflected off the ceiling or roof to a significant degree,
then this surface should have a reflectance of at least 0.7. There will be occasions
when these values cannot be met due to the building or room construction. In
these circumstances it is the responsibility of the lighting engineer or designer to
ensure that these factors are taken into consideration during the design process.
2.8 Direct glare Direct glare is the glare occurring because of a direct view of the luminaires. Two
forms of glare are known to exist: disability glare and discomfort glare. Disability
glare occurs when the presence of a bright light source close to the line of sight
makes the task more difficult to see. The most common experience of disability
glare is meeting a car with headlights on full beam at night. This type of glare is
likely to occur in churches with high ceilings where low-level spotlighting is used
to highlight objects such as pulpits and fonts. Disability glare can also occur
when looking upwards at powerful luminaires with poor light control, but careful
selection and positioning of luminaires will eliminate this problem.
Discomfort glare occurs when people experience discomfort without any

detrimental effects of vision. In this guide, discomfort glare is controlled by
ensuring that the CIE (Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage) unified
glare rating (ugr) of the lighting installation does not exceed the rating limit
recommended (see section 7.5.5).
2.9 Indirect glare Indirect glare occurs when light from a high-luminance luminaire is reflected
from a glossy surface. It can be a particularly serious problem when light is
reflected off shiny objects such as plates and sacrament cups. Sometimes the
high-luminance reflections forming the reflected glare can be useful for revealing
form, but if they are not useful they can be reduced by using low-luminance
luminaires, or by arranging the luminaires so that reflections are not directed
along the normal line of sight.
2.10 Colour In places of worship it is not usually necessary to make accurate colour judgements.
Where accurate colour rendering is necessary, light sources with a CIE general
properties colour rendering index (cri) of greater than 90 are recommended (see Appendix
1 for details of the CIE general cri). These light sources would not generally be
used for the complete installation but, if the colour judgements are to be done in
a specified location, localised lighting using a high cri could be used. It should be
noted that with modern light sources it is possible to have a high CIE general cri
as well as a high luminous efficacy (amount of light per watt). However, in many
types of religious buildings lamp colour is used for overall effect rather than
critical reasons. Most churches, and many synagogues and mosques, are large
areas which are difficult to heat in cold weather and so benefit greatly by being
illuminated with a ‘warm’ light source having a colour temperature of 2700 K or
3000 K. In addition, when the designer wants to highlight a particular area or
action, the use of light sources with different colour temperatures for the task
area and surrounding areas can be very beneficial and economical.
2.11 Stroboscopic The stroboscopic effect is an illusion that makes rotating or reciprocating objects
appear as stationary or as moving at a different speed than that at which they really
effects are. It occurs when the light source produces a regular oscillation in light output.
Such oscillations occur with all light sources fed from an a.c. supply, but are almost
always insufficient in magnitude to cause any perceptible stroboscopic effect. The
move towards high-frequency electronic control gear will virtually eliminate any
stroboscopic problems in a religious environment. In addition, when using high

wattage discharge luminaires, the lighting designer can ensure that light received
at any particular point is from several different sources, preferably fed from different
phases if a three-phase supply is available. However, there are occasions when a
theatrical effect may be required as part of a ritual or a drama being acted out by
the use of a theatrical ‘strobe’ light. Care should be taken in using this effect as the
flashing sequence can be problematic to people suffering from epilepsy or some
other types of illness affecting the nervous system.
2.12 Environmental Most places of worship are heated in some way. However, as some churches may
be used for only a few hours each week it would be uneconomical for heating to
conditions be turned on while the building is unoccupied. This will result in some cases
during the winter months where the light fixtures are in a frozen state when being
switched on. In this situation, incandescent lamps had an advantage over other
light sources, being able to be turned on at very low temperatures. Modern light
sources, such as compact and linear fluorescent lamps, will usually be operated
on electronic control gear, which is susceptible to low temperature – to the point
that it may refuse to start. Where such conditions occur the lighting equipment
has to be selected with care. Full guidance is given in the SLL Lighting Handbook
(SLL, 2009).
2.13 Maintenance Lighting installations start to deteriorate from the moment they are first switched
on. The light output from lamps reduces with increasing hours of use. The light
emitted from luminaires will diminish as the luminaires become increasingly
dirty. The inter-reflected light in an interior will reduce as the interior becomes
more dirty. To maintain the light output of a lighting installation it is necessary
to carry out maintenance of the installation. The first requirement of such
maintenance is ease of access. This is something that should always be considered
when designing an installation. In a church or mosque with a high ceiling it may
be advantageous to mount the luminaires on vertical surfaces such as pillars,
instead of suspended from the high ceiling. If due consideration is given to this
point, luminaires can usually be positioned to facilitate ease of maintenance,
while still taking the lighting requirements into consideration. Selecting suitable
intervals for cleaning the luminaire and for the lamp replacement, together
with the best method of carrying out this work, should all be considered when
designing the installation. Further advice is given in section 6.4.
2.14 Energy As lighting installations use electricity, a designer must consider energy
consumption and running costs. Therefore, the energy costs of an installation
consumption are important. Two aspects of the installation determine the energy cost, the
installed power of the installation and the number of hours the installation is
used. Installed power is determined by the choice of light source and luminaire,
the proportions of the interior and the reflectance of the interior surfaces.
Legislation in England and Wales with regard to energy conservation is

governed generally by the Building Regulations, with particular reference to
Part L: Conservation of fuel and power. Similar legislation applies in Scotland
and Northern Ireland. With regard to lighting in places of worship the basic
requirement is that all general areas should be illuminated by light sources having
a minimum efficacy of 60 lumens per circuit watt. However, where lighting is
used for display purposes this restriction is reduced to 22 lumens per circuit watt.
This does give the lighting designer some leeway when choosing light sources in
places of worship, but generally speaking the most efficient lamps suitable for a
particular application should be chosen at the outset. The figures quoted are true
at the date of publication of this guide, but they are likely to be increased in the
future. The lighting industry in general, and the Society of Light and Lighting
in particular, are trying to steer legislators towards adopting the BS EN 15193:
Energy requirements for lighting, which considers the use of power over time and
sets limits for lighting efficiency numerical indicator (leni) values, measured in
kW.h/m2 per annum. leni values also pay due regard to the use of control systems,
such as presence detection and daylight dimming, although these systems are less
likely to be used in places of worship with low annual usage. leni values are now
an option in Part L as opposed to just luminaire efficacy for office areas.
Many places of worship are only used for a few hours each week and therefore
full-life economics must be considered when choosing a lighting system. An
elaborate and expensive array of luminaires may be impressive to the public
at large, but if a payback period is being considered and calculations show this
to be in excess of 20 years then the validity of the decision must be studied
carefully. Over recent decades, due to low weekly usage in churches, there was
a trend towards the use of tungsten halogen lamps for general lighting in cheap
exterior floodlights. With current legislation and the need to consider carefully a
building’s energy consumption, the use of high-wattage tungsten halogen lamps
is no longer a viable option. However, it is increasingly easy to provide luminaires
that match the environment aesthetically (even in listed buildings) while using
efficient light sources.
It must be mentioned also that while discharge lamps are generally very efficient,
noise can be a problem when using this type of lamp with wirewound control
gear. Care should therefore be taken when choosing luminaires to ensure that
noise does not distract those present from the ceremonies, to the point of it being
a severe annoyance.
Table 2.2 gives some target installed power loadings for uniform lighting
installations in building interiors using conventional equipment.
Table 2.2 Target installed power loadings for uniform lighting of interiors
Lamp type CIE general CRI (Ra) Task illuminance Average installed power
density (W/m2)
Fluorescent 80–90 150 03
triphosphor 300 06
500 10
Metal halide 60–90 150 04
300 07
500 12
LED 40–90 150 03
300 06
500 11
It should be noted that the power consumed by any control system necessary to
operate the chosen lamps should be included in the total power of the installation,
known as ‘total circuit watts’. It is important to note also that these power
loading targets are secondary criteria as far as lighting is concerned. The lighting
conditions to be achieved are the primary criteria. Therefore, the first step must
always be to choose the correct illuminance and not to ‘over-light’ the area.
The purpose of the power loading targets is to indicate the power within which
it should be possible to provide the recommended lighting conditions. With
careful design it may be possible to achieve lower power loadings. Conversely,
there may be situations where special requirements justify a power loading above
the target value.
There are a number of circumstances where the power loading targets may
need to be increased. These are (a) where a ugr of less than 22 is required, (b)
where special luminaires are used, e.g. chandeliers, and (c) where considerable
obstruction to the lighting is likely to occur.
As for the hours of use of the installation, these can be controlled by one of
the many different control systems available (see section 6.3). Simple time
switches are all that is needed to match the use of the lighting to the use of the
space. Photocell switches can be used to match the use of the lighting to the
availability of daylight. Presence or absence detectors can be installed in areas
used infrequently, such as toilets, storerooms and plant rooms. However, care
must be taken when choosing automatic or remote controls to avoid personnel
being suddenly plunged into darkness. Lamp types with long restrike times and
run-up times are not suitable for frequent switching so care is necessary when
considering the use of such control systems.
2.15 Emergency Emergency lighting may be required in places of worship wherever there is
deemed to be a risk to the safety, health or welfare of staff and the public, should
lighting the normal lighting fail. Failure of the normal lighting can cause three different
types of hazard, depending on the nature of the building. For all buildings, a
hazard exists if people have to evacuate the building in darkness. Emergency
lighting should be provided to allow people to safely and quickly leave the
building. The extent and nature of the emergency lighting required in places
of worship is determined by the size and complexity of the building. Detailed
guidance on emergency lighting is given in chapter 4 of this guide and SLL
Lighting Guide 12: Emergency lighting design guide (SLL, 2004).
2.16 Daylight Daylight is another source of light for the lighting designer to consider. The
use of daylight as a primary source of lighting is strongly recommended in any
building and places of worship are no exception. The amount of control that
the designer has over daylighting in most religious buildings is, of course, very
limited. Existing churches that have stood for centuries can hardly be changed to
suit a designer’s preferences, no matter how good the reason may be. Sometimes,
existing obstructions such as adjacent trees or buildings will limit the effect of
daylight entering a building, but nevertheless some daylight can help to reduce
the need for electric lighting.
The daylight factor is an expression of how much outside light on an overcast day
arrives at a particular place in a room or area. The defined luminance distribution
of a CIE overcast sky is used in the calculation. In designing a space with
appropriate daylight we are providing a space that allows the reduction in use of
electric lighting for general areas during daylight hours. The savings achieved by
the use of automatic dimming controls are directly related to daylight factor. The
daylight factor is affected by the building form, materials, glazing, facade etc.
In large buildings, such as Christian churches, some mosques and certain

synagogues, while the window design is out of the lighting designer’s control,
use can be made of the available daylight. Windows can be very high and wide,
giving excellent daylight penetration. In such buildings consideration should be
given to an electronic daylight dimming system on the general lighting layout,
whereby luminaires can be dimmed according to the amount of daylight available.
One must remember that while this type of system will work very well to achieve
energy saving, it is not available for all light sources. Another drawback is that
due to the possible low hourly usage in some of these buildings, the payback time
can be very high and not justifiable. This type of control should be limited to the
general lighting scheme and not to those luminaires that are used to spotlight
people and objects.
Figure 2.2 Good daylight penetration
enables the use of lighting controls
The ideal daylit environment is one where the fixed architectural form provides
both good daylighting and effective solar protection. This will not always be
the case in certain buildings. Solar protection where stained glass windows
are present would be difficult to instigate. There have been attempts to control
solar heat gain through these windows by covering them with plastic panels on
the outside. This has been done mainly to limit vandalism, but the results can
be unsightly and have limited effect on solar heat gain. The potential for the
building fabric to control the daylighting of the space depends on the building
type, specifically on the richness and variety of the fixed architectural form. For
places of worship consisting of a single rectangular room, the scope to control the
daylit environment is limited to a few basic building parameters, such as glazing
ratio and window transmissivity. Optimisation of these will have some beneficial
effect, but if there is too much direct sunlight, the occupants will still have to
resort to frequent use of blinds or shades to prevent undue ingress of daylight
and to prevent glare. The greater the richness and variety in the architectural
form, the greater the opportunity for controlling the daylit environment through
an integrated design approach that combines effective solar control with good
daylight practice. Often the more successful daylighting designs are those that
offer a combination of daylighting strategies. Low-rise buildings offer the greatest
opportunity to realise a controlled daylit environment because the designs can,
in principle, accommodate various daylighting features and devices. In addition,
low-rise building designs can also feature skylights, clerestory windows, light
wells, overhangs, deep self-shading reveals, etc. Window areas and ceiling
heights can be chosen by the architect to achieve high daylight factors, because
the benefit of carbon savings, especially when the rooms are subjected to frequent
use, is so significant that the extra cost of larger windows and high ceilings may
be effective in terms of cost of carbon reduction. They will also aid natural
ventilation. For further information on daylight, reference should be made to
SLL Lighting Guide 10: Daylighting and window design (SLL, 2013).
2.17 Listed A listed building is a building that has been placed on the Statutory List of
Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. This status has been
buildings applied to around half a million buildings, and is controlled by English Heritage
in England. Officially called the Historic Building and Monuments Commission
for England, English Heritage is an executive non-departmental public body
sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). It has
a broad remit of managing the historic built environment of England and
advises the relevant Secretary of State on policy and in individual cases, such as
registering listed buildings and scheduled ancient monuments. The equivalent

bodies in other parts of the UK are Cadw (the Historic Environment Service of
the Welsh Assembly Government), Historic Scotland and the Northern Ireland
Environment Agency (NIEA).
A listed building may not be demolished, extended or altered without special

permission from the local planning authority. Consultation then takes place with
the relevant central government agency, particularly for significant alterations to
the more notable listed buildings. Exemption from secular listed building control is
provided for some buildings in current use for worship, but only in cases where the
relevant religious organisation operates its own equivalent permissions procedure.
Owners of listed buildings are, in some circumstances, compelled to repair and
maintain them and can face criminal prosecution if they fail to do so or if they
perform unauthorised alterations.
It is important, therefore, before commencement of any repair or maintenance

work, that advice should be sought, primarily from the local authority under
whose jurisdiction the religious building is located. English Heritage can be quite
sympathetic to renovation projects on listed buildings if project managers work
with them, rather than against them. New luminaires designed to blend in with
the surrounding architecture, albeit with modern high-efficiency lamps, are of
particular interest to English Heritage.
2.18 People with Society in general must recognise that all people should have access to places
of worship. The issue of accessibility and the partaking in religious ceremonies
disabilities has become more critical with the increasing percentage of older people in the
world’s population. While not all older people have disabilities, the number of
people with disabilities is highest in this group.
The needs and abilities of people change as they get older and the abilities of
individuals in any particular age group vary considerably. It is important to
recognise that physical as well as mental limitations vary from relatively low
effect, such as temporary hearing difficulties or the use of glasses for reading, to
being blind, deaf or having to use a wheelchair. It should be noted also that, while
some limitations may be minor in nature, in combination these can be severely
limiting.
Apart from the obvious necessity for making places of worship more accessible
by older persons and persons with disabilities, there are a number of community
benefits. The most obvious is the increase in the number of possible worshippers.
This can help the church or movement grow and, in turn, attract a bigger
congregation.
It is therefore important that the requirements of all disabled worshippers are

taken into consideration at the beginning of the design stage, rather than later,
as this enables architects and building services engineers to design and produce
religious buildings and environments that more people can use. A well thought
out building can be much more economical to the client than one that will have
to be adapted at a later date.
2.18.1 Particular (1) Lamp flicker, flashing or blinking text or objects and video screens
should avoid frequencies that are most likely to trigger visually
considerations induced seizures. This is common with people who suffer from
certain forms of epilepsy. The use of high-frequency electronic
control gear will generally limit the effect of lamp flicker in most
cases and so should be encouraged. It would also be wise to avoid
any form of stroboscopic lighting unless absolutely necessary for a
particular performance, and even then it must be used with caution.
Warnings should be given to every attendee and/or their carer in
these circumstances.
(2) Suitable and adequate lighting will ensure that those with a visual
impairment are better able to see instructions and controls. This can
often be achieved by increasing the vertical illuminance on these
items. It is also relevant for those with a hearing problem. Lighting
that has a good vertical component will assist with lip-reading or
sign language communication.
(3) The lighting levels suitable for a particular room or area should be
considered. Adjustability of lighting levels may be desirable to suit
different needs, but sudden changes in lighting levels should be
avoided. Therefore, consideration should be given to the use of
dimming circuits.
(4) The recommended illuminance levels given in this guide are
minimum maintained values. If the illuminance levels are very
high, or if the light is concentrated in a particular direction,
this can result in deep shadows or glare. High-reflectance surfaces
should be avoided on signage and information panels to reduce the
possibility of glare.
(5) Colour contrast is important for the ease of recognition and ease
of seeing. Certain colour combinations are also more effective
than others. For example, some colours, such as red and green, are
not distinguishable by a significant minority of the population,
in particular those with colour blindness. The best colour
combinations depend on the purpose of information, whether it is
for guidance or a hazard warning, and the lighting conditions under
which it is most likely to be viewed. For example, black on yellow
or light grey are general purpose combinations which provide
strong definition without too much glare. Pastel shades on pastel
backgrounds or red lettering or symbols on light grey are difficult
to see and should normally be avoided. All information conveyed
with colour should also be understandable by those without colour
perception. Colour coding should not be used as the only means for
conveying information, indicating a response or distinguishing a
visual element.
(6) Similar thought must be given to the exterior environment,
including car park access and signage, external entrances and
pathways. Such consideration is particularly valuable for those
with impairments in seeing, balance, dexterity, manipulation,
movement, strength and cognition.
(7) Surfaces which may be touched inadvertently during normal
operation should not get excessively hot. The choice of lamps to
be used in ground-mounted floodlights, for example, should be
made to ensure that a person accidentally falling against one will
not receive a burn. In this situation, it would also be possible for
appropriate outer housings to be constructed with protective wire
mesh guards. Internally, care should also be taken with the siting
and construction of wall-mounted luminaires. Warnings on surfaces
where temperatures may be excessively high for functional reasons
are of particular benefit to those with limited sensitivity in their
touch receptors. The format of the warnings should be accessible to
people with visual or cognitive impairment.
(8) It is essential that emergency escape routes are obvious, intuitive
and accessible to wheelchair users and others with a movement
or visual impairment. In particular, emergency lighting should be

adjacent to or above ramps providing a change in level, or indeed at
thresholds of entrances over which wheelchairs travel.
(9) The use of automatic lighting controls must be seriously considered
at the design stage of a project. A choice that may be suitable for an
able-bodied person may not be suitable for those with a disability. If
absence or presence detection is to be used in public areas, such as
toilets, they will need to be set correctly. While a five minute hold-
off delay may be a normal setting in a wc or washroom, this value
may need to be increased to 20 or 30 minutes in a disabled toilet.
While at first view this may appear as being overcautious, in reality
it still offers plenty of opportunity for energy saving.
2.18.2 Further reading The Building Regulations 2010: Approved Document M.

The Disability Discrimination Act 2005
The Equality Act 2010
Boyce P R (1981) Human factors in lighting (London: Applied Science Publishers)
ISO 3864-1: Graphical symbols. Safety colours and safety signs. Part 1: Design principles for
safety signs in workplaces and public areas
ISO/TR 9527: 1994: Building construction. Needs of disabled people in buildings. Design
guidelines
Interior lighting 13
3 Interior Many different building types can be used as places of worship, from the simple
single-room chapel to the large city cathedral. Further, many religions have a
lighting range of buildings, differing in shape and complexity, as well as exterior areas,
all requiring lighting. This diversity makes it difficult to simply specify lighting
conditions appropriate to all buildings for any particular religion. The approach
3.1 Introduction adopted in this guide is to split the recommendations into two parts: interior and
exterior lighting. Interior lighting ranges from simple rooms adopted for religious
use to complex purpose-built buildings with many areas and facilities. Exterior
lighting ranges from security lighting on premises to elaborate floodlighting
schemes. Even with such an extensive range of applications it will be the case that
some religions have not been considered. If a search of the contents fails to reveal
the set of recommendations for the specific religion that interests you, then the
best course to adopt is to search for an analogous situation where the nature of the
ceremonies, the room or building layout and the environmental conditions are
similar to those of the religion of interest. For example, the method of lighting a
Presbyterian church is similar to that faced when attempting to light a Wesleyan
church, and both are covered under the heading ‘Methodist churches’. If you are
interested in lighting a room for a particular religion, the recommendations on
others may be useful.
Freemasonry is not a religion and recognises no distinction of religion among

its members, but it emphasises the duties of citizenship, morality and honour.
During ceremonies, prayer is given to the deity recognised by an individual’s
faith, and therefore Masonic halls have been included in the lighting schedule
under ‘Non-religious venues and buildings’. Rooms used in Masonic halls can
be quite ornate and require special consideration. Suggested methods of lighting
these areas are covered in this guide.
Crematoria and funeral homes often have small chapels of rest where services
are carried out prior to cremation or burial, and are non-specific in religion. In
addition, many hospitals, hospices and barracks have multi-faith chapels for
the use of occupants and visitors. These chapels are also covered in the lighting
schedule under ‘Non-religious venues and buildings’.
Most airports and some large railway stations, together with other places such as
large shopping centres, may have a prayer room which is not religion-specific.
This room is where visitors of any faith can go to find peace and tranquillity
at any time and offer prayer or contemplation. Indeed, it is becoming more
commonplace for large commercial companies to have prayer rooms for their
staff. These rooms too are covered in the schedule under ‘Non-religious venues
and buildings’.
3.2 Anglican Application Maintained ugr Minimum Ra Remarks

illuminance uniformity
and Catholic (lux)
limit
(Uo)
churches Nave/congregation 150 25 0.4 60
Transepts 150 25 0.4 60
Chancel/choir-stalls 300 22 0.6 80 Ehav measured at hymn book,
1 m AFFL*
Pulpit/lectern 300 19 0.6 80 Ehav on book stand and Evav
at speaker height
Sanctuary/altar 500 19 0.6 90 Ehav at altar height,1 m AFFL
Baptismal font 300 22 0.6 80 Ehav at font height,1 m AFFL
Lady chapel:
– congregation 150 25 0.4 60
– altar 300 22 0.6 80
Organ:
– access corridor 100 28 0.4 40
– music stand 500 19 0.6 80
Entrance vestibule 200 22 0.4 80
Notice board 300 n/a 0.6 80 Evav over vertical area
Vestry/robing 200 25 0.4 80
Choir practice room 300 19 0.6 80
Bell tower:
– general 200 28 0.4 40 Beware of possible vibration

problems
– stairs 100 25 0.4 40
Sunday school:
– multi-purpose 300 22 0.6 80 General lighting should be

room dimmable
– classroom 300 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide 7 if
computers are used
– kitchen 500 22 0.6 80
– changing 200 25 0.4 80
rooms
Toilets 200 25 0.4 80
Boiler room 200 25 0.4 60
Storerooms 100 25 0.4 60
Cloisters 10 n/a 0.1 40
* AFFL = above fixed floor level
The predominant religion in the UK, indeed the world, is Christianity. For
the purposes of this section of the guide, churches will be considered as those
religious buildings relating to Catholic and Church of England faiths. However,
the points discussed within this section can also appertain to similar buildings
used for worship of other faiths.
Churches date back over two millennia and range in size from the small village
3.2.1 General churches to the massive cathedrals, such as Canterbury Cathedral and St Paul’s
observations in London. Indeed, one of the oldest Christian churches in Britain is St Peter’s-
on-the-Wall at Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex, which dates from the seventh century
ad. Most people accept that churches lie in a strict east–west line, but this is not
always the case. Centuries ago it was the custom of the masons who built them
to align the building with the point on the horizon where the sun came up on
the morning of the saint’s day after whom the church was to be named. These
masons were truly skilled in architecture and geometry and were able to be quite
precise. This accounts for the fact that many churches are slightly off from the
true magnetic east–west alignment by a slight angle.
Figure 3.2.1 A Catholic church

with square bell tower
The height of many current churches is considerable and requires careful

attention. Ceilings also vary a great deal, ranging from flat panels with highly
reflective finishes to dark oak wooden panels and trusses with very low reflective
properties.
The church may be adjoined by other buildings; for example, a Sunday school or
a meeting room. A typical Sunday school is described in more detail in section
3.2.3.7. A vicarage adjacent to the church is basically a house for the clergy and
therefore is not covered in this guide.
3.2.2 Building layout Generally, older churches are usually either rectangular or ‘cross’ shaped (with
transepts), with the altar at the eastern end. Other rooms, facilities and smaller
‘chapels’ are sometimes annexed onto the main building. However, in recent
times some churches have been built in a circular shape. This should not distract
the lighting engineer or designer from the basic principles that apply to churches.
In basic terms, there are three or four main areas to consider with an Anglican or
Catholic church. First, there is the nave, the space in which the congregation sits
to offer prayer and watch the ceremony. This usually forms the main body of the
church. The font, for baptisms, is usually situated at the back of the nave, behind
the congregation. Second, there is the chancel, where the choir usually sits. The
pulpit and lectern are usually situated at the front of the chancel area. Third,
there is the sanctuary area at the eastern end of the building, where the altar is
located and where the Sacrament is prepared and then given to the congregation.
The fourth area, to be found in ‘cross-shaped’ churches, comprises the transepts,
which usually contain extra seating for the congregation or a much smaller Lady
chapel for private prayer or smaller services.
Generally speaking, the ancillary rooms are usually situated at the eastern end of
the church, off to either side, or off the transepts. These rooms may be used for
robing, for signing the register during marriage and baptism services or for choir
Figure 3.2.2 A decorated old font practice, or may be toilets, boiler rooms and storerooms.
As a rough, guide Figure 3.2.3 shows the general layout of an Anglican church.
East
Figure 3.2.3 Layout of a

typical Christian church, with Altar
Vestry Toilet
possible additional transepts Sanctuary
Chancel
Lady
Choir
Choir
Organ
chapel
North South
transept transept
Pulpit Lectern
Nave
Font
Bell
tower
There can be many entrances to a church, although it is usual for the main
congregation entrance to be either in the north-west or south-west corner of
the building. In this manner the visual interest of the congregation on arriving
inside is directed towards the altar in the east.
3.2.3 Lighting design The generally accepted method of lighting the interior of a church is to take
the three areas of nave, chancel and sanctuary and provide increasing levels of
concept illuminance. This will help to direct the view of the congregation towards the
altar and the person or persons leading the ceremony. This scenario is similar to
that of a theatre when considering the lighting design.
3.2.3.1 The nave An illuminance level of 150 lux at a height of 1 m above floor level in the nave
is a good starting point from which the lighting design can be developed. This
level is sufficient to allow the congregation to read hymn books and prayer books
for relatively short periods of time during evening ceremonies. Due to the size
of most churches and the difficulty in providing high ambient temperatures it
is usual for the nave to be illuminated with warm colour temperature lamps.
Lamps with a correlated colour temperature of 2700 K or 3000 K will make the
congregation feel warmer (in a psychological sense). Luminaires can be ceiling
mounted or suspended, depending on the height or structure involved. In certain
circumstances existing chandeliers can be converted to use low-energy light
sources. Exact positions, if any, may be compromised by regulations if the church
is a listed building. Under certain circumstances it may be necessary to mount
the fixtures onto vertical stone pillars. From a lighting perspective this method
is not to be encouraged due to the glare caused by luminaires at lower mounting
heights. However, it is possible to use pillar-mounted luminaires to supplement
the main lighting provided care is taken in their use. Luminaires with ‘high
bay’ type aluminium reflectors, although more efficient, should be avoided where
Figure 3.2.4 Nave of Rotherham Minster there is a high ceiling to avoid a ‘tunnel’ effect.
3.2.3.2 Pulpit and lectern Moving in an eastwards direction, the next area is just in front of the chancel, where
the lectern and pulpit are situated. These points are where either a member of the
clergy or a member of the public addresses the congregation by reading a portion
of the Bible or giving a sermon. It is important that this person is highlighted;
this can be achieved by using either narrow beam spotlights or floodlights, with
a form of controller to keep stray light to a minimum. The luminaires themselves
can be suspended from the ceiling or, which is usually more convenient, mounted
on stone pillars. The illuminance level on the bookstand should be 300 lux to
enable the person to read for what can be a lengthy amount of time. In addition,
the vertical illuminance on the speaker needs to be in the order of 300 lux also,
to enable them to stand out against the background. The colour temperature of
this light source should be of a cooler type, such as 4000–6000 K. This will create
a colour contrast between the subject and the surrounding background and help
make them stand out visually. The same method of illumination should be used
Figure 3.2.5 A typical for the baptismal font, which is usually situated to the rear of the nave, behind
ornate pulpit
the congregation.
3.2.3.3 The chancel The chancel area is usually where the choristers and organ are situated. While
the organ may have its own lighting built into the fascia or music stand, it may
be necessary to provide localised lighting for the organist. The choristers need
to be able to read script and music throughout the ceremony, so the required
illuminance in this area should be stepped-up to a level of 300 lux at 1 m above
floor level. This can be provided by using the same type of ceiling-mounted or
suspended luminaire as those in the nave, but with either lower spacing or higher
output lamps. Floodlights can also be used effectively, mounted symmetrically
on opposite walls. If this method is used it is important to ensure that glare is at
a minimum level and in positions that are not readily seen by the congregation.
The colour temperature in this area should be around 4000 K with an a colour
rendering index (Ra) > 80 to ensure a good colour contrast as well as good colour
rendition. In this area the maintained mean cylindrical illuminance should be
at least 100 lux with Uo ≥ 0.6. Sometimes each chorister has a music stand with
individual local lighting. In this particular case it may be possible to use low-
energy lamps in the existing luminaires with a warm colour temperature. The
illuminance on the music stand should be provided by the chancel lighting and
the individual lamps not relied on to provide the required illuminance.
3.2.3.4 Music and Some churches hold festivals and music evenings. These are generally situated at
festivals the front end of the nave, by the steps leading up to the chancel. Wherever they
are situated they will require dedicated lighting by some means. If the lighting
is of a temporary type then lighting frames used in theatres can be brought in

to perform this function. However, it is possible to make this lighting effect
permanent by including adjustable spotlights, either fastened to cross trusses or
fixed to vertical stone pillars. Where white lighting is used, colour temperatures
should be around 6000 K with the possibility of adding colour filters to them. If
coloured effects are required, a set of led floodlights with dmx control can be a
suitable option. Dimmers should be considered for these luminaires also.
3.2.3.5 The sanctuary The sanctuary should be the visual focus when viewed from the nave. Therefore,
the average illuminance at floor level should be in the region of 500–600 lux
with uniformity > 0.4 and a maintained mean cylindrical illuminance of at
least 150 lux. The normal method of illuminating this altar area is by wide-
beam floodlights mounted on the side walls around 8 m above floor level. It is
important to have some beam control, however, so that a reredos, if present, is
illuminated fully. Care should be taken to ensure that glare is not caused by high-
intensity luminaires reflecting on parts of the iconography on the reredos screen.
The stained glass window usually sited in the east wall needs consideration also.
A decision will have to be made as to whether the glass should be floodlit from
the inside, the outside or not at all. Avoid the glass being half covered with stray
light from floodlights if it is not to be floodlit internally. If the decision is to
light the glass from the inside, ensure that the luminaires are mounted to the
side to avoid reflected glare for the congregation. This method will generally
provide a beautiful view at night if seen from a reasonable distance away from
the church. Externally lit stained glass can appear beautiful also but from the
inside. Care must be taken in this instance to reduce the illuminance on the
eastern wall, so that the glass has a higher luminance ratio than the wall. With
Figure 3.2.6 A typical altar with either method, lamps with a high Ra value should be used so that colours appear
stained glass window behind vivid and attractive. Ceramic metal halide lamps are particularly useful for this
purpose, as they also tend to maintain colour appearance.
3.2.3.6 Transepts Transepts are illuminated depending on the activity and/or use within them.
Where there is a Lady chapel, used for certain ceremonies or private prayer, the
recommendations mentioned for the nave are generally used. The illuminance of
the altar area in the chapel can be increased with spotlights in a similar manner.
Sometimes, especially if the ceiling is much lower than the main body of the
church, more decorative luminaires can be used to great effect.
The reflectances of the building fabric must be taken into account when
contemplating luminaire types during the design process. With dark oak ceilings,
or where there are many obstructions such as roof trusses, the reflectance will be
very low indeed. It is important to ascertain accurate values for inclusion in a
computerised design if accurate results are to be achieved. In these situations it is
important to use luminaires with some upward distribution if the ‘tunnel effect’
is to be avoided.
3.2.3.7 Sunday school or It is possible that a Sunday school building or community centre annex may be
community centre separate from the main church and connected by a cloister or pathway. In this
case, the lighting should be considered separately from that of the church itself.
The cloister would need access lighting using suitable weatherproof luminaires.
The annex building may contain a general hall together with a theatrical stage.
This area would normally be multi-purpose in nature, ranging from badminton
matches and youth group assemblies to audience seating when the stage is used
for a theatrical production. ‘Gang shows’ by the Scout and Guide movements
used to be frequent events in this type of building.
Figure 3.2.7 A traditional Sunday school
The main hall could be also used for Sunday school activities, where groups
of children are situated around the room and given religious lessons. Larger
buildings have separate classrooms for religious education and should be treated
exactly the same as if in a school itself. Other rooms could include changing
rooms, toilets, kitchen facilities and storerooms. Emergency lighting will be
required and so advice should be sought from SLL Lighting Guide 12: Emergency
lighting design guide (SLL, 2004) and BS 5266-1: 2011.
3.2.3.8 Vestry A vestry can be described as a robing or changing room for the clergy. However,
this room is sometimes used for the signing of the register during a wedding
ceremony. It can also be used by the priest as an office and may or may not house
a computer. If the latter is the case then the luminaires and resultant design
should be suitable. For further information on this subject reference should be
made to SLL Lighting Guide 7: Office lighting (SLL, 2005).
3.3 Mosques Application Maintained ugr Minimum Ra Remarks

illuminance limit uniformity
(lux) (Uo)
Reception area 200 22 0.4 80
Ablutions area 200 25 0.4 80
Prayer hall 150 22 0.4 80 Ehav measured at floor level
Mimbar 300 19 0.6 80 Ehav on book stand and Evav
at speaker height
Mihrab 300 22 0.6 90 Evav over vertical mihrab area
Minaret tower:
– general 200 28 0.4 40 Beware of possible vibration
problems
– stairs 100 25 0.4 40
Classroom/study room 300 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide 7
if computers used
Meeting room 300 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide 7
if computers used
Library:
– bookshelves 200 19 0.4 80
– reading area 500 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide 7
if computers used
– counters 500 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide 7
if computers used
Office 500 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide 7
if computers used
Storeroom 100 25 0.4 60 200 lux if continuously
occupied
Corridor 100 28 0.4 40
Changing room 200 25 0.4 80
Toilets 200 25 0.4 80 In each individual toilet
if fully enclosed
Boiler/plant room 200 25 0.4 60
3.3.1 General The second most widespread religion in the world is Islam. For the purposes of
this section of the guide, mosques will be considered as those religious buildings
observations relating to the general Islamic faith, and will include the various sects such as
Sunni and Shia found in different countries, including the UK.
Figure 3.3.1 A typical mosque
with traditional architecture
The early mosques date back to the seventh century in Saudi Arabia, but the
earliest recorded in Britain was the Masjid-e-abu Hurairah built in Cathays,
Cardiff, in 1860 by Somali and Yemeni sailors arriving from Aden. Mosques vary
in size from the small prayer room to the large building layout in Indo-Saracenic
style with integral courtyard.
Many mosques are not solely places of worship and include educational facilities,
social halls, meeting rooms and even residential apartments. Because of this
diversity an attempt will be made to cover the types of room or area most likely
to be found within mosque buildings. The basic design most commonly used
includes minarets and domes in the Ottoman style. This basic design can,
however, be varied immensely, creating many opportunities for the lighting
designer to develop artistic as well as practical themes.
All mosques are intended to be homely and inviting places, where families
are encouraged to attend regularly, not only for prayer but also for social and
educational reasons.
Figure 3.3.2 The mihrab To this end mosques are usually open on a daily basis, for prayers at least, and
situated on the qibla wall especially on Friday, which is the Muslim Sabbath. The prayer room or hall,
large enough for the congregation to assemble, will have one wall orientated so
that the faithful may pray facing in the direction of the holy city of Mecca.
The wall facing Mecca is called the qibla wall and is marked by a mihrab, which
usually takes the form of a decorated niche. In modern times mihrabs have become
quite elaborate, and can be decorated with wooden fretwork, or with carved and
pierced marble, or with lusterware tiles bearing quotations from the Koran.
3.3.2 Building layout Generally, mosques or majids contain an entrance or reception area where shoes
are removed and placed in racks. The room also serves to divide the male and
female congregation, who have separate doors, as it is considered distracting to
the males to have females present during prayer. The next area is the ablutions
room, where the congregants go to wash their hands, faces and feet and cleanse
themselves ready for prayer. In smaller mosques where there is no room for a
separate ablutions area, a restroom or toilet facilities will be used instead.
Some smaller mosques will have barriers within the prayer hall, behind which
the female congregation will stand. Larger mosques may have separate prayer
halls for males and females. Prayer halls can vary in size; some will be quite
high, underneath a large domed ceiling. One of the walls will be the qibla wall,
which the congregants face when praying. The floor is carpeted for the comfort
of the congregants as prayer is carried out in a kneeling position. The prayers and
service are usually conducted by a prayer leader known as an imam. There may
be a mimbar (or minbar), a pulpit that is entered by a flight of steps and stands
next to the mihrab, the central decorative feature on the qibla wall. This helps
the congregation to face Mecca and concentrate on their prayers. To the side of
the mimbar can be a maqsura, an enclosed space around the mihrab, generally set
apart by trellis screens, in which the caliph, sultan or governor prays. Sometimes
the mosque design will include minarets, which are towers, usually built at one
or more corners of the mosque, from which the call to prayer is sounded. Some
mosques have a sahn, or courtyard, surrounded by riwaqs, which are colonnaded
or arcaded porticoes with wells or fountains for the necessary ablutions before
prayer. Due to the general climate in the UK these tend to be few and far between
in British mosques. There could also be a madrasa, a school, which often includes
libraries and living quarters for teachers and pupils. As mosques are supposed
to appeal to the community, they may also have additional facilities, such as
gymnasiums and dining areas. In some cases, a mosque forms a part of a larger
Islamic centre, or vice versa.
There will also be ancillary rooms within the mosque building. Such rooms will
range from storerooms to boiler rooms, offices to meeting rooms and first-aid
rooms. These rooms are included in the lighting schedule at the beginning of
this section.
As a rough guide Figure 3.3.3 shows the general layout of a typical mosque.
Figure 3.3.3 Layout of a

typical small mosque Qibla wall
Male Mimbar
ablutions Library
and
toilets
Prayer hall
Female with central
ablutions dome
and Study room
toilets
Kitchen and
Minaret Reception Changing dining area
Office and room
shoe racks
3.3.3 Lighting Modern mosques usually consist of several rooms situated around a central prayer
hall, unless they have been specifically purpose built. In the latter case, the design
design concept could include courtyards and fountains, as well as large educational facilities.
Generally, the design will be focused around the prayer hall, where attention will
need to be given to decorative and display lighting together with the functionality
of the room.
3.3.3.1 Reception room The entrance may consist of a covered porch on the exterior where people can
gather before entering the mosque building. Any lighting here should be warm
and inviting and the luminaire must have the necessary ingress protection (ip)
rating. Inside, the reception area will be similar to a hallway but with the addition
of racks to hold shoes. This area is the first to be seen on entering the building
and should therefore be warm and inviting also. Luminaires of a decorative
type should be considered, using lamps with a colour temperature of 2700 K or
3000 K. The maintained illuminance designed at floor level needs to be higher
than that in the prayer hall, at a level of 200 lux. On bright and sunny days this
level will aid visual adaptation from the bright daylight outside to the lower level
in the prayer hall. This area will usually have an information or notice board
on one of the walls, which may or may not be independently illuminated. If the
former is the case then a light source with a colour temperature of around 4000 K
will help the information to stand out from the background.
If the reception area has a separate room for a receptionist, divided from it by a
screen or desk, then this room should be treated as normal with 300 lux at desk
height. Any use of computers in this room would also require consideration to be
given to SLL Lighting Guide 7: Office lighting (SLL, 2005).
Figure 3.3.3 Ablutions areas Figure 3.3.4 The shoe racks in a
for cleansing the body typical reception area
3.3.3.2 Ablutions area The ablutions area enables participants to wash their feet, forearms, hands and
faces prior to prayer. Basically, it is a washroom and will require luminaires which
are protected to a minimum of IP44. A maintained illuminance level of 200 lux at
floor level is sufficient for the task, together with a maintained mean cylindrical
illuminance of at least 100 lux, to enable people to be able to distinguish each
other easily. Surface mounted or semi-recessed luminaires are recommended so
that some light is directed on to the ceiling and upper walls, creating a pleasant
and bright appearance.
Some larger mosques have ablutions areas for males and females, which should
be treated in a similar manner.
3.3.3.3 Prayer hall The prayer hall is the main room or area of any mosque, as this is where the
congregants gather to pray. The hall itself may be circular with a domed ceiling,
allowing some daylight in, or square or rectangular with a plasterboard or
suspended ceiling. In every case, though, there will be a qibla wall and a mihrab
denoting the direction of Mecca. The congregants will stand and kneel within
the hall, facing the qibla. Therefore, the method of lighting design in this area
is similar in theory to that within a church. A general uniform maintained
illuminance at floor level of around 150 lux should be provided together with
a maintained mean cylindrical illuminance of at least 100 lux, again to enable
people to be able to distinguish each other easily. Luminaires of a decorative type
should be considered wherever possible, using lamps with a colour temperature
of 2700 K or 3000 K. In addition, wall-mounted fixtures distributing light up
the walls as well as down will give texture and interest to the surfaces. This may
not be possible in some mosques, or indeed on some walls, where portions of
scripture from the Koran may be printed.
The mihrab is a feature which can be illuminated well by either surface or recessed
spotlights. Again, a colour contrast works well using light sources with a cooler
colour temperature, of 4000–6000 K. An average maintained vertical illuminance
of 200 lux will suffice.
Figure 3.3.6 A typical mosque

prayer hall showing the qibla
wall and decorative mihrab
Some mosques will have a mimbar or pulpit from which the imam leads the
prayers and worship. This can be treated in the same way as the mihrab but with a
higher vertical illuminance of 300 lux. If reading is carried out from a book stand
then the 300 lux should also be present on the stand plane. Figure 3.3.6 shows a
movable mimbar, where the imam sits between prayers.
3.3.3.4 Library The lighting recommendations for any other type of library are equally applicable
to those within mosques. If very old texts are part of the library stock it may be
necessary to consider using lamps with low ultraviolet content, or the addition
of uv filters either around lamps or as part of the luminaires. Generally, light
sources should be chosen with a cool colour temperature, around 4000 K, so that
colours appear natural and are easy to distinguish. For further information on
libraries refer to the SLL Lighting Handbook (SLL, 2009).
Figure 3.3.7 The library in a

mosque can contain many old
books and scripture documents
3.3.3.5 Class/study room As with the previous topic, classrooms and study rooms in a mosque are similar
to those found in schools, colleges and universities. Increased use of computers
in these areas means reference should be made to SLL Lighting Guide 5: Lighting
for education (SLL, 2011) and Lighting Guide 7: Office lighting (SLL, 2005),
together with any addenda.
Whether computers are used or not, the maintained illuminance on the wall
should be 50% of the task area illuminance and on the ceiling it should be a
minimum of 30% of the task illuminance in order that the room may appear
bright and attractive.
Consideration should be given to the use of lighting controls such as daylight

dimming and presence/absence detection.
Figure 3.3.8 Study rooms are used

frequently for study of the Koran
and for education
3.3.3.6 Minaret tower In mosques that feature minarets their size and design can vary considerably, as
well as their use. Some are used purely for decorative purposes, while others are
used to summon the faithful to daily prayer. In centuries past this custom was
carried out by one of the mosque members chanting very loudly through cupped
hands while alternating direction. In modern times it is customary to perform
this task either with the use of a microphone and loudspeakers or by playing a
tape-recorded message. For maintenance purposes it will be necessary to climb
the minaret occasionally, and therefore the lighting design parameters have been
included in the lighting schedule.
Figure 3.3.9 A typical minaret
3.3.3.7 Community room It is possible that a community room may be part of the mosque, or sometimes
one will be included as a separate annex. In the latter case, the lighting should be
considered separately from that of the mosque itself. If the two buildings are joined
by a pathway, the path would need access lighting with suitable weatherproof
luminaires. Inside the annex building there may be a general hall together with
a theatrical stage. This area would normally be multi-purpose in nature, ranging
from sports use and youth group assemblies to audience seating when the stage
is used for a theatrical production. The main hall could also be used for youth
religious education activities, where groups of children are situated around the
room and given religious lessons. Larger buildings have separate classrooms for
religious education and should be treated exactly the same as if in a school. Other
rooms could include changing rooms, toilets, kitchen facilities and storerooms.
Emergency lighting will be required and advice should be sought from SLL
Figure 3.3.10 The community room Lighting Guide 12: Emergency lighting design guide (SLL, 2004) and BS 5266-1:
is an important part of any mosque
2011.
3.4 Synagogues Application Maintained ugr Minimum Ra Remarks

(lux) (Uo)
Sanctuary 150 22 0.4 80 Ehav measured at floor level
Bimah 300 19 0.6 80 Ehav on book stand and Evav
at speaker height
Amud 300 22 0.6 90 Evav over vertical reader area
Class/study room 300 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide 7
if computers used
if computers used
Youth club 200 22 0.6 80
Library:
– bookshelves 200 19 0.4 80 Vertical on books
if computers used
if computers used
if computers used
Storeroom 100 25 0.4 60 200 lux if continuously occupied
Corridor 100 28 0.4 40
Mikvah baths:
– individual 200 25 0.4 80 Avoid luminaire reflections in pool
Toilets 200 25 0.4 80 In each individual toilet if fully enclosed
3.4.1 General Judaism claims an historical continuity going back more than 3000 years. It is
one of the oldest monotheistic religions and the oldest to survive into the present
observations day. The term ‘Jew’ replaced the title ‘Israelite’. Judaism’s texts, traditions and
values strongly influenced later Abrahamic religions, including Christianity
and Islam. Many aspects of Judaism have also directly or indirectly influenced
Western ethics and civil law.
Figure 3.4.1 A typical synagogue

with traditional architecture
Today, the religion is basically divided into various groupings of Orthodox
Judaism, varieties of Progressive Judaism and Conservative Judaism. A main
difference between these groups is their approach to Jewish law. Orthodox
Judaism maintains that the Torah, which is the word of God, and Jewish law
should be strictly followed, as they are divine in origin and therefore cannot be
changed by anyone. Progressive and Conservative Judaism are more liberal, with
Conservative Judaism generally promoting a more ‘traditional’ interpretation
of Judaism’s requirements than Progressive Judaism. Generally, Progressive
followers believe that Jewish law should be viewed as an evolving process.
3.4.2 Building layout As well as there being different types of Judaism, there are different designs of
synagogue. As with other religious buildings, synagogues vary in size, shape and
arrangement or layout, depending on many factors. Each type of room or area will
therefore be considered both structurally and in terms of its particular purpose.
Synagogues are Jewish houses of community study and prayer. They usually
contain a main sanctuary for communal prayer, smaller rooms for study, and
typically a significant area for community or educational use. There is no defined
format or style for synagogues and the architectural shapes and interior designs
of synagogues vary greatly. The wall where the Ark is situated will generally face
east, towards Jerusalem, in Orthodox synagogues, but not necessarily so in non-
Orthodox buildings.
The Ark, where the Torah scrolls are kept, is a traditional feature of a
synagogue, which is often closed with an ornate curtain outside or inside the Ark
doors. During ceremonies the Ark is opened to gain access to the scrolls, but it will
then be closed until the scrolls are returned. There may be an elevated reader’s
platform, known as a bimah, where the Torah is read. This is a lectern facing the
Ark where the prayer leader or hazzan stands while conducting prayers. There
will be an everlasting light, known as ner tamid, which is a continuously lit lamp
or lantern in front of the Ark. A pulpit, or amud, may be present also. However,
this configuration is not assumed in non-Orthodox synagogues.
In addition to synagogues themselves, other buildings of significance in Judaism

include places of Jewish learning or yeshivas, and ritual baths called mikvahs. In
larger synagogues it may be that these types of area are included within the main
building, rather than being separate entities. Often, however, they are separate
buildings altogether, possibly even on a different site.
There will also be ancillary rooms within the synagogue or temple serving
practical purposes. Toilets, corridors, meeting rooms and offices as well as plant
rooms are most likely to be present. These rooms are dealt with in the lighting
schedule at the beginning of this section. A typical layout of an Orthodox
synagogue is shown in Figure 3.4.2.
Figure 3.4.2 A typical ground floor

Ark
layout for an Orthodox synagogue,
with youth, community room and
Male Amud
additional study facilities underneath Library
toilets
Bimah
Female
Sanctuary
toilets Study room
Gallery at upper level

General Kitchen and
office Rabbi’s Reception/ Changing dining area
office entrance room
3.4.3 Lighting design Synagogues are built in many shapes and sizes, the design of each being influenced
concept by whether the building has been purpose built or adapted from another use.
Many modern synagogues consist of several rooms on one or two floors, but
synagogues can be similar to a chapel, with a seating gallery on a higher level.
In the latter case the building could be quite high, and some have been adapted
from Christian churches.
Generally, as with both churches and mosques, the building will centre around
a sanctuary and prayer area. Adjoining rooms will then be used for ancillary
purposes, including teaching and study. In some synagogues there will be a
multi-purpose community room adjacent to the sanctuary. This room will cater
for functions as well as dining and may have sliding doors that can be opened
to allow more congregants to take part in the ceremonies. Within the sanctuary
and prayer area the intention is to give an overall level of light sufficient for
reading and observing the ceremony, with other points of interest clearly defined
by higher light levels and different light colour.
3.4.3.1 Reception/entrance The entrance may consist of a covered porch on the exterior, where people can
gather before entering the synagogue building, or it could be a reception room
behind the front doors. Lighting for both circumstances should be warm and
inviting, and the luminaires must have the necessary ip rating if located on the
outside. Luminaires of a decorative type should be considered, using lamps with
a colour temperature of 2700 K or 3000 K. The maintained illuminance designed
at floor level needs to be higher than that in the prayer room, at a level of 200 lux.
On bright and sunny days this level will aid visual adaptation from the bright
daylight outside to the lower level in the prayer room. This area will usually
have an information or notice board on one of the walls, which may or may not
be independently illuminated. If the former is the case then a light source with a
colour temperature of around 4000 K will help the information to stand out from
the background.
Figure 3.4.3 A synagogue
entrance hall
If the reception area has a separate room for a receptionist, divided from it by a
screen or desk, then this room should be illuminated with 300 lux at desk height.
Any use of computers in this room would also require consideration to be given
to screen use, and the designer should refer to SLL Lighting Guide 7: Office
lighting (SLL, 2005).
3.4.3.2 Sanctuary The sanctuary hall or room is where the ceremonies take place and is therefore
the main area of any synagogue. It may have a first-floor gallery for the
congregation seating. In Orthodox synagogues the gallery will be for females,
who are segregated from the males.
Consideration must be given to luminaires of a decorative nature, especially

when the room itself is ornate. Care must also be exercised when choosing the
lamp type as noise from wirewound control gear can become a distinct nuisance.
Although the form of service will differ between the different types of Judaism,
there will be an Ark housing the scriptures.
The Ark is usually a large receptacle with curtains and could be illuminated
internally. A target value on a vertical plane inside the Ark, at 1 m above floor
level, would be 300 lux, or double the illuminance in the surrounding area.
However, this value should be achieved as mean cylindrical illuminance also to
ensure that the scrolls are seen by the congregation. A check should be made
that the luminances follow a similar ratio, as the effect could be negated by
Figure 3.4.4 The sanctuary

– looking east
Figure 3.4.5 A typical amud

low reflectances. The colour temperature of this light source should be around
4000 K to assist in attaining good colour appearance.
Near to the Ark there may be an amud, a lectern from which readings of the Torah
are given. Lighting of the amud is usually provided by discreetly placed narrow-
beam spotlights, which provide a higher illuminance on the scrolls being read
and highlight the reader. A vertical illuminance level of 150 lux on the reader
should be aimed for.
There may be an elevated reader’s platform, known as a bimah, from where

the ceremony is conducted. The reader requires better illuminance than the
congregation and consideration should be given to using spotlights in a similar
manner to those used to spotlight the amud.
3.4.3.3 Library The lighting recommendations for any other type of library are equally applicable
to those within synagogues. If very old texts are part of the library stock it may be
necessary to consider using lamps with low ultraviolet content, or the addition
of uv filters either around lamps or as part of the luminaires. Generally, light
sources should be chosen with a cool colour temperature, around 4000 K, so that
colours appear natural and are easy to distinguish. For further information on
libraries refer to the SLL Lighting Handbook (SLL, 2009).
3.4.3.4 Class/study room As with the previous topic, classrooms and study rooms in a synagogue are similar
to those found in schools, colleges and universities. There is a growing tendency
to use computers in these areas. Therefore, reference should be made to SLL
Lighting Guide 7: Office lighting (SLL, 2005), together with any addenda, and
SLL Lighting Guide 5: Lighting for education (SLL, 2011). Whether computers
are used or not, the maintained illuminance on the wall should be 50% of the task
area illuminance and on the ceiling it should be a minimum of 30% of the task
illuminance.
3.4.3.5 Mikvah baths Individual mikvahs are small pools for personal immersion. Use of these pools
involves a complex ritual procedure with flowing water. They are used when
people are converting to Judaism, in a similar way to John the Baptist in the
River Jordan. Women also use them following the end of their menstrual cycle
for cleansing of the body.
The pool rooms themselves require around 100 lux at floor level. It is important
that the luminaires are ingress protected to a minimum of IP44, due to the
presence of water and steam. The walls are generally decorated with white tiling
and are therefore highly reflective.
3.4.3.6 Community room It is possible that a community room may be part of the synagogue, or sometimes
one will be included as a separate annex. In the latter case, the lighting should
be considered separately from that of the synagogue itself. If the two buildings
are joined by a pathway, the path would need access lighting with suitable
weatherproof luminaires.
Figure 3.4.6 Community rooms

should be bright and inviting
Inside the annex building there may be a general hall together with a theatrical
stage. This area would normally be multi-purpose in nature, ranging from sports
use and youth group assemblies to audience seating when the stage is used for a
theatrical production. Sometimes the room can be used as a large banqueting hall
for wedding receptions and other functions. The main hall could be also used
for youth religious education activities, where groups of children are situated
around the room and given religious instruction. Larger buildings have separate
classrooms for religious education and should be treated exactly the same as if
in a school itself. Other rooms could include changing rooms, toilets, kitchen
facilities and storerooms. Emergency lighting will be required and advice should
be sought from SLL Lighting Guide 12: Emergency lighting design guide (SLL,
2004) and BS 5266-1: 2011.
3.5 Methodist Application Maintained ugr limit Minimum Ra Remarks
churches illuminance
(lux)
uniformity
(Uo)
Vestibule 200 22 0.4 80
Chapel and gallery 150 22 0.4 80 Ehav measured at floor

level
Pulpit 300 19 0.6 80 Ehav on book stand and

Evav at speaker height
Lectern 300 22 0.6 90 Evav over vertical reader

area
if computers used
if computers used
Sunday school:
– multi-purpose
300 22 0.6 80 General lighting should
room
be dimmable
– classroom 300 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide 7

if computers used
– kitchen 500 22 0.6 80
Changing rooms 200 25 0.4 80

if computers used
occupied
Corridor 100 28 0.4 40
Vestry 200 25 0.4 80
Toilets 200 25 0.4 80 In each individual toilet if

fully enclosed
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of

3.5.1 General denominations and organisations, claiming a total of approximately 70 million
observations adherents worldwide. The movement dates back to the eighteenth century, to
John Wesley’s evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. George
Whitefield, another significant leader in the movement, was known for his
unorthodox ministry of itinerant open-air preaching. The Methodist Church is
known for its missionary work, and its establishment of hospitals, universities,
orphanages, soup kitchens and schools.
John Wesley, together with his brother Charles, founded the Holy Club while they
were at Oxford University. The Holy Club met weekly and they systematically
set about living a holy life. They were branded as ‘Methodist’ by students at
Oxford who derided the methodical way they ordered their lives. Wesley took the
attempted mockery and turned it into a title of honour. Initially, Whitefield and
the Wesleys merely sought reform, by way of a return to the gospel, within the
Church of England, but the movement spread with revival and soon a significant
number of Anglican clergy became known as Methodists in the mid-eighteenth
century.
Figure 3.5.1 A rural
traditional Methodist chapel
Methodism has evolved over the years and many different churches have been
created from within the Methodist movement. Some denominations include the
original Wesleyan Methodists, Calvinistic Methodists, mainly in Wales, United
Reform Churches, Presbyterian Churches, Baptist Churches, Scottish Episcopal
Churches, Independent Methodist Connexions, Bible Christian Churches,
Evangelical Churches and Pentecostal Churches. There are other types of
Protestant and Nonconformist church movements which are not covered by name
here. For the purpose of lighting design, while there are religious differences
between the various movements mentioned above, it is hoped that the lighting
designer will find suitable guidance in this chapter. The differences between the
various movements do not necessarily translate into differences in the types,
appearances or layouts of their buildings.
The Salvation Army also was created out of the Methodist movement, and their
citadels will usually follow either a traditional or modern form of Methodist
architecture and layout.
3.5.2 Building layout The sizes and shapes of churches and chapels vary widely within the Methodist
movement. Many churches are based upon a traditional style, with ornate
woodwork and a ‘horseshoe’ shape. These older churches date back in many
instances to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. However, a large number
were built in more recent times and have a modern bright appearance. The
recommendations given in this chapter are equally applicable to all types of
building design, but the choice of luminaires should be aesthetically suitable for
the particular case.
Churches of the more traditional type tend to be quite high when viewed from
the outside. This is due to the facilities being spread over two and sometimes
three floors. The main church room will have a high ceiling and a congregational
gallery. The upper level will also house the organ loft, with a pulpit situated
somewhere in between. The furniture and decorations will generally be made
from dark oak, with carpeting on the speaker’s rostrum. The Sunday school or
community room is usually situated on the lower floor, but may be at second-
floor level, and in some cases it will be housed in a separate annex. This room
tends to be multi-purpose in use, with shows, children’s parties, sports facilities
and functions taking place here. Adjacent to this room will usually be found
Figure 3.5.2 A traditional ancillary rooms such as toilets, cloakrooms and a kitchen.
Methodist chapel with ornate
woodwork and gallery
Modern Methodist churches will have the same facilities as those described
above, but will be spread over a larger area at ground level. The decoration tends
to be much brighter in appearance, with lighter woodwork and white walls.
Additional rooms may include study rooms and a library as well as smaller chapel
rooms.
A typical layout of a Methodist church is shown in Figure 3.5.4.
Figure 3.5.3 A typical modern

Methodist church
Figure 3.5.4 A typical layout for the
main floor of a Methodist church Organ loft and choir
Pulpit
Sanctuary
Gallery at upper level
Stairs to Reception / Stairs to

gallery entrance gallery
3.5.3 Lighting When considering the lighting design of any particular church, the building
fabric and furniture reflectances must be taken into account. The reflectance
design factor of dark oak pews and panelling can be very low, especially when years of
concept constant use and polishing have taken their toll. The basic concept, as with any
other place of worship, is to make the building warm and inviting in appearance.
This is achieved generally by using lamps with a warm colour temperature of
2700 K or 3000 K. Additional lighting for the purpose of highlighting people
or objects should be of a cooler appearance, at 4000 K. Care must be taken when
using lamps of a high colour temperature (6000 K and above) for highlighting
people, as any skin tone may diminish to the point of a cold, comatose appearance.
In theatrical applications this can be corrected by the use of make-up, but in a
church this is unlikely to be the case, except on infrequent occasions.
3.5.3.1 Vestibule The entrance or vestibule may consist of a covered porch on the exterior where
people can gather before entering the church building, or it could be a reception
room behind the front doors. Lighting for both circumstances should be warm
and inviting, and the luminaires must have the necessary ip rating if located on
the outside. Luminaires of a decorative type should be considered, using lamps
with a colour temperature of 2700 K or 3000 K. The maintained illuminance
designed at floor level needs to be higher than that in the main chapel, at a level
of 200 lux. On bright and sunny days this level will aid visual adaptation from
the bright daylight outside to the lower lighting level in the chapel. This area
will usually have an information or notice board on one of the walls, which may
or may not be independently illuminated. If the former is the case then a light
source with a colour temperature of around 4000 K will help the information to
stand out from the background.
Figure 3.5.5 The vestibule

should be bright and inviting
3.5.3.2 Chapel room The basis for lighting the church is an illuminance level of 150 lux at 1 m
above floor level for the congregation areas, which includes the upper gallery,
if present. The colour temperature of the lamps should be warm, either 2700 K
or 3000 K. In traditional buildings where there are rows of wooden pews, these
are often enclosed by doors. In this particular case, care should be taken with
luminaire spacing to ensure that light penetrates into each pew cell. This way,
the congregation are aware of kneeling facilities and can find items that may be
accidentally dropped.
The sanctuary should be emphasised with light in two ways. First, to direct the
sight of the congregation in this direction, as the main parts of the ceremony are
conducted from this area. Second, to provide a higher level of illumination on
the book stands of the lectern and pulpit, so that the reader can see the script
easily. A suitable level would be around 300 lux on the book stand, with at least
150 lux mean vertical illuminance on the reader. A light source with a colour
temperature of around 4000 K will also help to achieve the above requirements
by colour comparison. Care must be taken in the siting of spotlights to avoid
direct glare to the reader or preacher. Luminaires situated either side of the target
are preferable and should be at least 45° from the forward line of sight (Figure
3.5.7). Also, a vertical angle of 30–45° should be achieved to avoid disability glare
(Figure 3.5.8).
Gallery
Gallery face face
Line of
sight
Figure 3.5.6 A traditional
sanctuary with organ loft above 30° min
Line of sight
45°
Figure 3.5.7 Horizontal spacing Figure 3.5.8 Vertical positioning

of spotlights on gallery of spotlights on gallery
3.5.3.3 Organ loft The organ may be situated in a loft, usually directly above the sanctuary, access
to which may be by an enclosed staircase behind the organ workings. The stairs
should be illuminated to 150 lux at each step, and the loft, if separate from the
main chapel, to 100 lux for access. The organ itself will usually have local task
lighting built into the structure, which should provide at least 300 lux on the
music stand.
3.5.3.4 Sunday school It is possible that a community room or Sunday school may be part of the church,
or sometimes one will be included as a separate annex. In the latter case, the
lighting should be considered separately from that of the church itself. If the
two buildings are joined by a pathway or cloister, the path would need access
lighting with suitable weatherproof luminaires. Inside the annex building there
may be a general hall together with a theatrical stage. This area would normally
be multi-purpose in nature, ranging from sports use and youth group assemblies
to audience seating when the stage is used for a theatrical production.
Scouts, Guides and Boys’ Brigade movements could be attached to the church.
The main hall could be also used for youth religious education activities, where
groups of children are situated around the room and given religious lessons.
Larger buildings have separate classrooms for religious instruction and should
be treated exactly the same as if in a school. Some community rooms are hired
out for use by crèches and pre-school clubs.
Other rooms could include changing rooms, toilets, kitchen facilities and
storerooms. Emergency lighting will be required and advice should be sought
from SLL Lighting Guide 12: Emergency lighting design guide (SLL, 2004) and BS
5266-1: 2011.
Figure 3.5.9 The Sunday

school or community room
3.5.3.5 Vestry A vestry is usually described as a changing room for the clergy. However, there
are other uses that this room can be put to. It may sometimes be a prayer room
or a room for reading and contemplation. It can also be used by the preacher
or minister as an office, and may or may not house a computer. If the latter is
the case then the luminaires and resultant design must be suitable. For further
information on this subject reference should be made to SLL Lighting Guide 7:
Office lighting (SLL, 2005).
As this is usually a private room, consideration may not be given to emergency

lighting. However, many churches are part of a ‘circuit’ or ‘district’ and invite
preachers who are not totally familiar with the layout of the building. It is
therefore recommended that some thought be given to the possible inclusion of
emergency lighting for the safety of visitors to the church.
Figure 3.5.10 A modern vestry

3.6 Salvation Application Maintained ugr Minimum Ra Remarks

Army illuminance
(lux)
limit uniformity
(Uo)
citadels Entrance hall 200 22 0.4 80
Main hall 150 22 0.4 80 Ehav measured at floor level
– platform 300 22 0.6 80
– lectern 300 n/a 0.6 90 Evav over vertical reader area
– Army crest 500 n/a 0.4 80 Evav over vertical surface
– piano/organ 500 22 0.6 80 Eav over music stand
Meeting room 300 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide 7 if
computers used
Drop-in centre:
– dining room 200 22 0.6 80 General lighting should be
dimmable
– kitchen 500 22 0.6 80
Mother and toddler club 300 22 0.4 80
Charity shop 300 22 0.4 80
Street café 200 22 0.4 80
Office 500 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide 7 if
computers used
occupied
Corridor 100 28 0.4 40
fully enclosed
The Salvation Army is an international Christian church worshipping and

3.6.1 General working in 125 countries and has more than 800 local churches in the UK and
observations Ireland. They believe in openly sharing their faith, helping individuals to develop
and grow in their own personal relationship with God, demonstrating a practical
concern for all and speaking out against social injustice.
Figure 3.6.1 A Salvation

Army citadel
The Salvation Army was founded in 1865 by one-time Methodist minister William
Booth and his wife, Catherine. Originally, William called the organisation the
East London Christian Mission. He described it as being a volunteer army of
Christians, the word ‘volunteer’ being then substituted by ‘salvation’. The name
The Salvation Army was thus born. The Salvation Army was modelled after the
military, with its own flag (or colours) and its own hymns, often with words set to
popular tunes sung in the pubs. William Booth and the other soldiers in ‘God’s
Army’ would wear the Army’s own uniform for meetings and ministry work. He
became the ‘General’ and his other ministers were given appropriate ranks as
‘officers’. Other members became ‘soldiers’.
The Salvation Army’s main converts were at first alcoholics, morphine addicts,
prostitutes and other ‘undesirables’, who were unwelcome in polite Christian
society. Today, the movement is famous for worship with musical content,
usually involving tambourines, and for helping the homeless by providing food
and warm drinks to the needy.
Salvation Army churches (known as ‘corps’ or ‘citadels’) are places of worship,

where Sunday meetings are held, but they are also open during the week to offer
activities for the whole community. These vary by church but may include youth
activities, parent and toddler groups, drop-in centres, luncheon clubs, advice
clinics and lots more. Members will also offer emergency assistance, such as
groceries and clothing, to individuals and families in need.
3.6.2 Building layout A number of different building types are associated with the Salvation Army.
Apart from the citadels there are also drop-in centres, where food and clothing
are given out to the poor. These centres may also incorporate a charity shop,
where clothing and other unwanted items are donated and sold to the public.
Often these shops are separate from the church or centre, being situated in town
and city centres. In addition, there are Salvation Army hostels, which provide
not only food and drink, but also overnight accommodation for the homeless.
In recent times adolescent care homes as well as Eventide Homes for the elderly
have been established in different parts of the UK.
The sizes and shapes of Salvation Army buildings vary considerably from town
to town. Many citadels are based upon the layout of a traditional or modern
Methodist church, surrounded by adjacent ancillary rooms such as toilets, plant
rooms and kitchens.
A typical layout of a Salvation Army citadel is shown in Figure 3.6.2.
Figure 3.6.2 A typical layout

for a Salvation Army citadel
Store
Main hall Dining

area
Kitchen
Female Reception/ Male

toilets entrance toilets
3.6.3 Lighting When looking at the lighting design for a citadel the focal point will be the main
hall. The ancillary rooms and areas, while still important, are secondary to the
design concept main activity.
The design concept should be based upon an attractive, warm and inviting
entrance, leading to a warm and inviting main hall. Therefore, a well-lit entrance
with a higher illuminance level than the main room should be the intention.
3.6.3.1 Entrance The entrance may consist of a covered porch on the exterior, where people can
gather before entering the building, or it could be more of a reception room
outside. Luminaires of a decorative type should be considered, using lamps with
a colour temperature of 2700 K or 3000 K.
Figure 3.6.3 A bright and inviting

entrance/reception area
The maintained illuminance designed at floor level needs to be higher than that
in the main meeting hall, at a level of 200 lux. On bright and sunny days this level
will aid visual adaptation from the bright daylight outside to the lower lighting
level in the main hall itself.
This area will usually have an information or notice board on one of the walls,
which may or may not be independently illuminated. If the former is the case
then a light source with a colour temperature of around 4000 K will help the
information to stand out from the background.
3.6.3.2 Main hall The main hall of the citadel is the focal point of the building and should be
illuminated to a level suitable for the purpose of a church service. The basis for
lighting the main seating area is an illuminance level of 150 lux at 1 m above
floor level for the congregation areas, which includes the upper gallery, if
present. The colour temperature of the lamps should be warm, either 2700 K
or 3000 K. In traditional buildings where there are rows of wooden pews, these
are often enclosed by doors. In this particular case, care should be taken with
luminaire spacing to ensure that light penetrates into each pew cell. This way
the congregation are aware of kneeling facilities and can find items that may be
accidentally dropped.
The platform should be emphasised with light in two ways. First, to direct the
sight of the congregation in this direction, as the main parts of the ceremony
are conducted from this area. Second, to provide a higher level of illumination
on the book stand of the lectern so that the reader can see the script easily. A
suitable level would be around 300 lux on the book stand, with at least 150 lux
mean vertical illuminance on the reader. A light source with a colour temperature
of around 4000 K will also help to achieve the above requirements by colour
comparison. Care must be taken in the siting of spotlights to avoid direct glare to
the reader or preacher. Luminaires situated either side of the target are preferable
and should be at least 45° from their forward line of sight (see Figures 3.5.7 and
3.5.8). Between the platform and the congregation there will be a mercy seat,
where one can kneel to pray for others or in special circumstances. However, it
is not usual to highlight this area and so no special lighting should be required.
Sometimes, lectures and drama presentations take place, with the use of
additional facilities such as video screens and overhead projectors. Again, the
lighting should be designed accordingly and scene-setting equipment may be
required, together with spotlights to enhance the speaker or reader, if situated
away from the lectern.
Care should be taken where large window areas are involved, especially if they
are south facing. While daylight can be extremely beneficial in reducing the
running costs of artificial lighting, the resultant high illuminance levels can be
contrary to the required effect. It may be prudent to have blinds or curtains fitted
to minimise glare and to reduce lighting levels accordingly.
A piano or organ will be present in the main hall, either on the platform or
adjacent to it. Lighting should be provided on the music stand to a level of
500 lux, ideally using lamps with a cool temperature (around 4000 K).
One item that is often overlooked is the Salvation Army crest, which is usually
quite large and situated on the wall to the rear of the platform. It deserves special
attention in terms of illumination, which can easily be achieved using either
controlled beam spotlights or fluorescent ‘wall-washers’.
In smaller citadels the main hall may be multi-functional and used for several
purposes other than as a place of prayer. Such uses could include evening youth
Figure 3.6.4 A typical main hall
activities, mother and toddler classes during the day and as a drop-in centre for
showing the raised platform the needy. In this case the lighting system should cater for the different uses, with
and Salvation Army crest dimmable luminaires and various types of lighting being possible solutions.
3.6.3.3 Kitchen Many kitchens are only used for making beverages and cold snacks. In this
case, the recommended average maintained horizontal illuminance at worktop
height is 300 lux. However, some kitchens are used to provide full meals and
drinks for homeless people and visitors to the hall. In this case the kitchen can
be compared to a commercial one for the purpose of lighting and appropriate
luminaires with a suitable ip rating should be installed. The average maintained
horizontal illuminance at worktop height should be 500 lux, using light sources
with a cool colour temperature (4000 K). In addition, emergency lighting should
be provided where hazards such as cookers and stoves are present; for further
information, see chapter 4.
Figure 3.6.5 A Salvation

Army working kitchen
3.6.3.4 Dining room If the kitchen is used for daily cooking of meals for the needy then there will
probably also be a dining room. The room will usually be basic in design and
similar to a works canteen in appearance. The average maintained horizontal
illuminance at table height of 0.8 m above the floor should be 200 lux, using light
sources with a warm colour temperature (2700–3000 K).
There will, of course, be some dining rooms that are more elaborate in their
appearance and so the luminaires should blend in to their environment. Some
dining rooms are also multi-purpose spaces, accommodating functions and other
Figure 3.6.6 A drop-in
centre dining room
uses on occasions. If the lighting requirements are different for particular uses
then dimmable luminaires or scene-setting options should be investigated.
3.6.3.5 Offices Offices found in a citadel are similar to those found in any other place of worship.
Increased use of computers in offices means reference should be made to SLL
Lighting Guide 7: Office lighting (SLL, 2005). Sometimes, an office will also used
as a changing room or vestry. A correctly lit office would be quite suitable for
other purposes.
3.6.3.6 Multi-function hall In smaller citadels the main hall will have many uses apart from the religious
services. It could be used as a dining room or for mother and toddler groups.
Another common use is for youth activities. In larger citadels it is common for
there to be a separate hall for these uses.
Figure 3.6.7 A multi-function hall
The lighting of the multi-function hall will need to be able to cater for the different
uses. One solution is to provide a general lighting layout to a level of 500 lux at
floor level using dimmable luminaires, which can be adjusted to the appropriate
level easily. Another approach is to have several lighting circuits, each having
a different luminaire layout to provide the appropriate illuminance for each
function type. Such a system may use recessed linear fluorescent luminaires to
provide the higher illuminance levels, with downlights or wall-mounted fittings
to provide the lower ones. Ultimately, it is a matter of choice for the lighting
designer and the client as to which option will best satisfy the requirements of
the activities.
3.6.3.7 Drop-in centre A drop-in centre is generally a building separate from a citadel where people can
call for help and advice. There will also be facilities for providing the needy with
hot food and drinks. Advice for kitchens and dining rooms discussed in sections
3.6.3.3 and 3.6.3.4 will be equally applicable to the drop-in centre. Other areas
such as offices and meeting rooms should be treated as normal and reference can
be found in the lighting schedule at the beginning of this section.
3.6.3.8 Charity shops Generally speaking, charity shops are not illuminated in an elaborate way.
Figure 3.6.8 A charity shop interior Figure 3.6.9 Exterior view of a charity shop
An overall average maintained horizontal illuminance at 1 m above floor level

in the order of 300–500 lux is accepted as adequate. Linear fluorescent lamps or
leds with a correlated colour temperature of 4000 K will give acceptable colour
appearance and rendition, with warmer spotlighting used to enhance displays in
windows and against walls. For detailed advice on lighting for retail applications
refer to the SLL Lighting Handbook (SLL, 2009).
3.6.3.9 Street cafés These are basically commercial places where patrons can buy a cup of tea and a
sandwich, or maybe a cooked meal. The cafés are run by volunteers working for
the Salvation Army, with all profits going to charitable causes.
Figure 3.6.10 Exterior view of a
Salvation Army café
The layout of the café is generally basic, as is the lighting design. Linear
fluorescent luminaires with prismatic controllers are usually required to produce
an average horizontal illuminance of 200 lux at table height. The use of efficient
downlights, such as led units, is recommended where the ceiling type and height
allow this approach.
3.6.3.10 Hostels and Hostels are a form of accommodation for those in need, while care homes provide
care homes accommodation for both adolescents and the elderly. For advice on lighting in
these types of building, refer to either the SLL Lighting Handbook (SLL, 2009)
or SLL Lighting Guide 9: Lighting for communal residential buildings (SLL, 2013).
3.7 Mormon Application Maintained ugr Minimum Ra Remarks
chapels and (lux) (Uo)
temples Temples
Dressing rooms 200 25 0.4 80
Baptismal font room 150 25 0.4 80
– font 300 25 0.6 80
Ordinance rooms 300 19 0.6 80
Celestial rooms 200 22 0.4 60
Sealing rooms 200 22 0.4 80
– table 300 19 0.6 80
Chapels
Chapel room 150 22 0.4 80 Ehav measured at floor level
– stand 300 22 0.6 80
– lectern 300 n/a 0.6 90 Evav over vertical reader area
– piano/organ 500 22 0.6 80 Eav over music stand
Meeting room 300 19 0.4 80 Ehav measured at floor level
Communal rooms 200 22 0.4 60
Classroom/study room 300 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide 7 if
computers used
Library:
– reading area 500 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide 7 if
computers used
– counters 500 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide 7 if
computers used
Baptism pool 200 25 0.4 80 Avoid luminaire reflections
in pool
General
computers used
occupied
Corridor 100 28 0.4 40
fully enclosed
3.7.1 General The Latter Day Saint movement has grown from Mormonism, which is a religion
practised by Mormons. The original movement was founded around 1820 by
observations Joseph Smith Jr. in the USA and is a form of Christianity. In the years that
followed, Mormonism gradually became separate from traditional Protestantism.
Mormonism today represents the new, non-Protestant faith taught by Smith in the
1840s. When Joseph Smith died, most Mormons followed a man called Brigham
Young to the Rocky Mountains as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Other branches of Mormonism include Mormon fundamentalism, which seeks
to maintain practices and doctrines such as polygamy that were discontinued by
the LDS Church, and various other small independent denominations.
Mormonism is derived from the Book of Mormon, one of the religious texts
that form the backbone of the Mormon faith. The term Mormon was considered
derogatory at first, but is no longer considered so by Mormons themselves.
However, the term Latter-Day Saints, or LDS, is generally preferred. From small
beginnings the church has grown over the past two centuries, having 14 million
members worldwide, including over 190 000 in the UK.
Figure 3.7.1 Exterior view of

a provincial Mormon chapel
Mormonism is a form of fundamental Christianity that shares a common set of

beliefs with the rest of the LDS movement, including use of, and belief in, the
Bible, as well as other religious texts including the Book of Mormon and the
Doctrine and Covenants. Where it differs is in the practice of polygamy, the LDS
Church having disowned the practice by the early twentieth century. Cultural
Mormonism incorporates a lifestyle promoted by the Mormon institutions, and
includes cultural Mormons who identify with the culture, but not necessarily the
theology. Mormons believe in a tithe system and pay a proportion of their income
to the Church.
3.7.2 Mormon First, it should be mentioned that Mormons have temples as well as chapels. The
temples are considered most holy and many Mormons may visit one only on
temples rare occasions. Once a temple has been consecrated, non-members are prohibited
from entering the building. Despite the imposing exterior of many temples, the
interior is not a huge room – not like the interior of a cathedral. Instead, a temple
contains a number of small rooms designed for ceremonies and education.
Figure 3.7.2 Exterior view of

the Mormon Temple in Preston
Before they take part in temple ceremonies, Church members change into simple,
modest, white clothing to display purity of mind and to show that everyone is
equal. An application was made to the headquarters of the movement in the USA
to include photographs from their website in this guide, but this was declined.
However, it is possible to view these photographs at www.lds.org.uk.
3.7.2.1 Dressing rooms Those who attend the temple first go to the dressing room to change from street
wear into white clothing. This of course serves as a reminder that one is leaving
the normal world behind and entering a holy place. These rooms are decorative
in nature and should be illuminated accordingly.
Other ancillary rooms and areas within the temple should be considered in
accordance with the respective references in the lighting schedule at the start of
this section.
3.7.2.2 Baptismal font The main purpose of the baptismal font in a temple is to baptise deceased
persons by proxy. It would be normal for several baptisms to be organised on one
particular day.
The font room is highly decorative in nature and should be illuminated

accordingly. There will be a walkway around the perimeter of the room and a
sunken tiled area at the centre. The font itself will be within the sunken area,
supported by 12 ornate oxen. These carved oxen are representative of the 12
tribes of Israel.
The use of chandeliers, wall lights and recessed downlights is recommended to

give an overall average horizontal illuminance in the order of 150 lux at general
floor level. The illuminance at water level within the font itself should increase
to 300 lux. The correlated colour temperature of all lamps should be warm and
of 2700–3000 K.
3.7.2.3 Ordinance rooms The ordinance rooms within the temple are styled like a lecture theatre. These
are used for presentations and lectures to visiting members.
These rooms are also highly decorative in nature, producing a relaxed ambience
for those giving the presentations as well as those receiving them. There may
be large murals around the walls, so the lighting designer needs to be aware of
‘scalloping’ caused by sharp cut-off angles to avoid spoiling the mural effect.
While the size of rooms may vary, the general layout is similar to lecture rooms
in schools and universities and should be illuminated in a like manner, with due
regard to switching and dimming options. Downlights and suspended fixtures
with compact fluorescent or led light sources will be suitable for this application.
Care should be taken to avoid reflections from large tv and overhead projector
screens, while angled wall-washers should be considered where whiteboards and
other writing surfaces are used.
3.7.2.4 Celestial rooms These rooms are intended to symbolise a peaceful state of life and illustrate an
inner harmony for the souls of those members who become ‘eternal families’.
The rooms themselves are again elaborately decorated, with comfortable seating,
ornate chandeliers and stained-glass windows. The roof can be domed, which can
add the opportunity to use indirect pelmet lighting, giving the room a shadow-
free ambience. Downlights around the perimeter of the room can be useful to
highlight the verticals, such as pillars and window frames. The maintained
average horizontal illuminance at table height should be a minimum of 200 lux,

and the minimum uniformity within the central core area should be 0.4.
Again, the use of dimming circuits can add variety to the lighting design, while
keeping running costs within acceptable bounds.
3.7.2.5 Sealing rooms Sealing rooms are where eternal marriages are carried out. Again, the rooms are
extremely ornate in design and content. External windows are usually stained glass
and are relatively high. There will be large mirrors on the walls to give a perception
of eternity by repeated reflections. There will also be a central kneeling area with
a raised table, where the bride and groom commit themselves to an everlasting
bond, not only for this life but forever. There will be seating all around this central
area for relatives and the congregation. There will also be a small table and chairs
for those conducting the ceremony.
The method of lighting these rooms is by a central ornate chandelier using warm
colour temperature lamps, together with downlights and wall lights. The target
maintained illuminance should be in the order of 200 lux as a general level, with a
higher value of 300 lux on the table and kneeling stool.
3.7.3 Mormon chapels The main part of an LDS chapel is the chapel room. This is where sacrament
meetings are held each Sunday and discussions take place on other occasions.
The sizes and shapes of these buildings vary considerably from town to town.
Many chapels are based upon a traditional layout of a central chapel room
surrounded by adjacent ancillary rooms, such as toilets, plant rooms and kitchens.
A typical layout of a Mormon chapel is shown in Figure 3.7.3.
Figure 3.7.3 A typical layout

for a Mormon chapel
Store
Office
Office
Chapel Cultural hall

room Baptismal
Kitchen font
Dining
area
Sunday
school
Family
history Reception/
section Toilet Toilet Store
entrance
3.7.3.1 Lighting When looking at the lighting design for a Mormon chapel the focal point will
design be the chapel room. The ancillary rooms and areas, while still important, are
concept secondary to the main activity.
entrance, leading to a warm and inviting meeting room. Therefore, a well-lit
entrance with a higher illuminance level than the main room should be the
intention.
Figure 3.7.4 The entrance hall
should be bright and uplifting
gather before entering the chapel building, or it could be a reception room behind
the front doors. Lighting for both circumstances should be warm and inviting,
and the luminaires must have the necessary ip rating if located on the outside.
Luminaires of a decorative type should be considered, using lamps with a colour
temperature of 2700 K or 3000 K.
The maintained illuminance designed at floor level needs to be higher than that
in the main rooms, at a level of 200 lux. On bright and sunny days this level will
aid visual adaptation from the bright daylight outside to the lower lighting level
in the chapel room itself. This area will usually have an information or notice
board on one of the walls, which may or may not be independently illuminated.
If the former is the case then a light source with a colour temperature of around
4000 K will help the information to stand out from the background.
3.7.3.3 Chapel room The chapel room is the focal point of the building and should be illuminated to a
level suitable for the activity involved. In addition, the lighting designer should
enhance the aesthetic appearance by the use of luminaires appropriate for the
decoration and architecture of the room. Recessed fluorescent fixtures may be
suitable for modern rooms with suspended fibre ceilings, but would probably
look totally out of place in a more decorative building. Suspended chandeliers
using compact fluorescent lamps have been used effectively in many instances.
Figure 3.7.5 A view of a typical chapel

room showing the stand and lectern,
with a piano and organ to the left
The purpose of the room is to hold services or discussions and therefore the
main area should be lit to an average maintained illuminance level of 150 lux
at 1 m above floor level for the benefit of the congregation. The lamp colour
should be of a warm appearance, around 2700–3000 K. At one end of the room
there will be a raised section or stage called the stand, from where the service
or lecture is conducted. It is usual for this stand to be at the eastern end of the
room, but this will depend on the building layout. Again, the lighting should
be designed accordingly and scene-setting equipment may be required, together
with spotlights to enhance the speaker or reader. A level of 300 lux for this area
is considered suitable. The colour temperature of lamps used for this purpose
should be around 4000 K to help the speakers stand out from the background.
The choice of lighting scheme will depend on the particular requirements of

the client and may involve several different types of luminaire for the different
uses of the room. Where two chapel rooms are separated by folding or dividing
doors it is desirable that the luminaires are of matching types, as the intention
will be to hold large meetings on occasions. In many chapel rooms there will be
a large tv screen, where events such as major gatherings in the USA are shown
via a satellite link. Scene-setting equipment will prevent light distribution on the
screen and dim the main lighting down to a lower level. Where pelmet lighting
is used, as seen in Figure 3.7.7, dark patches on the ceiling can be avoided by
following advice given in section 3.15a.3.2 of this guide.
Care should be taken where large window areas are involved, especially if they are
south facing. While daylight can be extremely beneficial in reducing the running
costs of artificial lighting, the resultant high illuminance levels can be contrary to
the required effect. It may be prudent to have blinds or curtains fitted to minimise
glare and to reduce lighting levels when certain activities are taking place.
3.7.3.4 Kitchen Many kitchens are only used for making beverages and cold snacks. In this case,
the recommended average maintained horizontal illuminance at worktop height
is 300 lux. However, some kitchens are used to provide full meals and drinks for
visitors to the chapel. In this case the kitchen can be compared to a commercial
one for the purpose of lighting, and appropriate luminaires with a suitable ip
rating should be installed. The average maintained horizontal illuminance at
worktop height of 1 m above the floor should be 500 lux, using light sources
with a cool colour temperature (4000 K). In addition, emergency lighting should
be provided where hazards such as cookers and stoves are present; for further
information, see chapter 4.
Figure 3.7.6 The kitchen should
be bright, clean and attractive
3.7.3.5 Cultural The cultural hall will usually be situated adjacent to the chapel room, with
hall concertina doors to separate the two spaces. This enables the two rooms to
become one when large meetings are held. On other occasions the cultural
hall can be used for celebrations such as weddings, or smaller meetings such as
Sunday school and youth activities. It is common for a stage to be situated at one
end of the room so that concerts can be held.
Therefore, the lighting requirements will be varied. A general lighting layout

should give an average maintained horizontal illuminance at floor level of
150 lux, using light sources with a warm colour temperature (2700–3000 K).
Consideration must then be given to providing a reduced level of 50 lux for when
the hall is used for concerts. A dimmable system would be useful in this case, or
scene-setting by electronic control if the budget will allow it.
Figure 3.7.7 The cultural hall will

be multi-purpose with several uses
3.7.3.6 Class/study room Classrooms and study rooms in a chapel are similar to those found in schools,
colleges and universities. There is a growing tendency to use computers in these
areas. Therefore, reference should be made to SLL Lighting Guide 7: Office
lighting (SLL, 2005), together with any addenda, and SLL Lighting Guide
5: Lighting for education (SLL, 2011). Whether computers are used or not, the
maintained illuminance on the wall should be 50% of the task area illuminance
and on the ceiling it should be a minimum of 30% of the task illuminance.
3.7.3.7 Family history unit At least one chapel in every area or stake will have a family history unit contained
within the building. The unit is made up of office rooms and meeting rooms
where one can trace ancestors on one’s family tree. They provide access to the
internet and local resources, including parish records and censuses. It is also
interesting to note that the facilities are free of charge and open to the general
public, not only members of the church. The persons in charge are usually
members of the local historical society and work on a voluntary basis. If non-
members want to make a donation towards the running costs of the unit then
that will be gratefully accepted.
The facilities will be modern in decoration with light-coloured walls and ceiling.
From a lighting perspective, the advice given above in section 3.7.3.6 will be
applicable to these rooms.
3.7.3.8 Baptism font This will consist of a tiled room with a pool in the centre, large enough to take
at least two people. This is used for the full immersion of new members to the
faith and will usually be very bright in appearance with excellent reflectance
properties.
Figure 3.7.8 This baptismal font
shows the open front doors for
viewing. Access for participants
is by steps at the rear
3.8 Kingdom Halls Application Maintained ugr limit Minimum Ra Remarks
of Jehovah’s illuminance
(lux)
uniformity
(Uo)
Witnesses
Meeting room 150 22 0.4 80 Ehav measured at floor level
Class/study room 300 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide 7 if
computers used
Library:
computers used
computers used
occupied
Corridor 100 28 0.4 40
fully enclosed
Jehovah’s Witnesses are members of a Christian-based religious movement.

3.8.1 General The denomination was founded in the USA towards the end of the nineteenth
observations century, under the leadership of Charles Taze Russell. The headquarters of the
movement is in New York.
Figure 3.8.1 The front

view of a provincial
Kingdom Hall
The movement has a reported worldwide membership in excess of 7.65 million,

with around 130 000 members being involved in meetings and conventions around
the UK. Jehovah’s Witnesses prefer to use their own translation of the Bible, the
New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, and their beliefs are based on its
interpretation. They believe that the destruction of the present world system at
Armageddon is imminent, and that the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth
is the only solution for all problems faced by humankind.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are well known for their preaching door to door, distributing
leaflets called The Watchtower and Awake! They also refuse blood transfusions
and military service. They believe that the Bible is the word of God and
consider its 66 books to be divinely inspired and historically accurate. They also
consider birthdays, Christmas, Easter and other holidays to have pagan origins
incompatible with Christianity.
The name Jehovah is considered vital for proper worship. They refer to their
system of beliefs as ‘the truth’ and consider themselves to be ‘in the truth’.
Jehovah’s Witnesses consider society to be morally corrupt and influenced by
Satan, and do not mix socially with non-Witnesses. Members reject the sinful
values of the secular world and maintain a degree of separation from non-
believers.
3.8.2 Building The main part of the Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah’s Witnesses is the meeting
room. This is where meetings are held each Sunday and discussions take place on
layout other occasions, usually one weekday evening.
The sizes and shapes of Kingdom Hall buildings vary considerably from
town to town, but they are generally simplistic in design. Many meeting halls
are based upon a traditional layout of a central meeting room surrounded by
adjacent ancillary rooms, such as toilets, plant rooms and kitchens. Others may
be specially manufactured timber-framed structures which can be erected within
a single weekend.
Generally, buildings are built and maintained by groups of individuals from

within the congregation. These groups may consist of an architect, builder,
electrician and plumber as well as willing volunteers. For more specialised trades
there are facilities within the movement that can be called upon when required.
A typical layout of a Kingdom Hall is shown in Figure 3.8.2.
Figure 3.8.2 A
typical layout for
a Kingdom Hall
Store
Meeting room
Study
area/library
Kitchen
Female Reception/ Male

3.8.3 Lighting When looking at the lighting design for a Kingdom Hall the focal point will
be the meeting room. The ancillary rooms and areas, while still important, are
design secondary to the main activity.
concept
intention, so as to allow visual adaptation from a bright exterior.
gather before entering the building, or it could be a reception area behind the
front doors. Lighting for both circumstances should be warm and inviting, and
the luminaires must have the necessary ip rating if located on the outside.

temperature of 2700 K or 3000 K. The maintained illuminance designed at floor
level needs to be higher than that in the main meeting room, at a level of 200 lux.
Figure 3.8.3 A Kingdom
Hall entrance should be
warm and inviting
3.8.3.2 Meeting room The meeting room is the focal point of the building and should be illuminated
to a level suitable for the activities involved. In addition, the lighting designer
should enhance the aesthetic appearance by the use of luminaires appropriate
for the decoration and architecture of the room. Recessed utilitarian fluorescent
fixtures may be suitable for modern rooms with suspended fibre ceilings, but
would probably look totally out of place in a more decorative building. Suspended
chandeliers using dimmable compact fluorescent lamps or leds have been used
effectively in many instances.
The purpose of the room is to hold discussions, offer prayer, sing hymns and
read scriptures and other documents. Therefore, the main area should be lit to
an average maintained illuminance level of 200 lux on the floor, or 150 lux at
prayer book height. The lamp colour should be of a warm appearance, around
2700–3000 K. At one end of the room there will be a raised section or platform
from where the lecture or service is conducted. It is common for this platform
to be at the eastern end of the room, but this will of course depend on the layout
Figure 3.8.4 A typical meeting

room with pelmet lighting and
recessed fluorescent modules
of a particular building. Again, the lighting should be designed accordingly and

scene-setting equipment may be required, together with spotlights to enhance
the speaker or reader, if acceptable. A level of 300 lux for this area is considered
suitable. The colour temperature of lamps used for this purpose should be around
4000 K to help speakers stand out from the background.

the elders and may involve several different types of luminaire for the different
possible functions within the room. It is worth mentioning here that as most
installation work within halls is carried out by qualified congregation members
and tried and tested formats in other halls are often repeated, the recommended
illuminance levels could be exceeded. As long as the results are within reason,
this is acceptable, bearing in mind that recommended levels are minimum values.
visitors to the hall. In this case, the kitchen can be compared to a commercial one
for the purpose of lighting, and appropriate luminaires with a suitable ip rating
should be installed. The average maintained horizontal illuminance at worktop
height of 1 m above the floor should be 500 lux, using light sources with a cool
colour temperature (4000 K).
In addition, emergency lighting should be provided where hazards such as

cookers and stoves are present; for further information, see chapter 4.
Figure 3.8.5 A small kitchenette used

for making drinks and small snacks.
3.8.3.4 Class/study room Classrooms and study rooms in Kingdom Halls are somewhat different to those
found in schools, colleges and universities. The rooms are very simple in design
and layout and will generally comprise a rows of chairs in the main body and a
table or lectern at one end.
The rooms tend to be used for relatively short periods of time. The speaker will
need to read from the lectern and therefore the illuminance on the book plane
should be in the order of 300 lux. The congregation will usually follow the subject
of the lecture or presentation in a book. The general illuminance level should be
around 200 lux at book height when seated. This height is usually taken as being
0.7 m above floor level.
In some Kingdom Halls these rooms will be multi-purpose in use. As the

meetings are family orientated, the study room may be used as a crèche while
the congregation is taking part in the main meeting. In these instances a higher
horizontal average illuminance of 300 lux at floor level could be justified.
A useful suggestion therefore, bearing in mind the points above, would be for the
lighting designer to consider the use of a dimmable circuit to keep energy usage
to a minimum while maintaining optimum light levels.
Figure 3.8.6 A classroom forming

an annexe from the main hall
3.8.3.5 Library The library in a Kingdom Hall may be a separate room specifically used by
the members for reading and bible study. In this case, these reading rooms are
similar to those found in public libraries, although within this particular context
they tend to have a more simple appearance. Therefore, wherever possible, the
luminaires should be as energy efficient as possible. In addition, the lighting
should produce an average maintained horizontal illuminance at a table height
of 0.8 m above the floor of around 300 lux, using light sources with a warm colour
temperature (2700–3000 K).
For the purpose of energy conservation it may be appropriate to use desk

luminaires to provide illuminance for reading. If this method is used, the ambient
lighting level for the general area of the room can be reduced to around 150 lux,
which will allow safe movement.
Figure 3.8.7 This library is at one

end of a classroom annexe
In most Kingdom Halls, however, the library is situated within a room that is
also used for other purposes. Computers are generally not used in these library
areas as the reading materials used by the members are readily available in
printed form. Where books are stored on shelves, as in Figure 3.8.7, a vertical
illuminance of around 200 lux should be provided on the book spines.
3.9 Christa- Application Maintained ugr Minimum Ra Remarks
delphian illuminance
(lux)
limit uniformity
(Uo)
ecclesias Reception area 200 22 0.4 80
Main hall:
– general 150 22 0.4 80 Ehav measured at floor level
– platform 300 22 0.6 80

if computers used
Library:
computers used
computers used
computers used
Corridor 100 28 0.4 40
Toilets 200 25 0.4 80 In each individual toilet if fully
enclosed
3.9.1 General The Christadelphians are a non-Trinitarian, millennial Christian group who
come together with a common understanding of the Bible and Christianity. They
observations aim to replicate as closely as possible the faith and practice of the early Christian
church. They describe themselves as ‘a lay community patterned after first century
Christianity’. Their name comes from a Greek phrase, Christou adelphoi, which
means ‘brothers (or sisters) of Christ’.
Figure 3.9.1 A typical urban ecclesia
Christadelphians have no priests, paid ministers or central leadership, and the

leadership of local ecclesias (churches) is shared by senior members. Christadelphians
do not have elaborate churches, robes or ceremonies.
There are about 50 000 members in 120 countries worldwide, 6500 of whom are in
,
the USA. It is suggested that there are 20 000 members and 300 ecclesias in the UK.
,
Christadelphians are not totally exclusive, but they do regard themselves as

individualistic, being set apart to serve God. They try to live to the highest moral
standards and avoid activities that they regard as ‘of the world’. They only marry
within the faith. Christadelphians do not join the armed forces or the police, nor
do they vote or take part in politics.
They regard themselves as Christians but don’t accept some mainstream

Christian doctrine. For example, they do not believe in the Trinity. They believe
that the Holy Spirit is the power of God. Christadelphians base their faith on the
Bible and nothing else. They regard the Bible as inspired by God and completely
free of error, and the only source of knowledge about God and his plans. They
believe that the Bible should be read as a whole and understood through the plain
meaning of its words. There may be a Sunday school for children, a meeting on
Sunday evening and other meetings during the week for Bible study and prayer.
Some Christadelphians meet in their own halls, but worship can take place
anywhere, and often takes place in the home of a group member.
3.9.2 Building layout The main room in an ecclesia is the main hall. This is where meetings are held
each Sunday and discussions take place on other occasions. There are usually two
services on a Sunday, one called ‘The Breaking of Bread’ and the other a family
service.
The sizes and shapes of ecclesia buildings vary considerably from town to
town. Many ecclesias are based upon a traditional layout of a central main hall
surrounded by adjacent ancillary rooms, such as toilets, plant rooms and kitchens.
A typical layout of a Christadelphian ecclesia is shown in Figure 3.9.2.
Figure 3.9.2 A typical layout for an ecclesia
Store
Multi-
Main hall purpose hall
Kitchen
Comittee Female Reception/ Male

Library
room toilets entrance toilets
3.9.3 Lighting design When looking at the lighting design for an ecclesia the focal point will be the
main hall. The ancillary rooms and areas, while still important, are secondary to
concept the main activity.
entrance, leading to a warm and inviting meeting room. Therefore, a well-
lit entrance with a higher illuminance level than the main hall should be the
intention, so as to allow visual adaptation from a bright exterior.
gather before entering the ecclesia, or it could be a reception room behind the
the luminaire must have the necessary ip rating if located on the outside.

3.9.3.2 Main hall The main hall is the focal point of the building and should be illuminated to a
level suitable for the activity involved. In addition, the lighting designer should
enhance the aesthetic appearance by the use of luminaires appropriate for the
decoration and architecture of the room. Recessed fluorescent fixtures may be
suitable for modern rooms with suspended fibre ceilings, but would probably
look totally out of place in a more decorative building. Suspended chandeliers
using compact fluorescent lamps have been used effectively in many instances.
Figure 3.9.3 A modern

Christadelphian meeting hall
The main purpose of the room is for holding services and therefore the
congregation area should be lit to an average maintained illuminance level of
150 lux at 1 m above floor level for the benefit of the congregation reading prayer
or hymn books. The lamp colour should be of a warm appearance, around 2700–
3000 K. At one end of the room there will be a section or stage from where the
service is conducted. It is usual for this area to be at the eastern end of the hall.
The lighting should be designed accordingly and scene-setting equipment may
be required, together with spotlights to enhance the speaker or reader. A level of
300 lux for this area is considered suitable. It is important that the lectern and
the reader should be illuminated to a level of 300 lux. If this cannot be achieved
from luminaires in this area then some form of spotlighting should be used. The
usual solution is to use surface-mounted or recessed fixtures on the ceiling. Avoid
siting fittings directly over the reader’s head as this will cause harsh shadows.
It is better to place the spotlight at an angle of 45° to the reader to ensure that
sufficient vertical illuminance is obtained. The colour temperature of lamps used
for this purpose should be around 4000 K to help the reader to stand out from
the background.
There will also be a piano or organ at the eastern end of the room. Lighting
should be provided on the music stand to a level of 500 lux, ideally using lamps
with a cool temperature (around 4000 K).

the client and may involve several different types of luminaire for the different
uses of the room. Modern ecclesias make use of technology, including large
video screens and projectors. It is important that the lighting design takes this
equipment into consideration to avoid the possibility of the congregation being
unable to see what is intended. Wall-washers are generally used to highlight the
whiteboard if attached to the back wall.
visitors to the hall. In this case the kitchen can be compared to a commercial one
height should be 500 lux, using light sources with a cool colour temperature
(4000 K). The possibility of working in one’s shadow should be avoided. In
addition, emergency lighting should be provided where hazards such as cookers
and stoves are present; for further information, see chapter 4.
3.9.3.4 Multi-purpose This room, as the name suggests, can be used for a variety of activities. First, it
room will be used as a communal room for the congregation following a service. Tea
and coffee may be served and consumed, with tables and seating being made
available.
The room may also be used for more formal occasions, such as weddings and
funerals, when full dining may be available. In this case, consideration should be
given to a decorative approach to the lighting design. This may include domestic-
type ceiling luminaires and wall-mounted fixtures.
Other uses may include choir practice and meetings of a youth group. For these
occasions a more utilitarian scheme using recessed or surface linear fluorescent
luminaires would be more suitable. The average maintained horizontal
illuminance at table height of 0.8 m above the floor should be 200 lux, using
light sources with a warm colour temperature (2700–3000 K). As with all multi-
function rooms, providing the correct mixture of luminaire types to cater for a
particular ambience, such as wall lights and downlights, is the secret to resolving
design issues. The use of dimming circuits is recommended to ensure that energy
is conserved.
Some dining rooms are more elaborate in their appearance; in this case the
luminaires should blend in to their environment.
3.9.3.5 Committee room Committee rooms are generally used by members of the ecclesia council to hold
meetings for discussion of the running of the building. Broadly speaking, such
rooms will contain a table and chairs.
Figure 3.9.4 Committee rooms

should be bright and attractive
As this type of room is usually occupied for relatively short periods of time, the
lighting can be commercial in appearance, using linear fluorescent luminaires,
either surface-mounted or recessed. The average maintained horizontal
illuminance should be 300 lux at table height, with a minimum uniformity of 0.6
over the table surface.
An accepted method of achieving the design requirements is to provide a general

illuminance of 150 lux at floor level, which will be adequate for discussions.
The table illuminance can then be augmented by careful positioning of
recessed downlights directly above the table itself. In this manner the increased
illuminance only needs to be provided when meetings are held which require
close reading or writing on the table, thus saving energy when the room is used
for other purposes.
3.9.3.6 Library Libraries in ecclesias are usually small rooms within the building, where reference
books and literature are kept.
The library may contain a table and chairs where individuals can sit and read.
Computers are increasingly being used in libraries, therefore reference should
be made to SLL Lighting Guide 7: Office lighting (SLL, 2005), together with any
addenda.
Figure 3.9.5 Libraries tend

to be used infrequently
The average maintained horizontal illuminance should be 500 lux at table height,

with a minimum uniformity of 0.6 over the table surface. As with any library,
the minimum vertical illuminance (Ev) on the front surface of the bookshelves
should be 200 lux.
3.9.3.7 Storerooms Ecclesias may contain a number of storerooms, each with a different purpose.
Generally speaking, folding tables and stackable chairs will usually be kept in a
room adjoining the community or multi-purpose room. Care must be taken in
this instance to ensure that luminaires are sited such that light can illuminate the
floor and objects at floor level.
A kitchen store is most likely to contain cooking utensils, such as large pans and
implements, which are used only occasionally. Items are usually stored on racks
or shelving running down each long side of the storeroom. Therefore, lighting
situated centrally on the ceiling should be able to illuminate objects even at lower
levels.
3.10 Christian Application Maintained ugr Minimum Ra Remarks
Science (lux) (Uo)
churches Reception area 200 22 0.4 80
Reading room 300 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide
7 if computers used
Church room:
– lecterns 300 19 0.6 80
– organ music stand 500 19 0.6 80
Library:
– reading area 500 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide
7 if computers used
Office 500 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide
7 if computers used
occupied
Corridor 100 28 0.4 40
Sunday school 300 19 0.6 80 May be multi-functional
with dimming
if fully enclosed
3.10.1 General Members of the Christian Science movement meet in churches on Sundays
and Wednesdays to hold services. They also hold lectures and church business
observations meetings on the premises. Churches contain rooms of various shapes and sizes
and a diversity of ancillary facilities, but it is the concept of a church room that
must be the principal consideration in terms of lighting design. The lighting
concepts discussed in this section are equally applicable to Christian Fellowship
rooms.
Figure 3.10.1 A typical

Christian Science church
First, in order to better understand the use of the church room, it is useful to
gain an overview of the Christian Science movement. In 1866, Mary Baker Eddy
discovered what she considered to be the Science of Christianity. She dedicated
herself to teaching, preaching and healing others through this system for applying
spiritual laws, Christian Science, and in 1875 she published her primary book,
Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. In 1879 she founded the Church of
Christ, Scientist. It is not necessary to be a church member to study Christian
Science, but today the movement has members in over 130 countries and
democratically run churches in over 75 countries.
Christian Science services include hymns, prayers and fellowship. Instead of

ministers giving personal sermons, democratically elected members of the
congregation read from the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.
Every church around the world will feature similar readings on Sundays. They
may also simultaneously offer classes for Sunday school students under the age
of 20. At Wednesday testimony meetings, the readings are unique to each church,
and participants are invited to spontaneously share gratitude and testimonies
of healing. Along with church services and Sunday school, Christian Science
churches and societies around the world maintain public Christian Science
Reading Rooms and sponsor public talks and lectures. Additional church
activities vary widely from church to church, and may include community
service, care committees and chaplain services in correctional facilities, etc.
3.10.2 Building The main part of a Christian Science church or building is the church room. This
is the focal point and is where reading, silent prayer and discussions take place.
layout
The sizes and shapes of Christian Science church buildings vary considerably
from town to town. Many churches are based upon a traditional layout of a
central church room surrounded by adjacent ancillary rooms, such as reading
rooms, Sunday school, toilets, plant rooms and kitchens.
Figure 3.10.2. A typical layout

for a Christian Science church
Boiler room
Male
toilets Church
room
Female
toilets
Sunday school
Reading
room
Reception/
entrance Office Kitchen
A typical layout of a Christian Science church is shown in Figure 3.10.2.

3.10.3 Lighting When looking at the lighting design for a Christian Science church the focal point
will be the church room. The ancillary rooms and areas, while still important, are
design concept secondary to the main activity.
entrance, leading to a warm and inviting church room. Therefore, a well-lit
entrance with a higher illuminance level than the church room should be the
intention.
gather before entering the church itself, or it could be a reception room behind

information to stand out from the background. This can be accomplished by
using either recessed adjustable ‘eyeball’ spotlights, if the ceiling is suitable, or
wall-mounted picture lights.
Figure 3.10.3 The entrance should

be warm and inviting
3.10.3.2 Church room The church room is the focal point of the building and should be illuminated
to a level suitable for the activity involved. In addition, the lighting designer
should enhance the aesthetic appearance by the use of luminaires appropriate for
the decoration and architecture of the room. Recessed fluorescent fixtures may
be suitable for modern rooms with suspended fibre ceilings, but would probably
look totally out of place in an older building.
Figure 3.10.4 The church room

showing the lecterns and organ
The main purpose of the church room is the conducting of services, where lay
readers will read from the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.
This will be carried out from one of two lecterns situated on a platform. In between
the readings the congregation will sing hymns, which are usually accompanied
by an organ. The organ is usually situated to the side of the platform. The general
lighting should provide good mean cylindrical illuminance of around 150 lux.
Sometimes, presentations or lectures take place using additional facilities, such
as video screens and overhead projectors. The lighting should be designed
accordingly and scene-setting equipment may be required, together with
spotlights to enhance the speaker or reader.
The choice of lighting scheme will depend on the particular requirements of the
client and may involve several different types of luminaire for the different uses
of the room. A good starting point would be to provide an overall symmetric
design using luminaires with linear or compact fluorescent lamps and dimmable
electronic ballasts. If reading and Bible study are the required tasks, the target
maintained average horizontal illuminance at 1 m above floor level should be in
the order of 300 lux. The luminaires can then be dimmed to a level of 150 lux
if a discussion or lecture is to take place. For private prayer or meditation, the
luminaires could then be dimmed further, to a level of around 50 lux.
3.10.3.3 Kitchen Many kitchens are only used for making beverages and cold snacks. In this
height is 300 lux. However, some kitchens are used to provide full meals and
drinks for visitors to the church. In this case the kitchen can be compared to
a commercial one for the purpose of lighting, and appropriate luminaires with
a suitable ip rating should be installed. The average maintained horizontal
illuminance at worktop height should be 500 lux, using light sources with a cool
colour temperature (4000 K). The possibility of working in one’s shadow should
be avoided. In addition, emergency lighting should be provided where hazards
such as cookers and stoves are present; see chapter 4.
3.10.3.4 Sunday The Sunday school room is where children are taught from the Bible while the
school main church service is going on. In some circles it is referred to as a crèche.
The average maintained horizontal illuminance at table height of 0.8 m above

the floor should be 300 lux, using light sources with a warm colour temperature
(2700–3000 K).
Figure 3.10.5 The Sunday school,

adjacent office and storeroom
The room may contain an organ or piano, to accompany the children in singing
hymns. The lighting designer may consider that the general lighting will be
sufficient for the player to read music for short periods of time, as long as they
have normal eyesight. If, however, this is not the case, an adjustable luminaire
could be placed on top of the organ or piano to increase the lighting level on the
music stand.
It is normal for the children to be seated together in a circle in the centre of the
room. If the Sunday school room is large it would be sensible for the lighting
designer to consider using an overall maintained illuminance level of 150 lux at
floor level. This would provide sufficient light for safety and general movement
within the area. A separate circuit using luminaires to illuminate the central
core or task area to 300 lux could then reduce the total energy usage, while still
maintaining the correct lighting ambience.
3.10.3.5 Reading Reading rooms are similar to those found in public libraries, although within
room this particular context they tend to have a more domestic appearance. Therefore,
wherever possible, the luminaires should be of a domestic nature, to give an
ambience of relaxation. The lighting should produce an average maintained
horizontal illuminance at a table height of 0.8 m above the floor of around 300 lux,
using light sources with a warm colour temperature (2700–3000 K).
For the purpose of energy conservation, it may be appropriate to use desk

luminaires to provide illuminance for reading. Using this method, the ambient
lighting level for the general area of the room can be reduced to around 150 lux,
which will allow safe movement.
Figure 3.10.6 The reading room

may be domestic in appearance
Reading rooms are usually open to the public on a frequent basis, sometimes
daily. Computers are increasingly being used in reading rooms, therefore
reference should be made to SLL Lighting Guide 7: Office lighting (SLL, 2005),
together with any addenda, and SLL Lighting Guide 5: Lighting for education
(SLL, 2011). Whether computers are used or not, the maintained illuminance on
the wall should be 50% of the task area illuminance and on the ceiling it should
be a minimum of 30% of the task illuminance.
Sometimes the reading room or rooms are kept separate from the rest of the
building and may have their own entrance. In this case, the entrance or foyer
area should be treated in the same way as the main building entrance, while
taking into consideration the architecture and ambience. If there is a dedicated
reception area to the reading room annexe then this should be treated in the same
manner as already described in other sections of this guide.
3.11 Quaker Application Maintained ugr Minimum Ra Remarks
meeting illuminance
(lux)
limit uniformity
(Uo)
houses Reception area 200 22 0.4 80
Class/study room 300 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide
7 if computers used
Meeting room:
– reading/study 300 19 0.6 80 Suggest multi-circuit
dimming
– lecture/discussion 150 22 0.6 80
– prayer/ 50 22 0.4 60
contemplation
Library:
– reading area 500 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide
7 if computers used
Office 500 19 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide
7 if computers used
occupied
Corridor 100 28 0.4 40
if fully enclosed
3.11.1 General Members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) usually meet in meeting
houses for worship, business and area gatherings, which may involve the
observations presentation of reports, talks on topics of interest and discussion groups. Many
meeting houses are also let to external agencies, both statutory and corporate, and
to voluntary groups.
Figure 3.11.1 A modern Quaker

meeting house in the city centre
of Sheffield, South Yorkshire
The shapes and sizes of rooms and the ancillary facilities will vary between meeting
houses, but is the concept of a meeting room, with its multi-purpose dimension,
rather than a chapel or church, which must be the principal consideration for
the purpose of lighting design. Meeting houses are often appreciated for their
historical associations, but they are not considered in any sense to be sacred or
holy places.
Although Quakers have been around since the 1650s, their faith is modern and
contemporary in approach. Quakers do not share a fixed set of beliefs; rooted in
Christianity, their unity in today’s diverse world is based on shared understanding
of their testimonies and a shared practice of worship. Quakerism is a way of life
that is shaped by a deep commitment to peace, simplicity, truth and equality.
This commitment is nurtured and strengthened by their experience of silent
worship and the belief that there is ‘that of God’ in everyone.
Quakers give expression to their testimonies in a variety of ways; by campaigning

and raising awareness around issues of economic and social injustice, offering
support and guidance to those seeking alternatives to violence, working to
challenge and change the circumstances that lead to war, and by living simply
and unostentatiously in their homes and communities.
3.11.2 Building layout Quaker meeting houses are based upon a traditional layout of a central meeting
room surrounded by adjacent ancillary rooms, such as toilets, plant rooms and
kitchen.
Store
Figure 3.11.3 An early example of a

Quaker meeting house in Brigflatts Meeting room
Dining area
Kitchen
Female Reception / Male

Figure 3.11.4 An example of a
Quaker meeting house in Georgian
style, situated in Kendal
Figure 3.11.2 A typical layout of a Quaker meeting house
Despite the similarity in room layout, it is rare to find any two Quaker meeting
houses that are alike. Generally speaking, they fall into three categories. The
early or ‘historical’ meeting houses were built like ordinary houses of the period,
and in some cases were merely converted barns. Many of these are still in use. In
the eighteenth century and later, meeting houses were often built in the Georgian
style – large square buildings, with windows placed high up to admit as much
natural light as possible and prevent the worshippers from being distracted
by events outside. Today, some of the newer meeting houses are purpose-built
affairs, which take into account the many activities in which Quakers and the
local community are engaged.
The focal point of any Quaker meeting house, past or present, is the main meeting
room. This is where Quakers worship and conduct their business. It is the largest
room in the building, and, in keeping with the Quaker testimony of simplicity,
is bare of any ornamentation, whether symbols or pictures. There is no pulpit
or altar, and pews where they exist (usually in the older meeting houses) are
arranged in square formation so that the worshippers sit facing one another, with
a ‘shared space’ in the centre. Most meeting houses today have chairs arranged
in circular formation, which also serves to emphasise the Quaker commitment
to equality.
A typical layout of a Quaker meeting house is shown in Figure 3.11.2.
3.11.3 Lighting design When looking at the lighting design for a meeting house, the focal point will
be the meeting room. The ancillary rooms and areas, while still important, are
concept secondary to the main activity. The design concept should include an attractive
and welcoming entrance hall or vestibule, leading to the main meeting room.
Therefore, a well-lit entrance with a higher illuminance level than the main room
should be the intention.
intention. The lighting requirements for the main meeting room will reflect its
multi-purpose usages. A soft, diffused light will help to create the atmosphere of
serenity and calm that should accompany the Quaker form of worship. However,
when business meetings and conferences are being held, a stronger, more focused
form of lighting will be needed, so that documents can be consulted and notes
taken without causing problems for those with weaker eyesight. In some cases,
there may be a wish to highlight certain features of the room for purely decorative
purposes.
gather before entering the meeting house itself, or it could be a reception room
outside.

Figure 3.11.5 A warm and inviting

entrance should be lit well
to a level suitable for the activity involved. In addition, the lighting designer
should enhance the aesthetic appearance by the use of luminaires appropriate for
the decoration and architecture of the room. Recessed fluorescent fixtures may
be suitable for modern rooms with suspended fibre ceilings, but would probably
look totally out of place in an older building.
Figure 3.11.6 Quaker meeting rooms

should be warm and inviting
When the room is being used for worship the lighting will need to be at a low
level with reduced glare. When, however, the activity is a business meeting or
discussion, the lighting must be of a higher level, with good mean cylindrical
illuminance. Sometimes, presentations or talks take place using additional
facilities, such as video screens and overhead projectors. The lighting should be
designed accordingly and scene-setting equipment may be required, together
with spotlights to enhance the speaker or reader. The choice of lighting scheme
will depend on the particular requirements of the client and may involve several
different types of luminaire for the different uses of the room. A good starting
point would be to provide an overall symmetric design using luminaires with
linear or compact fluorescent lamps and dimmable electronic ballasts. The target
maintained average horizontal illuminance at 1 m above floor level should be
in the order of 300 lux if, for example, reading and Bible study are the required
tasks. The luminaires can then be dimmed to a level of 150 lux if a discussion
or lecture is taking place. For private prayer or meditation, the luminaires could
then be dimmed further, to a level of around 50 lux.
is 300 lux. However, some kitchens are used to provide full meals and drinks
for visitors to the meeting house. In this case the kitchen can be compared to
a commercial one for the purpose of lighting, and appropriate luminaires with
a suitable ip rating should be installed. The average maintained horizontal
illuminance at worktop height should be 500 lux, using light sources with a cool
colour temperature (4000 K). The possibility of working in one’s shadow should
be avoided. In addition, emergency lighting should be provided where hazards
such as cookers and stoves are present; for more information, see chapter 4.
Figure 3.11.7 This small

kitchen is bright and clean
similar to a works canteen or café in appearance. The average maintained

horizontal illuminance at table height of 0.8 m above the floor should be 200 lux,
using light sources with a warm colour temperature (2700–3000 K).
dining rooms are also multi-purpose spaces, accommodating functions and
other uses on occasions. If the lighting requirements are different for particular
uses then dimmable luminaires or scene-setting options should be investigated.
In addition, there may be pictures on the walls, which could be separately
illuminated using luminaires with low-energy light sources, such as compact
fluorescent lamps or leds. Where appropriate, the light sources should be of a
cooler appearance, say 4000 K, to help make the picture stand out against the
background.
3.11.3.5 Class/study room Classrooms and study rooms in meeting houses are similar to those found in
schools, colleges and universities. Generally, they will be basic in layout but
will include facilities required by external bodies when the rooms are hired out.
Consideration should therefore be given to dimmable circuits and scene-setting
equipment to provide different ambiences for alternative uses. Where overhead
projectors are used, care should be taken with the siting of downlight luminaires
to ensure that light does not stray onto the screen.
Figure 3.11.8 A small meeting/class

room for lectures and discussions
Computers are increasingly being used in classrooms and study rooms, therefore
reference should be made to SLL Lighting Guide 7: Office lighting (SLL, 2005),
together with any addenda, and SLL Lighting Guide 5: Lighting for education
(SLL, 2011). Whether computers are used or not, the maintained illuminance on
the wall should be 50% of the task area illuminance and on the ceiling it should
be a minimum of 30% of the task illuminance. Figure 3.11.8 shows the use of
pendant opal spheres, which can still be used effectively in this application. By
the careful use of dimmers and siting of laptop screens, problems with reflected
glare can be eliminated while maintaining an attractive ambience.
Care should be taken where large window areas are involved, especially if they
are south facing. While daylight can be extremely beneficial in reducing the
running costs of artificial lighting, the resultant high illuminance levels can be
contrary to the required effect. It may be prudent to have blinds or curtains fitted
to minimise glare and to reduce lighting levels when certain activities are taking
place. This effect is illustrated well in Figure 3.11.8.
3.12 Pentecostal Application Maintained ugr limit Minimum Ra Remarks

and Evangelist illuminance
(lux)
uniformity
(Uo)
halls Reception area 200 22 0.4 80
Meeting hall:
– congregation 150 22 0.4 80 Ehav measured at 1m above
floor level (dimmable)
– platform 300–500 22 0.6 80
computers used
computers used
Library:
computers used
computers used
computers used
occupied
Corridor 100 28 0.4 40
enclosed
3.12.1 General The reason why the Pentecostal and Evangelist movements have been combined
observations into one section is nothing at all to do with their beliefs, ceremonies or religious
ideologies. It is purely and simply that these organisations both meet in large
rooms or halls and concentrate on providing a theatrical type of meeting. The
shape and size of their halls and the ancillary facilities they contain will vary, but
it is the concept of a large hall, rather than a chapel or sanctuary, that brings the
two faiths together for the purpose of lighting design. This section is principally
interested in these movements’ buildings and theatrical style of presentation.
While the rooms themselves will vary in size and layout, it is the concept of a
stage/platform and audience that we need to evaluate.
First, in order to understand the use of the halls more, it is useful to gain an
overview of the Pentecostal and Evangelist movements.
3.12.1.1 Pentecostalism According to research published in December 2006, Pentecostals are the fastest-
growing group of Christians in the UK. Followers practise Pentecostalism or
Classical Pentecostalism. These are renewal movements within Christianity and
regard a direct personal experience of God through the baptism with the Holy
Spirit as being of prime importance.
Like other forms of evangelical Protestantism, Pentecostalism adheres to the

unerring truth of scripture and the necessity of accepting Christ as personal lord
and saviour. It is distinguished by belief in the baptism with the Holy Spirit as
an experience, separate from conversion, that enables a Christian to live a life
filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit. This empowerment includes the use
of spiritual gifts, such as speaking in tongues, and divine healing, which are two
other defining characteristics of Pentecostalism. Because of their commitment
to biblical authority, spiritual gifts and the miraculous, Pentecostals tend to see
their movement as reflecting the same kind of spiritual power and teachings
that were found in the Apostolic Age of the early church. For this reason, some
Pentecostals also use the term Apostolic or full gospel to describe their movement.
Pentecostalism is based on a key event in the life of the early Christians, namely
the baptism of the 12 disciples by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The
term Pentecost is derived from the Greek name for the Jewish Feast of Weeks. For
Christians, this event commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the
followers of Jesus Christ, as described in the second chapter of the Book of Acts.
Pentecostal churches follow scripture in practising baptism by immersion. For
Pentecostals water baptism is an outward symbol of a conversion that has already
occurred.
There are over 300 million Pentecostals worldwide, and the movement is
growing, especially in the UK. There are almost 1 million Pentecostals in the
UK, according to a recent church survey.
Pentecostal worship is less formal and more emotionally expressive than that
of other Christian traditions. The participants worship with body, heart and
soul, as well as with their minds. There is a great deal of active congregational
involvement, as the worshippers may dance and clap. Personal testimonies may
also be given, and preaching may rely more on stories and less on textual analysis.
Services can incorporate healings, trances and speaking in tongues. Therefore,
Pentecostal churches tend to appear more like a theatre than a traditional place
of worship.
The atmosphere, worshipping and music encourage openness to the presence

of the Holy Spirit. The gifts of the spirit are often demonstrated during church
services, sometimes quite dramatically.
The congregation is likely to respond actively to the sermon, with applause, or,
in some churches, shouts of ‘amen!’ and ‘hallelujah!’. The result may well be
that participants feel that the service is actually led by the Spirit. Consequently,
Pentecostals are able to see the church as a community of God’s people working
to create the context for a direct experience of God.
3.12.1.2 Evangelism The word ‘evangelist’ is often associated with those who preach at large meetings,
like those of Billy Graham, possibly in tents or theatres. It is also used to describe
those who address the public in street-corner preaching, approaching anyone
who happens to pass nearby. It can also be described in terms of small groups,
or even on a one-to-one basis, but actually it simply means one who spreads the
gospel.
Preaching of the gospel within the context of evangelism can be seen in several
different forms. First, evangelists may preach at individual events. This may be
a church, summer gala, open-air theatre or other non-specialised venue. In this
context the lighting will be already installed, where needed, at the event. Second,
the event may be held at a school, college or university. Here the scene will most
likely be in a hall with a stage or a lecture theatre with adequate lighting already
installed. Third, music festivals may include an evangelist meeting. These venues
also tend to already have lighting installed, even if only on a temporary basis.
Within the context of this guide it is unlikely that the lighting designer will be
called upon to devise a lighting scheme for a room or building that is specifically
used for evangelist meetings. However, advice given in this section should prove
useful.
3.12.2 Building layout The main part of a church or building belonging to one of these organisations
is the meeting room. This is where the congregation meets and is therefore the
focal point.
The sizes and shapes of Pentecostal and Evangelist buildings vary considerably
from town to town. Many meeting halls are based upon a traditional layout of a
central meeting room surrounded by adjacent ancillary rooms, such as toilets,
plant rooms and kitchens.
A typical layout of a Pentecostal or Evangelist meeting hall is shown in Figure

3.12.1.
Figure 3.12.1 A typical layout for a

Pentecostal or Evangelist meeting hall
Store
Meeting
room Dining area
Kitchen
Female toilets Reception/entrance Male toilets
3.12.3 Lighting When looking at the lighting design for a Pentecostal or Evangelist meeting hall
the focal point will be the meeting room. The ancillary rooms and areas, while
design concept still important, are secondary to the main activity.
intention.
gather before entering the meeting hall, or it could be a reception room behind

to a low general level, suitable for the activity involved. In addition, the lighting
designer should enhance the aesthetic appearance by the use of luminaires
appropriate for the decoration and architecture of the room. Recessed utilitarian
fluorescent fixtures may be suitable for modern rooms with suspended fibre
ceilings, but would probably look totally out of place in an older building.
The general concept for lighting the room is to provide an overall average
maintained illuminance level of around 150 lux at 1 m above the floor. As the room
will have the appearance of a theatre, the general lighting should be dimmable.
Sometimes, presentations or lectures take place using additional facilities, such
as video screens and overhead projectors. The lighting should be designed
accordingly and scene-setting equipment may be required. The stage or platform
may be small in size, serving only to accommodate a speaker and several seated
guests. This area should have an increased brightness, with a general illuminance
of around 300 lux. This can be achieved either with surface-mounted luminaires
or by using spotlights to enhance the illuminance on the speaker or reader. In
addition, if there is a backdrop this may be illuminated to a similar level.
In some cases the stage or platform may be as large as in a theatre. In this case
it would be appropriate to light this area theatrically, using such fixtures as
‘footlights’, adjustable spotlights and overhead coloured lighting. This type of
installation is beyond the scope of this guide and advice should be sought from
publications covering stage lighting.
The choice of lighting scheme will depend on the particular requirements of the
client and may involve several different types of luminaire. A good starting point
would be to provide an overall symmetric design using led fixtures or luminaires
with linear or compact fluorescent lamps and dimmable electronic ballasts.
visitors to the hall. In this case the kitchen can be compared to a commercial one
height should be 500 lux, using light sources with a cool colour temperature
(4000 K). The possibility of working in one’s shadow should be avoided. In
addition, emergency lighting should be provided where hazards such as cookers
and stoves are present; for more information, see chapter 4.
similar to a works canteen in appearance. The average maintained horizontal
illuminance at table height of 0.8 m above the floor should be 200 lux, using light
sources with a warm colour temperature (2700–3000 K).
dining rooms are also multi-purpose spaces, accommodating functions and other
uses on occasions. If the lighting requirements are to change with a particular
use then dimmable luminaires or scene-setting options should be investigated.
3.12.3.5 Class/study room Classrooms and study rooms in meeting halls are similar to those found in schools,
colleges and universities. Computers are increasingly being used in classrooms
and study rooms, therefore reference should be made to SLL Lighting Guide 7:
Office lighting (SLL, 2005), together with any addenda, and SLL Lighting Guide
5: Lighting for education (SLL, 2011). Whether computers are used or not, the
maintained illuminance on the wall should be 50% of the task area illuminance
and on the ceiling it should be a minimum of 30% of the task illuminance.
3.13 Buddhist, Application Maintained ugr Minimum Ra Remarks
Hindu and illuminance
(lux)
limit uniformity
(Uo)
Sikh temples Reception area 200 22 0.4 80
Prayer hall 150 22 0.4 80 Ehav measured at floor level
Dining room 200 22 0.4 80
Kitchen 500 22 0.6 80
computers used
computers used
Library:
computers used
computers used
Corridor 100 28 0.4 40
enclosed
3.13.1 General While the religious beliefs and practices of Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs differ
from each other, their rituals and ceremonies are generally conducted in temples.
observations It is for this reason alone that they have been grouped together in this section
of the guide. In order to understand in more detail what transpires within these
temples it is necessary to look at the individual religions themselves.
3.13.1.1 Buddhism Buddhism is a religion originating from the Indian subcontinent that encompasses
a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed
to Siddhartha Gautama, who is commonly known as the Buddha. The Buddha is
believed to have lived and taught in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent
during the sixth century bce. He is recognised by Buddhists as an awakened or
enlightened teacher who shared his insights to help others attain the highest
happiness, known as ‘nirvana’. Buddha means ‘the awakened one’ in Sanskrit.
In modern times, two major types of Buddhism are established, namely Theravada,
which is known as ‘The School of the Elders’, and Mahayana, known as ‘The
Great Vehicle’. Theravada has a widespread following in Sri Lanka and South
East Asia. Mahayana is found throughout East Asia and includes the traditions
of Nichiren Buddhism, Pure Land, Tibetan Buddhism, Shingon, Zen, Shinnyo-
en, and Tiantai or Tendai. In some classifications, Vajrayana, which is practised
mainly in Tibet and Mongolia, and adjacent parts of China and Russia, is
recognised as a third branch, while others classify it as being a part of Mahayana.
The Three Jewels, Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, as well as the concepts of karma,
rebirth and reincarnation and the practice of yoga, existed before Gautama lived
but they later became associated with Buddhism.
While Buddhism still remains most popular within Asia, both branches of it are
now found throughout the world, including the UK. Estimates of the number
of Buddhists worldwide vary significantly, depending on the way Buddhist
Figure 3.13.1 The Gaden adherence is defined, from 350 million to 1300 million.
Shedrup Choekhorling Buddhist
Temple in Elista, Russia
Many Buddhists pray and meditate individually, but there are temples where
followers can go to meditate together. These temples are usually situated in large
towns and cities and may include educational and training facilities.
Figure 3.13.2 The Fo Guang Shan
Buddhist Temple in Manchester
3.13.1.2 Hinduism Hinduism is not a single religion but embraces many traditions. The traditions
which flow into Hinduism may go back several thousand years, and some
practitioners claim that Hinduism stems from the beginning of time. Hindus in
general believe that time is based on a cycle, much like the four seasons, and is
eternal rather than linear and bounded. Texts refer to successive ages (Yuga),
designated respectively as golden, silver, copper and iron.
Figure 3.13.3 A typical Hindu temple
In the golden age people were pious and adhered to dharma (law, duty, truth), but
its power diminished over time until it was necessary for it to be restored through
divine intervention. With each successive age, good qualities diminish, until the
current iron or dark age (kali yuga), marked by cruelty, hypocrisy, materialism
and so on, is reached. These ideas challenge the widespread, linear view that
humans are inevitably progressing.
Hinduism is the religion of the majority of people in India and Nepal. It also
exists among significant populations outside of that region, and has over 900
million adherents worldwide. Hinduism may be said to be the oldest living
religion in the world, as certain elements within it at least stretch back many
thousands of years. It resists easy clarification mainly because of the vast array of
practices and beliefs found within it. It is also closely associated conceptually and
historically with the other Indian religions: Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism.
Hinduism has no single founder, no single text or scripture and no commonly

agreed set of teachings. Throughout its extensive history, there have been many
key figures teaching different philosophies and writing numerous holy books.
For these reasons, writers often refer to Hinduism as ‘a way of life’ or ‘a family of
religions’ rather than a single religion.
Hinduism originated around the Indus Valley near the River Indus in modern
day Pakistan, and about 80% of the Indian population regard themselves as
Hindu. Most Hindus believe in a supreme God, whose qualities and forms
are represented by the multitude of deities which emanate from him. Hindus
believe in reincarnation, governed by Karma. They also believe that the soul
passes through a cycle of successive lives and that the next incarnation is always
dependent on how the previous life was lived. The main Hindu texts are the
Vedas and their supplements (books based on the Vedas). Veda is a Sanskrit word
meaning ‘knowledge’. These scriptures do not mention the word ‘Hindu’, but
many scriptures discuss dharma, which can be described as a ‘code of conduct’,
‘law’ or ‘duty’. Hindus celebrate many holy days, but Diwali, the Festival of
Lights, is the best known.
The 2001 census recorded 559 000 Hindus in the UK, around 1% of the population.
In the UK, Hindus meet in temples which are either specifically built or adapted
for their ceremonies. Generally speaking, these places of worship will be found
where there is a substantial Asian population.
3.13.1.3 Sikhism There are 20 million Sikhs in the world, most of whom live in the Punjab region
of India. The 2011 census recorded around 700 000 Sikhs in the UK.
Sikhism was founded in the fifteenth century in the Punjab district of what is now
India and Pakistan. It was founded by Guru Nanak and is based on his teachings,
and those of the nine Sikh gurus who followed him. The most important
thing in Sikhism is the internal religious state of the individual. Sikhism is a
monotheistic religion and stresses the importance of doing good actions rather
than merely carrying out rituals. Sikhs believe that the way to lead a good life is
to keep God in heart and mind at all times, live honestly and work hard, treat
everyone equally, be generous to the less fortunate, and serve others.
Figure 3.13.4 A typical Sikh temple
The community of men and women who have been initiated into the Sikh faith
is called the Khalsa. The Khalsa celebrated its 300th anniversary in 1999. The
Sikh scripture is the Guru Granth Sahib, a book that Sikhs consider a living
Guru. The tenth Sikh Guru decreed that after his death the spiritual guide of the
Sikhs would be the teachings contained in that book, so the Guru Granth Sahib
now has the status of a Guru, and Sikhs show it the respect they would give to
a human Guru. Guru Gobind Singh decreed that where Sikhs could not find
answers in the Guru Granth Sahib, they should decide issues as a community,
based on the principles of their scripture.
The place of worship is called a gurdwara, although in the UK it is commonly

referred to as a temple. As with other religious buildings mentioned in this
section, Sikh temples will usually have ancillary areas, such as educational
facilities and a community kitchen with dining facilities.
3.13.2 Building layout Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh temples can either be purpose-built or adapted from
buildings previously used for other activities. Some temples were previously
Anglican or Methodist churches, or even schools.
Figure 3.13.5 A typical layout for

a Buddhist, Hindu or Sikh temple Kitchen
Prayer hall
Dining area
Female Reception Male

Office toilets area/shoe Store
toilets
stores
All temples will have an entrance or hallway where visitors can meet and talk
before entering the main building. There may also be ancillary rooms, such
as toilets, cloakrooms and storerooms, and a shoe room will also be available,
sometimes separated for men and women. There will usually be a kitchen and
dining facilities to cater for weddings and other functions. The dining hall may
therefore be a multi-purpose room.
Larger temples may provide educational facilities, which can be housed in the
main building or in a separate building.
A typical layout of a Buddhist, Hindu or Sikh temple is shown in Figure 3.13.5.
3.13.3 Lighting When considering the lighting in a temple much thought should be given to the
architecture involved, as well as to the decoration of particular rooms.
design concept
gather before entering the temple, or it could be a reception room behind the
the luminaires must have the necessary ip rating if located on the outside.

level needs to be higher than that in the main meeting room, at a level of 200
lux. This area will usually have an information or notice board on one of the
walls, which may or may not be independently illuminated. If the former is the
case then a light source with a colour temperature of around 4000 K will help
the information to stand out from the background. This can be accomplished by

Hindu temple foyer
3.13.3.2 Prayer hall The prayer hall is the focal point of the building and should be illuminated to a
level suitable for the activity involved. The lighting designer should endeavour
to highlight the architecture and other decorative elements of the interior.
Recessed fluorescent fixtures may be suitable for modern rooms with suspended
fibre ceilings, but would probably look totally out of place in a more decorative
building. Suspended chandeliers using compact fluorescent lamps have been
used effectively in many instances.
In addition, wall luminaires with appropriate lamps will give a warm visual
effect for visitors on entering the room. Care must be taken to avoid mounting
luminaires that run at a high temperature on walls that have a covering of
wallpaper as this could be a fire hazard, or at the very least it could discolour the
wallpaper significantly.
The purpose of the prayer hall is for holding ceremonies and therefore the main
area should be lit to an average maintained illuminance level of 150 lux on the
floor for the benefit of the congregation. The lamp colour should be of a warm
appearance, such as 2700–3000 K. There will be a focal point at one end of the
room, which should be highlighted.
In Hindu temples, or mandirs, the focal point will comprise a series of shrines in
which highly decorative representations of the deity are situated. In many cases
these shrines are made of pure white marble and can usually be highlighted by
concealed light sources. A typical pelmet lighting detail is illustrated in Figure
3.13.7. The vertical illuminance on the figures should be approximately 500 lux
to enable them to stand out visually.
Figure 3.13.7 A typical Hindu
prayer hall showing the shrines
The use of light sources with good colour rendering is preferable so that the
diverse variety of colours will be shown to their best effect. Directly in front of
the shrines there will be a walkway for the priest. This area will be illuminated
optimally by the careful use of directional luminaires, aimed towards the front
of the shrines. Advice on this method of lighting can be found in section 3.5.3.2.
Other items to be aware of in the Hindu prayer hall are the vedi or ‘fire haven’,
where vows are made during a wedding ceremony, and the priest’s seat, which is
usually highly decorated. It is not necessary to illuminate the latter separately.
The vedi is very difficult to illuminate individually as there will be a fire burning
in it during use, which will place restrictions on luminaire positioning. The light
emitted by the flames of the fire is usually sufficient to illuminate the couple
during this part of the ceremony.
In Sikh temples, or gurdwara, the focal point is a raised section or stage where
either the ceremony is conducted or readings are given. It is usual for this stage
to be located in the eastern end of the hall, which is known as the takht or throne.
Again, the lighting should be designed to highlight the ceremony taking place.
Additional accent lighting or scene-setting dimming equipment may be required.
Figure 3.13.8 The area from where

readings are given in a Sikh gurdwara
is known as the takht or throne
The lighting scheme should take into account the client’s requirements and
should include several different types of luminaire.
During ceremonies music will often be played on a harmonium or tabla. This is

a small instrument similar to an accordion. However, it will not be necessary to
have specific illumination for this instrument, as it is small in size and portable.
It should also be noted that on occasions use may be made of overhead projectors
and visual display screens. It is important that the location of these items is taken
into consideration when planning the lighting layout. As with many multi-
function rooms it may be appropriate to consider the use of dimming controls
that enable a number of different preset lighting scenes to be created.
In all temples, of whatever faith, care should be taken where large window areas
are involved, especially if they are south facing. While daylight can be extremely
beneficial in reducing the running costs of artificial lighting, the resultant high
illuminance levels can be contrary to the required ambience. It may be prudent
to have blinds or curtains fitted to minimise glare and to reduce the ingress of
natural light.
3.13.3.3 Kitchen Some kitchens are used only for making refreshments and cold snacks. In this
height is 300 lux. However, most kitchens are used to provide full meals and
drinks for visitors to the temple, as shown in Figure 3.13.9. In this case the kitchen
can be compared to a commercial one for the purpose of lighting, and appropriate
luminaires with a suitable ip rating should be installed. The average maintained
horizontal illuminance at worktop height should be approximately 500 lux, using
light sources with a cool colour temperature (4000 K). The possibility of working
in one’s shadow should be avoided. In addition, emergency lighting should be
provided where hazards such as cookers and stoves are present, to highlight their
controls; for further information, see chapter 4.
Figure 3.13.9 The community
kitchen in a Sikh gurdwara is
known as a langar room
3.13.3.4 Dining room The dining room may be basic in design and similar to a works canteen in
appearance. The average maintained horizontal illuminance at table height of
0.8 m above the floor should be 200 lux, using good colour rendering warm white
light sources of 2700–3000 K.
Some dining rooms will be more elaborate in their appearance and so will present
opportunities for more creative lighting design. Often, dining will take place
within a multi-purpose room. In this case the different uses of the space will need
to be considered and appropriate lighting provided for each use.
3.13.3.5 Class/study room Classrooms and study rooms within a temple are generally similar to those
found in schools, colleges and universities. In spaces where computers are used
extensively, reference should be made to SLL Lighting Guide 7: Office lighting
(SLL, 2005), together with any addenda, and SLL Lighting Guide 5: Lighting for
education (SLL, 2011). Whether computers are used or not, consideration should
be given to providing suitable levels of contrast. It is suggested that illuminance
on the wall should be around 70 lux and on the ceiling around 50 lux. The use of
direct/indirect luminaires should therefore be considered.
Figure 3.13.10 A study room Figure 3.13.11 Schools are usually

showing the use of computers housed in a separate building
Where educational facilities take the form of a separate school building, such as
the one shown in Figure 3.13.11, detailed advice is provided in SLL Lighting
Guide 5: Lighting for education (SLL, 2011).
13.14 Monasteries Application Maintained ugr limit Minimum Ra Remarks

and convents illuminance
(lux)
uniformity
(Uo)
Church 150 22 0.4 80 Ehav measured at floor
level
Lectern 300 19 0.6 80 Ehav on book stand and
Evav at speaker height
if computers used
if computers used
Library:
if computers used
if computers used
if computers used
Shop 500 22 0.4 80 Spotlighting of displays
is useful
Infirmary room 500 19 0.6 80 Illuminance at bed level
Workshop 300 25 0.6 80 Avoid stroboscopic
problems
Cell/bedroom 50 22 0.4 60 Task lighting on desks to
150 lux minimum
Refectory 200 22 0.4 80
Kitchen 500 22 0.6 80
Chapter room 300 19 0.6 80 Dimming useful to reduce
formality
Common room 50 22 0.4 80 Task lighting on desks.
Main lighting dimmable
occupied
Corridor 100 28 0.4 40
fully enclosed
Many centuries ago, medieval monasteries and abbeys were the most powerful
3.14.1 General landowners in the country. During the sixteenth century, most were dissolved by
observations Henry VIII in his struggle against the Vatican. When monasteries and abbeys are
mentioned it is usual to think of large buildings, such as Westminster Abbey, but
this is not always the case. Many original monasteries consisted of a rural house
for living quarters, with an adjacent chapel or sanctuary for prayer. In some, the
church consisted of a small room converted into a chapel or prayer room. For
the purpose of this guide, other types of building are also considered, such as
priories, convents and friaries.
Many historic establishments have survived, housing groups of monks or nuns

from different orders who lead a simple life of prayer and meditation. However,
there are many new monasteries and convents, which have developed from
nothing and whose buildings were specifically built for that purpose. Nowadays,
Figure 3.14.1 Monastery
building with college annex
it is usual for the name ‘community’ to be used when describing a monastery

or convent and the people involved, as this reflects the sharing and purpose of
the monastic life in a more profound way. Indeed, as many monasteries are now
occupied by females, many convents also house males.
Monasteries, abbeys, convents, priories and other buildings in this category vary
3.14.2 Building layout immensely in shape, size and content. There is no standard layout or design and
the lighting content can therefore vary between quasi-domestic and modern
highly technical construction.
The general layout of a small friary will consist of domestic quarters, such as
bedrooms, toilet facilities, a kitchen and dining room, a small chapel or prayer
room and maybe a small library. In contrast, a large monastery may comprise
several buildings, together with extensive gardens and additional farm buildings.
3.14.3 Lighting The lighting design must be sympathetic to the architecture of the buildings
involved. If there is only a single small building, lighting in the place of worship
design can be designed in accordance with the recommendations given in sections 3.15b
concept and 3.15c. The lighting of other rooms can be designed with reference to SLL
Lighting Guide 9: Lighting for communal residential buildings (SLL, 2013).
Where the layout is large it may consist of buildings or areas that can be classified
more easily by type and usage. There may be a main monastery or convent
building where the monks or nuns live. This building can be conveniently
divided up into three distinct zones: ‘encounter’, ‘work’ and ‘enclosure’. There
may also be a separate church with direct access from the main monastery or
convent building, which may allow visitor access for daily as well as Sunday
services. Another building sometimes present in the grounds of monasteries is
a college or training centre for clergy of the local diocese. Each building should
have the capability of being run quietly when required to do so. Therefore, due
consideration must be given to militating against background noise produced by
lamps, luminaires and control gear when the design is in the early stages.
3.14.4 Monastery/ The encounter zone will usually consist of an entrance hall, together with an area
capable of being used like a parish hall to greet visitors. Lighting should be used
convent building to create a warm and inviting ambience and decorative luminaire types should be
3.14.4.1 Encounter zone used. Good colour rendering warm white light sources with a colour temperature
of 2700 K or 3000 K should be specified. The maintained illuminance designed
at floor level needs to be higher than that in adjoining rooms. On bright and
sunny days this will assist visual adaptation from the bright daylight outside to
the lower level in the monastery or convent itself. This area will usually have an
information or notice board on one of the walls, which could be independently
highlighted. Utilising a light source with a cooler colour temperature of around
4000 K will help the information to stand out from the background.
A small chapel or worship area capable of seating up to around 10 people may

be situated next to the entrance area. This place of worship should be designed
in accordance with the recommendations given in sections 3.15b and 3.15c
regarding chapels and prayer rooms. Generally, an overall average maintained
illuminance of 150 lux at 1 m above floor level should be provided. In addition,
the lighting design should have a flexible switching arrangement and be capable
of being dimmed when necessary. Small chapels such as these are sometimes
used as prayer rooms and should be treated in a similar way. Additional lighting
around the altar is recommended if the size of the area is appropriate. However,
care must be taken to ensure that glare is kept to an absolute minimum and that
the additional luminaires are kept on a separate control channel. As these chapels
are invariably Christian there may be a sanctuary lamp on the wall to signify that
Figure 3.14.2 Monastery the Sacrament is present. It is usual to use a red glass diffuser with a warm white
entrance hall low-wattage led or compact fluorescent lamp.
Certain ancillary areas, such as toilets and storerooms, may be present in this
part of the encounter building. In addition, there may be interview and reception
rooms, the lighting for which should be suitable aesthetically. These rooms are
utilitarian in nature, and as they tend to be used only infrequently during the
week the use of automated controls such as presence/absence detectors should be
considered.
Figure 3.14.3 Small monastery chapel This part of the building may contain a book and souvenir shop, the lighting
design for which should be sympathetic to the interior design of the space.
Figure 3.14.4 A book

and souvenir shop
3.14.4.2 Work zone The work zone is where the Superior or Prior has an office. These offices are
usually situated physically between the encounter and enclosure zones and may
include a photocopying room and a secretary’s office.
Sometimes the main building will include a small ‘infirmary’ suitable for giving
first-aid and minor treatment. The room will usually be furnished with a medical
bed and chairs. If a nurse is employed full-time there may be an adjacent office.
There may also be a sluice room and a fully equipped wet room with 360°
accessible bath nearby. These rooms should be designed in accordance with SLL
Lighting Guide 2: Hospitals and health care buildings (SLL, 2008).
Other areas within this zone could include workshops for small-scale
manufacturing or sewing rooms for the repair or manufacturing of clothing. The
lighting should be suitable for the tasks involved.
There will also be ancillary areas, such as toilets, corridors and plant rooms, for
which suitable lighting will be required. In older buildings especially, some areas
will be highly ornate and there will be opportunities to accentuate architectural
features.
Figure 3.14.5 An ornate corridor
3.14.4.3 Enclosure zone The enclosure zone is the area where the brothers or sisters live. Here there may
be many bedrooms of a basic nature, usually furnished with a single bed, washing
facilities, a chair and a study area. Some of these rooms may be equipped for use
by disabled people and so, depending on the disability, may have special lighting
requirements.
As the enclosure zone is a living area there will be a refectory or dining room
serviced by a kitchen. The kitchen will be preparing meals on a daily basis for
what could be relatively large numbers. Therefore, the kitchen must be treated
in the same way as a commercial kitchen, with suitably protected luminaires.
On occasions when functions are being held, the kitchen will be used to prepare
the food which is then transported to other buildings within the monastery or
convent. It is recommended that the average maintained illuminance on all work
surfaces is 500 lux with a minimum uniformity on those surfaces of 0.60. A mean
cylindrical illuminance of 150 lux should also be aimed for. The lamps should be
of a cool type with a correlated colour temperature of 4000 K.
The refectory or dining room may be large, and may have dividing screens to
create smaller rooms. The lighting should create a warm and inviting ambience
and use decorative luminaires. Wall-mounted uplights and downlights can assist
in creating an attractive ambience, even in rooms with a more utilitarian design.
The use of a lighting control system can add to the overall versatility of the room
by creating a number of different lighting scenes.
Another room within the enclosure zone is the chapter room. This is where the
brothers or sisters will gather to hold meetings or discussions on various topics.
The room will be similar to many meeting rooms generally, but with the seating
usually arrayed around the perimeter. The decoration tends to be minimal as
this is a working room. However, the lighting should be attractive but practical,
and the use of decorative fluorescent luminaires is recommended. An average
maintained illuminance of 300 lux at 0.75 m above floor level is suggested.
In addition to the chapter room there will usually be a common room, where the
occupants can relax. This is sometimes referred to as a ‘community’ room. The
general appearance is usually similar to a large lounge containing comfortable
Figure 3.14.6 A convent kitchen seating, reading material and decorative furnishings. The luminaires should be
of a domestic type and may consist of wall-mounted fixtures and some spotlights
to create an interesting scene. An overall lighting level of 50 lux will generally
be adequate in this room, together with facilities for dimming some if not all of
the luminaires.
Figure 3.14.7 The chapter room Figure 3.14.8 A common room
There will be a library within the enclosure zone, which can be a single room or
a series of rooms linked together, depending upon the layout and architecture
of the building. The books contained within the library can be very old and
consideration must be given to limiting the amount of light falling on bookcases
when not in use. This can be achieved by careful choice of light level, screening
of windows and use of absence detection, so that lights go out when an area is not
in use. Ultraviolet radiation from lights and windows is particularly damaging
and should be reduced by using uv film on windows together with low-uv light
sources such as led or filtered fluorescent. In addition, it is now commonplace for
computers to be installed at various points within the library. It is important that
the correct lighting solution is incorporated; reference should be made to SLL
Lighting Guide 7: Office lighting (SLL, 2005). Useful information and advice on
reducing the damaging effects of light can also be found in SLL Lighting Guide
8: Lighting for museums and art galleries (SLL, 2014).
Other areas within the enclosure zone will generally be of an ancillary nature,
consisting of rooms such as a laundry, drying area, cloakrooms for garden clothes
and boots, an entrance area from the church, steward’s store, infirmary store for
Figure 3.14.9 A monastic library
wheelchairs and the like, suitcase store, fitness room, cleaning materials store,
bike shed and even a garage. The recommended lighting design for these rooms
can be obtained by reference to the SLL Lighting Handbook (SLL, 2009).
3.14.5 Church building The church building is usually separate from the main building in large
monasteries and convents. However, it is often joined to the main building by
either a clerestory, a covered walkway or a linked passageway.
The church itself will vary in size, shape and design according to its age and,
indeed, the religious order to which it belongs. The older types of church, which
usually date prior to the nineteenth century, can be traditional in design, with a
cruciform shape and with the altar at the eastern end. However, some churches,
particularly those built in more recent times, can be round or octagonal, with the
altar placed centrally within the space, as shown in Figure 3.14.10. The general
design considerations discussed in section 3.2 for Anglican and Catholic churches
will still be applicable. In the latter instance, the illuminance level of 150 lux
would still be used for those areas where the congregation is seated. The level in
the area where the choir is situated can then be increased to 300 lux, while the
altar itself should be lit to a level around 500 lux. Energy-efficient good colour
rendering dimmable light sources, such as compact fluorescent and led units, are
now being used more extensively in these spaces. Scene-setting lighting control
systems can also ensure that an appropriate ambience is achieved.
Figure 3.14.10 A modern monastic

church using scene-setting control
3.14.6 College building There may be a college annex adjoining the monastery or convent building or
within the grounds. This building will have educational and training facilities
for the community’s benefit, as well as provision for conferences and seminars.
In many cases college buildings are organised by the local church diocese for the
training of new clergy. These buildings vary in size and complexity, and in some
cases they are residential.
Recommendations for the lighting of educational and conference spaces can be

found in SLL Lighting Guide 5: Lighting for education (SLL, 2011). For advice on
lighting within the residential parts of the building, it is suggested that reference
be made to SLL Lighting Guide 9: Lighting for communal residential buildings
(SLL, 2013). The SLL Lighting Handbook (SLL, 2009) can also be used as a quick
reference guide for most queries.
Figure 3.14.11 Typical college library
3.15 Non-religious Application Maintained ugr Minimum Ra Remarks

venues and illuminance
(lux)
limit uniformity
(Uo)
buildings Entrance area 200 22 0.4 80
Cloakroom 150 22 0.4 80
3.15a Masonic halls Lodge room 150 22 0.6 80 Ehav measured at floor level
Organ:
– loft area 100 25 0.4 60
– music stand 500 19 0.8 80
Robing room 200 22 0.4 80
Practice/meeting 300 19 0.6 80
room
Library:
computers used
Dining room 200 22 0.4 80
Kitchen 500 22 0.6 80
Snooker room 200 22 0.4 80 Specialist unit over snooker table
Corridor 100 28 0.4 40
enclosed
Storage cellar/loft 100 25 0.4 60
3.15a.1 General Freemasonry in England and Wales is governed by the United Grand Lodge of
England, which has its headquarters in London. Similarly, Scotland and Ireland
observations have Grand Lodges based in their respective domains. The organisation dates
back to a period prior to the formation of the first Grand Lodge in 1717. Before
the twentieth century it was commonplace for lodges to meet in private rooms
within coaching houses or inns. Indeed, some lodges today still meet in this way.
However, it is becoming far more commonplace for lodges, or indeed a group of
lodges, to have their own premises. These Masonic halls, or centres, as they are
sometimes called, are organised by a hall management committee which includes
a representative from each individual lodge. The type of building is usually a large
manor house or town house converted for Masonic use. If a steward is employed
to provide bar and catering facilities, there may be living quarters either integral
within the building or adjacent to it.
Figure 3.15.1 United Grand

Lodge building in London
Larger Masonic halls may have extensive grounds that make the building
suitable for other functions, such as weddings, private parties and even business
meetings. These additional functions are not considered in depth by this guide,
as any amendment to the normal lighting requirements can usually be satisfied
by lighting controls or by additional temporary lighting.
3.15a.2 Building The sizes and shapes of Masonic halls vary considerably, usually with facilities
spread over several floors. However, the three main rooms common to all halls
layout will be the lodge room, the dining room and a lounge/bar area. Smaller buildings
may not have a kitchen if food is prepared externally by caterers and delivered
prior to dining. Larger buildings may house a library and study rooms, together
with meeting rooms, additional lounges and snooker rooms. Many halls have
additional lodge rooms to facilitate more than one lodge meeting on the same
evening.
Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge meetings are attended by large
numbers of freemasons and are usually held in venues such as exhibition halls or
convention centres and are therefore outside the scope of this guide.
A typical layout of a Masonic hall is shown in Figure 3.15.2.

layout for a Masonic hall
Master’s
dias
Dining
Kitchen
room
Lodge
room
Lounge/bar
Robing/practice
Stairs Stairs Toilet Office
rooms
Entrance
Upper floor level Ground floor level
3.15a.3 Lighting Generally, the lodge room will be the focal centre of the building. Other areas
such as the dining room and lounge should be treated as a domestic scene using
design concept decorative lighting. The overall concept must be inviting to visitors, with a warm
ambience. The use of linear fluorescent luminaires should therefore be restricted
to all but ancillary areas. Chandeliers incorporating modern led or compact
fluorescent lamps have been used successfully, and decorative wall fittings can be
very attractive. Lounge areas with recessed downlights housing led units should
also be considered.
In larger Masonic halls that cater for commercial meetings and presentations
careful attention should be given to luminaire choice. While these rooms could
be lit by conventional means, the aesthetic appearance would benefit from a
more homely approach. One of the main reasons why commercial enterprises
hire meeting rooms outside their own premises is the more relaxing atmosphere,
in which their staff will gain more knowledge and feel at ease. A well-designed
lighting scheme can contribute effectively to this experience.
3.15a.3.1 Entrance The entrance may consist of a covered porch on the exterior, where people can
gather before entering the building, or it could be a hallway or lobby behind the
front doors. Lighting for both circumstances should be warm and inviting, and the
luminaires must have the necessary ip rating if located on the outside.

Sometimes there are framed pictures or paintings in the hallway, which would
benefit from being individually illuminated. Luminaires that use compact
fluorescent or led light sources are now readily available. The colour temperature
of these sources should be 4000 K to bring out the colours from the background.
Care should be taken to avoid overspill of the cooler light onto the surrounding
walls.
3.15a.3.2 Lodge room The lodge room is where the ceremonies take place and is therefore the main
area of any Masonic hall. It is usually rectangular in shape with an ornate vaulted
ceiling. The room is intended to replicate the first temple in Jerusalem, built
by King Solomon. Therefore, it is normal to have no windows and no daylight.
There are windows in some lodge rooms, but where these exist they are covered
by heavy curtains to keep daylight out.
There are three pedestals, where the Master and his two Wardens sit. The Master
is situated in the east, although this may not strictly be east due to the layout
of the building. Many lodge rooms have a decorative cornice or pelmet around
the perimeter allowing the use of continuous linear fluorescent or led tubes to
uplight the ceiling. These tubes should operate on electronic control gear to
keep gear noise to a minimum, and have a colour temperature of 4000–6500 K
to simulate daylight. The result will reduce shadows and give excellent vertical
illuminance on people and objects within the room. To obtain the optimum
results it is important that the walls above the pelmet, as well as the ceiling,
should be finished with light colours to give the best possible reflectance.
Light distribution from within the pelmet is shown in Figure 3.15.3. Fluorescent
or led tubes mounted end to end can cause dark shadows on the vertical wall
above the pelmet due to their dark end-caps. To overcome this problem the tubes
can be staggered at a shallow angle, so that they overlap each other, as shown in
Figure 3.15.4. Care should be taken with bare led tubes as the individual leds
can cause scalloping on the walls. In some cases a secondary diffuser may be
required.
This effect will simulate daylight as it would have entered the original temple
in Jerusalem. Some lodge rooms have stars and other symbols painted on the
ceiling and the uplight effect will illustrate them effectively. If designed correctly,
the indirect light from the ceiling will also provide the required illuminance of
150 lux at floor level.
Figure 3.15.3 Reflected light
from pelmet and wall (section)
Figure 3.15.4 Overlapping lamps

to prevent dark spots (plan)
Figure 3.15.5 Modern lodge room

with wall and pelmet lighting
However, if the ceiling is dark or there is no facility for pelmet lighting, a

number of ornate chandeliers can provide the main task lighting. Wall-mounted
luminaires can be an additional source of light to improve uniformity. The
chandeliers and/or wall-mounted lamps should be warm in appearance and have
a colour temperature of 2700–3000 K. The luminaires would also benefit from
being dimmable. The average mean cylindrical illuminance within the room
should be at least 100 lux, so that people can be easily distinguished during
conversation.
In the centre of the ceiling there will be a blazing star symbol. This star may be lit
by small projector spotlights, or backlit by fluorescent lamps behind a prismatic
or opal panel.
Behind the Master’s chair there will be another much smaller star on the wall
above the Master. This will also be illuminated in some way. One method of
achieving this is to have a spotlight and a covered cowl with a star shape cut out
of the front. In this manner, when the spotlight is switched on, the cowl glows
as a star itself. A small compact fluorescent lamp or led light engine would be a
suitable light source for this purpose.
Within the lodge room there will be a table where the secretary and treasurer sit. A
higher illuminance of around 500 lux will be required here as the secretary will be
writing minutes and reading from documents. This higher level can be provided
by a table lamp or suitably positioned wall spotlights or recessed downlights
where appropriate. While it is a matter of individual choice as to which type is
best, recessing downlighters in an ornate ceiling is not to be recommended.
An organist will usually be present and may be situated within the room on the
floor or on a raised plinth. Alternatively, there may be an organ loft, which will
need a general luminaire for access. The music stand on the organ itself will need
illuminating to around 500 lux, although many organ types now have lighting
built in.
3.15a.3.3 Vestibule Outside the entrance to the lodge room there will be a table or stand containing
an attendance book, where each member and visitor must fill in their details. This
must also be illuminated sufficiently, and a table lamp or adjustable desk lamp
will usually suffice. This area may also serve as a robing area, where members can
put on their regalia and temporarily store their regalia cases.
This area or room may have cloakroom facilities, either within the room or
adjoining it. This is where masons usually congregate immediately before
entering the lodge room, so the lighting should be of a warm colour temperature
to appear inviting. The illuminance level should be 100 lux at floor level and the
mean cylindrical illuminance of around 50 lux will be sufficient. This will ensure
good modelling during conversation.
Figure 3.15.6 Vestibule at the
entrance to the lodge room
3.15a.3.4 Dining room The meal before or after a Masonic meeting is known as the festive board. This is
followed by speeches by some of the brethren present. The speeches are usually
made from where the proposer or responder is sitting, so the lighting generally
needs to be uniform and with good modelling. The minimum mean cylindrical
illuminance at 1.8 m above floor level should be 100 lux.
A symmetrical layout of decorative luminaires to a level of 200 lux is recommended.

Again, the lamps should be of a warm colour temperature to give a quasi-domestic
ambience. The dining room could be multi-purpose in use, serving as a dance
hall for social functions or for wedding receptions. Therefore, the lighting should
be divided into several circuits, with dimming controls where appropriate. In
this way the correct ambience can be achieved.
In circumstances where the dining room is also used as an alternative or

secondary lodge room, it is the lighting as a lodge room that must take priority.
This functional lighting will be adequate for dining purposes and again the use
of dimmable circuits will ensure compatibility.
Figure 3.15.7 Dining room laid

out for a wedding reception
3.15a.3.5 Library Libraries in Masonic halls tend to consist of one or more bookcases within a
small side room and are not like public libraries. The books held here are usually
lent out to brethren requesting them for reading at home. The lighting should
therefore meet the requirements in the lighting schedule for bookcases. As
these rooms are only used infrequently a standard fluorescent luminaire with a
controller would be sufficient.
3.15a.3.6 Lounge/bar This area is basically a meeting place for friendly discussion, with easy chairs and
low tables. It is similar in most aspects to a lounge and bar in a modern hotel and
the method of lighting should follow a similar vein.
Figure 3.15.8 Lounge bar area

with ornate ceiling lighting
It is important that the correct ambience is created in this area and therefore
an illuminance level is difficult to recommend. An overall level of 150 lux may
appear to be high, but with dimmable lighting controls and sensible switching
this could be easily reduced to 50 lux or below. In addition, there may be display
cases in the room housing antique artefacts or memorabilia which could benefit
from good lighting. Care must be taken with luminaire positioning to avoid
glare; it would be sensible to mount luminaires within the case itself, if possible.
3.15a.3.7 Practice rooms Practice rooms should be illuminated in a similar way to the main lodge room.
However, in some buildings these rooms can be used for meetings of members or
outside commercial bodies. It would therefore be prudent to illuminate the room
to a level of 300 lux at table height, and to provide the facility of reducing the
illuminance by either switching, dimming or a mixture of the two.
3.15b Chapels Application Maintained ugr Minimum Ra Remarks
(lux) (Uo)
Entrance area 200 22 0.4 80
Waiting room 200 22 0.4 80
Chapel room 150 22 0.4 80 Ehav measured at floor level
Viewing room 100 25 0.4 40 Dimmable down to 50 lux or
less
Arranging room 50 25 0.2 40 Domestic lounge ambience
Piano/organ 500 19 0.8 80 On the music stand
Lectern 300 19 0.6 80 Ehav on book stand
Embalming room 500 19 0.4 90 Uo of 0.8 on table. IP65 if units
hosed down
Preparation room 300 22 0.4 90 Uo of 0.8 on table
Coffin workshop 300 25 0.6 80 Prevent stroboscopic effects
Dining room 200 22 0.6 80 General lighting should be
dimmable
Kitchen 500 22 0.6 80
Garage 300 22 0.6 80 Portable hand lamps may be
required
Stable 50 – 0.4 40
Cremation furnace 200 25 0.4 20 Safety colours shall be
recognisable
Corridor 100 28 0.4 40
computers used
Training room 300 22 0.6 80 Consult Lighting Guide 7 if
computers used
enclosed
3.15b.1 General A chapel is generally described as being a small church that does not have
parochial status but is dependent upon a parish church. The name is also used
observations for a small building or room set aside for worship within a church or a cathedral.
Large churches or cathedrals might have many chapels dedicated to different
saints. In later medieval times, a chapel, unlike a church, did not have burial
rights, a priest, a parish boundary or the right to collect tithes. The word is also
used for a Nonconformist place of worship. However, for the purposes of this
guide, ‘chapel’ will be used to describe the following:
—— chapels of rest in funeral homes and crematoria

—— chapels within hospitals, hospices, cemeteries and large ships
—— chapels within universities and barracks of armed forces
—— registrars of births, deaths and marriages
—— private marriage chapels.
3.15b.2 Building Chapels within the context of this guide are generally part of a much larger
building, which may not be a place of worship. Certain rooms other than the
layout chapel room itself have been included in the lighting schedule for ease of design,
but may not be present if the chapel stands on its own. If there are other rooms
which need to be considered and are not listed above then reference to other
sections of the guide may provide the information required.
3.15b.3 Lighting Generally, the chapel room itself will be the only area of concern. However,
there may be other areas, annexed to the chapel, which the lighting designer
design will be called upon to design. The overall concept should be to achieve a warm
concept and inviting ambience. The use of chandeliers and decorative wall luminaires
utilising energy-efficient light sources should be considered. Waiting rooms and
other public areas can benefit from the use of recessed downlights using energy-
efficient light sources, such as led or compact fluorescent lamps.
3.15b.3.1 Funeral homes Funeral homes vary in size and extent, from a small converted house through to
a specialist detached manor house in its own grounds. Other names for funeral
homes include ‘chapel of rest’ and ‘chapel of repose’.
Figure 3.15.9 A funeral home reception

should be warm and relaxed
The entrance may consist of a covered porch on the exterior, where people can
gather before entering the building, or it could be a hallway, lobby or reception
lounge behind the front doors. Lighting for both circumstances should create
a warm and inviting ambience, and the luminaires should have the necessary
ip rating if located on the outside. The use of luminaires of a decorative type
should be considered, using lamps with a warm colour temperature in the range
of 2500–3000 K. The maintained illuminance designed at floor level should be
approximately 200 lux. Most funerals are held during the day, therefore this level
will assist in visual adaptation when entering the building.
Sometimes there will be framed pictures or paintings in the hallway, which would
benefit from being individually illuminated. The use of directional luminaires
with a colour temperature of 3500–4000 K, being cooler than the ambient
lighting of the space, will tend to bring out the colours of the paintings from the
background. Care should be taken to avoid overspill of the cooler light onto the
surrounding walls.
The chapel of rest will generally be a small room with some seating for the family
and friends of the deceased. The ambience of the room will be domestic and
relaxed. Good colour rendering warm white light sources should be used.
Figure 3.15.10 The chapel
should have a warm ambience
In this room a priest or member of the family will talk about the deceased and
offer prayer. Background music will also usually be present. In those cases where
the deceased was not of a particular religion, or was indeed atheist, this room
will be where the friends and family congregate before going in a cortege to
the crematorium or cemetery. The use of chandeliers and/or wall luminaires is
normal, while the pedestal or lectern, from where a priest or speaker will address
those present, should be lit to a level of 300 lux on the reading plane. This can be
achieved in several ways; Figure 3.15.10 shows a brass desk light, which could
house a compact fluorescent or led light source to blend in perfectly with the
surroundings.
Figure 3.15.11 A viewing room
Adjoining the chapel there may be a ‘viewing room’, where the close family can
see the deceased in an open coffin, before they are moved into the chapel. Again,
the lighting of the room should be low key and preferably dimmable. The lamps
should also be of a warm temperature to provide the necessary ambience. This is
especially true if a coffin is to be open, as the pale colour of the face and hands of
a corpse must not be emphasised.
Some funeral homes have what is commonly referred to as an ‘arranging room’.

This is where those requesting a funeral can be taken to make the arrangements
in an informal setting. It is designed to resemble a domestic lounge and the
lighting should emphasise that type of environment.
Another room found in many funeral homes is the embalming room. This is where
bodies are prepared for the funeral by the injection of chemicals (embalming
fluid). The lighting for this purpose is more functional, and luminaires of a
protected corrosion-resistant type using 4000 K fluorescent tubes or leds should
be considered. The illuminance level required in this area is around 500 lux
horizontal on the table, with excellent uniformity. If specialist lighting units are
Figure 3.15.12 A typical to be used over the table, then the general lighting level in the room can be
arranging room reduced to 200 lux. These specialist units are similar to those found in operating
theatres and dentists’ surgeries and can be ceiling or wall mounted or a mobile
unit on wheels.
After embalming, the body may be moved to a ‘preparation room’, where the body
is dressed – usually in a favourite outfit – before being taken to the viewing room.
As this is an area where the public would not generally visit, the normal lighting
arrangement would be surface-mounted or recessed fluorescent luminaires
with lamps of good colour rendition, with a correlated colour temperature of
approximately 4000 K. The target illuminance should be 300 lux on the table
with good uniformity.
Larger funeral homes may contain a workshop where coffins are manufactured
and a storeroom in which they are kept. There will also be offices, and sometimes
training rooms, for clerical and managerial staff. It is not uncommon to find
catering facilities in some of the larger homes, which could consist of a dining
room and a commercial kitchen.
Annexed to the main building there may be a garage, where the hearses are kept
and maintained. If mechanics are employed to service the vehicles then the area
should be lit as a commercial workshop. Some funeral homes use horse-drawn
hearses when requested. It is usual for these units to be subcontracted in for the
infrequent occasions when they are needed. However, there may be a stable block
within the grounds and lighting should be designed appropriately.
3.15b.3.2 Crematoria The majority of crematoria in the UK are organised and managed by local
authorities, although there is a growing trend for private companies to own and
run them. Crematoria vary in size and shape, depending upon the volume of use
and their geographic position. Most crematoria consist of at least a chapel and
the crematory (where bodies are cremated) as minimum requirements. However,
especially in large towns and cities, there will also be facilities to welcome one
cremation group while a service is already taking place. This will usually consist
of a large waiting room or hallway where mourners can congregate prior to the
arrival of the cortege.
A typical layout of a crematorium is shown in Figure 3.15.14.
Store
room Exit Maintenance
Office
Toilet
Figure 3.15.13 A waiting room
Reception Chapel Furnace

area
Waiting
room

layout for a crematorium
Entrance
canopy
Usually, crematoria are not religion-specific and are suitable for ceremonies held
by most religions. The entrance canopy will be where friends and family will
congregate to receive the hearse carrying the deceased. This is commonly known
as the porte-cochère. As the vast majority of cremations take place during daylight
hours it is unlikely that the lighting in this area will be used. However, as the area
is intended to be purely an area of assembly there should be adequate artificial
lighting to cater for those times when it is needed. Either ip rated fluorescent
luminaires within the canopy or wall-mounted decorative fittings should be
sufficient. The correlated colour temperature of the lamps should be warm, in
the region of 2700–3000 K.
The reception area is basically the entrance to the chapel itself. The procession
of the deceased, carried by pall-bearers, followed by the congregation will go
through this area to enter the chapel. It is also the area where mourners will
congregate during bad weather or if there is no canopy on the outside of the
building. The decoration should be warm and domestic in appearance with
luminaires of a suitable design.
The waiting room is where mourners gather when they are waiting for a prior
cremation service to finish. Suitable luminaires will comprise either decorative
wall or ceiling fixtures, or efficient downlights using compact fluorescent or led
Figure 3.15.15 A porte-cochère lamps with a warm colour temperature.
The main chapel of rest is where the cremation service takes place. The
congregation will be seated in rows of chairs, usually facing an easterly direction.
The recommended maintained illuminance in this main area is approximately
150 lux at prayer book height when standing (i.e. 1 m above floor level). The
general luminaires specified should be decorative in nature, low in glare and
have no flicker. The use of dimming can also be considered. A suitable light
source would be compact fluorescent or led lamps, operating on high-frequency
control gear. At the eastern end of the chapel will be a structure upon which the
coffin is placed for the duration of the service, known as a catafalque. To either
side of this structure will be a lectern for the priest or presiding mourner and a
piano or organ. While the music stand and the lectern will require a maintained
illuminance of 500 lux and 300 lux, respectively, it is common to illuminate this
front area of the chapel generally to a level of approximately 300 lux. The music
stand can then be illuminated with a local task light to provide higher levels of
illuminance. The task light may or may not be part of the instrument.
Figure 3.15.16 Chapel room, showing
the curtains and catafalque As part of the ceremony, or shortly afterwards, the coffin will exit through an
opening in the far wall to the crematory. Here, the body will be cremated. The
crematory is utilitarian in design and is generally not open to the public. The
lighting in this room should comprise suitable corrosion-resistant luminaires
protected to IP65 if they are to be hosed down occasionally. A maintained average
horizontal illuminance of around 300 lux will be sufficient in the crematory. To
prevent premature failure it is suggested that luminaires are not mounted directly
above the ovens.
After the service the mourners will filter through the exit, which is usually
separate from the entrance in busy crematoria. From a lighting perspective the
exit should be illuminated in a similar way to the entrance.
Some crematoria have additional rooms within the building. Apart from ancillary
rooms such as toilets and storerooms, there will be an office for the crematorium
manager and staff. There may also be a viewing room similar to those found in
many funeral homes, where the deceased can be laid in the coffin. The room will
have seating for close relatives, to allow them to spend a few last moments before
a service in the chapel or the cremation.
Another room found in most crematoria is ‘the remembrance room’. This is a

small room where the Book of Remembrance is situated, in a glass case, opened at
the same date of the previous year. This is to allow families to see the details of a
deceased relative’s funeral, helping them to remember that solemn occasion. With
the digital revolution, it is now customary to also have a ‘virtual remembrance
room, in which a computer is situated on an ornate table. Attendees can use the
computer to view electronic details of the Book of Remembrance going back over
many years.
In both these rooms care must be taken to avoid reflected glare, either on the
glass of the case or on the screen of the computer.
Figure 3.15.17 A remembrance room Figure 3.15.18 A virtual remembrance room

with a computer
Finally, there may be a ‘flower room’, where bouquets are placed temporarily
between cremations, before they are sent to a home or hospital. This room is
basically no more than a storeroom and should be illuminated accordingly.
3.15b.3.3 General General chapels are small places of worship that are not specific to any religion.
chapels These can be found in many hospitals, hospices, universities and cemeteries
throughout the world. They are also found in barracks of the armed forces as well
as on board large ships and cruise liners.
The lighting design concept within these chapels can vary depending on the size
of the chapel and what activity takes place within the room. In those chapels
where the primary activity is purely prayer or contemplation, a maintained
horizontal illuminance of 150 lux at floor level should be provided. In these
circumstances it is recommended that a dimmer be installed in the circuit, to
enable users to adjust the lighting to their specific needs. The lamps should be
of a warm colour temperature, and the luminaires specified should be decorative
and domestic in appearance.
However, if the chapel is larger or if formal services will take place, organised by
a chaplain or lay preacher, then the lighting requirements will change. In this
instance it will be necessary to consider increasing the illuminance at the end
of the room where the person conducting the service will be positioned. The
recommended increase will be to a maintained level of around 300 lux at table
or waist height. This can be done by either increasing the lamp wattage within
Figure 3.15.19 A small luminaires in that area or by using carefully angled spotlights. It is also important
chapel in a hospital where a piano or organ is situated that the correct lighting is available on the
music stand. This can be provided by a local task lamp. Where the chapel is
multi-faith, few artefacts or decorations will be seen. The chapel shown in Figure
3.15.19 has a crucifix on the wall which is movable. This will be taken down when
the room is being used by members of faiths other than Christianity. There is also
a wall light with a red glass cover, which is switched on when the Sacrament is
present. It is also used during the night as a security light if someone wants to use
the chapel. The lamp used in this instance is usually of a 4 W compact fluorescent
type to keep energy consumption to a minimum.
Chapels within cemeteries are usually buildings in their own right and can
be considered small churches. It is suggested that the comments made in the
previous two paragraphs will cover the majority of cemetery chapels. However,
if the chapel is large it may be prudent to consult section 3.2 on Anglican and
Catholic churches.
3.15b.3.4 Registry offices These buildings are offices dealing with the registration of births, deaths and
marriages in the UK. As such they consist almost entirely of offices and meeting
rooms, together with ancillary areas. However, registry offices do conduct
marriage and civil partnership ceremonies when they are required to be of a
non religion-specific nature. The ceremony is conducted in a room specifically
arranged for that purpose. The decoration of the room will generally be minimal.
There will be rows of seating where friends and family can watch the ceremony,
and a table and chairs where the actual signing of the register will take place. It
is commonplace for the lighting to be practical and functional, with recessed or
surface-mounted fluorescent or led luminaires typically providing a maintained
illuminance of 300 lux at table height. However, the use of wall- or ceiling-
mounted decorative fixtures with warm light sources to give more of a domestic
and relaxed ambience is recommended.
3.15b.3.5
Private marriage These places of worship tend to be few and far between in this country, although
chapels there are some private marriage chapels in Scotland. The chapels tend to
consist of a single marriage room together with ancillary areas. The method of
lighting can be similar to that used in registry office marriage rooms, though
more decorative luminaires can be used to good effect. However, most marriage
chapels are actually rooms within a large hall, hotel or conference venue, used
occasionally for that purpose. In these instances the lighting will be the same as
for any multi-purpose function room.
3.15c Prayer rooms Application Maintained ugr limit Minimum Ra Remarks

illuminance uniformity
(lux) (Uo)

Wash room 200 25 0.4 80
Prayer room 150 22 0.4 80 Ehav measured at floor level
Discussion 50 25 0.2 40 Domestic lounge ambience
lounge
Storeroom 100 25 0.4 60
3.15c.1
General Many airports and railway stations have a prayer room. Some airports have
several prayer rooms, serving both the land-side and air-side of the terminal.
observations Prayer rooms are also frequently referred to as ‘multi-faith spaces’. The
Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 place a requirement
on employers to provide prayer space, provided they can meet a ‘test of reasonable
accommodation’. Factors that should be taken into account are:
—— the cost involved

—— the effect on the business
—— any possible burden or inconvenience to other members of staff.
Prayer rooms are generally small rooms where visitors of any faith can go to pray,
worship or just to obtain peace and quiet. Traditionally, these rooms would have
been constructed and designed for members of the Christian faith. However,
they are now used by people of many different faiths from all over the world.
An understanding of all the religious issues involved is therefore paramount,
along with accepted principles of inter-religious ethics. The Inter Faith Network
for the UK has proposed a code of practice which includes considerations for
multi-faith rooms. It is entitled Building good relations with people of different
faiths and beliefs. This code is a source of relevant additional reading. There is
also a growing popularity for yoga and meditation by people with no particular
religious affiliation. Quiet time and reflection, for people with or without faith,
may also be helpful in managing stress in the workplace. Transport for London
has created rooms in more than 15 locations across London, including offices,
underground stations and bus depots. It intends to increase this number in the
next few years. The Manchester Architecture Research Centre at the University
of Manchester is currently carrying out valuable research on multi-faith spaces;
more information is available at www.manchester.ac.uk/mfs.
Prayer rooms are places of contemplation and so are usually attractively decorated,
with comfortable seating. There should also, whenever possible, be an open area
where visitors can kneel and supplicate freely.
Figure 3.15.20 A typical discussion
room, giving a more domestic
feel to the environment
These rooms are usually part of a large building and so are not specifically built
to face east, but the seating will usually face the wall that is the nearest to east.
For the benefit of those visitors of certain faiths there is often an indicator or sign
signifying the direction of east within the room.
In addition to the prayer room or quiet room itself there may be other rooms
Figure 3.15.21 A typical prayer annexed to it. One such room may be an entrance lobby, where space is given
room entrance lobby
to a table containing literature regarding different religions and maybe a
visitor comments book. There will usually also be a shoe rack for Muslim
worshippers. This area will need to be illuminated to create a warm and inviting
atmosphere, using lamps with a warm white colour temperature (2700–3000 K).
In the entrance lobby, a maintained lighting level of 150 lux on the table will
be sufficient. Another room may be a discussion lounge, where, for example,
families of a deceased person can spend time discussing what has happened and
what to do next; an example is shown in Figure 3.15.20. There may also be a
storeroom where artefacts such as prayer mats and religious icons are kept. There
may also be a washroom, providing facilities for users of the prayer room to wash
themselves prior to prayer.
3.15c.2 Lighting Generally, the prayer room is a decorative area and the lighting will need to
enhance that appearance. Therefore, luminaires of a domestic appearance will
design concept tend to create an appropriate ambience while providing suitable illuminance
levels. The correlated colour temperature of the lamps specified should be warm
white, in the range of 2700–3000 K.
The uniformity at floor level is not crucial, just as it would not be in a domestic
situation, although dark shadows should be avoided. Mean cylindrical
illuminance should be considered and should be at least 75 lux average over the
entire area. This will enable facial features to be distinguished easily.
Prayer rooms may be used for services conducted by the resident chaplain or a
visiting chaplain. An average maintained illuminance of 150 lux is recommended
for such occasions. However, when the room is occupied by an individual for the
purposes of prayer and contemplation the average illuminance can be reduced
Figure 3.15.22 Prayer room in significantly to around 50 lux. Uniformity in this instance will be much less
Terminal 3 at Manchester Airport important; indeed, some would prefer there to be lighting only near the entrance
or exit, while the remainder of the room is illuminated purely by reflected light
or, sometimes, candlelight. In order that this scenario can be achieved easily
by untrained visitors to the room consideration should be given to multiple
switching or simple dimming (i.e. by a rotary potentiometer), or a mixture of
both concepts.
Figure 3.15.23 Prayer room with
perimeter seating and open floor space
4 Emergency For all premises a duty is imposed by UK and European legislation on persons,
including employers and other persons with control of premises, to carry out
lighting risk assessments for the building, including evacuation and emergency lighting.
These ‘responsible persons’ (also known as the ‘duty holder’ in Scotland and the
‘appropriate person’ in Northern Ireland) are required to take such measures as
4.1 Introduction are deemed necessary to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the safety of
the occupants of any building, including churches and places of worship. These
measures include the provision of safe means of escape, including emergency
routes and exits, together with, where necessary, signs indicating them. Sufficient
illumination needs to be provided for safety, together with emergency lighting of
sufficient intensity in case of failure of the normal lighting. Three good reasons
for providing emergency lighting in places of worship are:
— fire safety risk assessment by the Regulatory Reform

(Fire Services) Order 2005
— the Management of Health and Safety at
Work Regulations 1999
— personal injury insurance.
Risk assessment guidance is given in a series of guides published by the

Department for Communities and Local Government, and in guidance published
by the Justice Department of the Scottish Government. Equivalent guidance in
Northern Ireland is currently in preparation. Guidance is also provided in BS
PAS (Publicly Available Specification) 79. It will be necessary to take notice of
the special needs of worshippers, who can range from the very young to the old
and frail, the latter sometimes having restricted mobility and sight.
For new buildings and major refurbishments attention is drawn to legal

requirements in respect of emergency lighting. Further guidance is given in HSE
publication L21, and in Approved Document B to the Building Regulations 2010
and its equivalents in Scotland and Northern Ireland. General requirements for
emergency lighting are specified in BS 5266-1: 2011 and BS EN 1838: 1999.
Emergency lighting is provided to enable essential activities to be carried out in
the event of the normal lighting failing, for whatever reason. The values required
depend on the location.
Emergency escape route lighting envelops corridors and stairwells etc., covering
the whole route from internal rooms to outside the building and to a place of
safety. Open areas include rooms larger than 60 m2, or that have a route through
them, or any hazard identified by the risk assessment. High risk task area lighting
covers any locations where there are hazards that are identified as a particular
danger, or areas controlling dangerous processes that must be shut down safely.
Other areas where a sudden loss of light could cause risks to occupants should be
identified by the risk assessment; BS 5266-1 gives advice of appropriate values
of illumination, time for initiation and duration, with details of the task area to
be covered.
To meet fire safety legislation all risks must be identified, together with the
level of protection needed, before a detailed emergency lighting scheme can be
prepared. The resultant fire risk assessment, together with the shape and size of
the building, will determine the type and quantity of emergency lighting that
will be necessary in the church or place of worship. Certain additional factors
must be taken into account, such as: (a) How many people will the building
accommodate? (b) Will the building be used during hours of darkness? (c) Are
there any windows to let in outside light? (d) Will exit signs be sufficient to allow
people to leave safely?
There is a major risk assessment decision to be made in most systems when the
body of the premises is larger than 60 m2. If the seating is fixed the assessor
may consider that the emergency lighting could be used just to cover the aisles
between the seating. This procedure is accepted for premises such as cinemas
and theatres, but the assessor may consider that the likely age and health of the
occupants requires that the whole area be treated as an open area.
Standby lighting is not required by legislation, but it can be used to allow persons
to continue to use the premises in the event of a supply failure. This form of
lighting can only be used to meet fire safety legislation if the equipment and
system complies with product and application requirements for safety systems.
Hazards must also be taken into account if they are likely to be present. Boiler
rooms and plant rooms could pose a serious safety hazard if a person was
suddenly plunged into darkness. Another hazard could be changes in direction,
such as steps and stairs. If the building is not used during the hours of darkness
and there is sufficient natural light in the room, the responsible person may
decide that there is no need for emergency lighting. However, to guarantee that
no person would be in any danger if the lights were extinguished could be a
dangerous decision.
In the large open area of a church or other place of worship, emergency luminaires
could be mounted on stone pillars or around the perimeter of the room to
illuminate the escape route, or provide lighting to the open area. However,
remember that spotlights are difficult to engineer to cover open areas and are
often expensive. Open area lighting could be provided by compact fluorescent
lamps within the normal luminaires. It is more difficult to provide emergency
lighting integral within discharge luminaires. The recommendation of using
self-contained non-maintained emergency luminaires for ease of installation
and operation should be considered. In listed buildings, there is a growing trend
towards using ‘marker’ type flexible recessed units set in the floor. These units
are similar to those used in aircraft to mark escape routes and can house rows
of coloured leds or be of fibre optic design. However, any lighting for listed
buildings must be discussed with the architect and/or English Heritage before
approval is given.
It is strongly recommended that prior to a design being carried out for the
emergency lighting advice be sought from the local fire authority. They will give
their thoughts on whether or not a large area such as a church nave should be
fully illuminated as an ‘open area’, or whether less coverage is acceptable. Some
fire officers regard churches in the same way as cinemas, with regard to them
both being places of public assembly. In this case escape lighting down the aisles
is preferable to a lower level of open area lighting.
The final word will always lie with the fire authority, so it should be the lighting
designer’s duty to ensure that correct advice is sought at the beginning of the
project, rather than later. The designer must ensure that, in the case of a fire or
fatality, no liability is passed to them due to failure to seek good advice. It is not
the duty of the lighting designer to make decisions for the responsible person
with regard to emergency lighting. In addition, there are severe penalties for
responsible persons who do not carry out their duties satisfactorily.
Emergency lighting 115
4.2 Escape Escape lighting is provided to ensure the safe and efficient evacuation of an
interior. It must (a) identify the escape route clearly and unambiguously and
lighting the direction of movement along it, (b) illuminate the escape route to allow safe
movement towards and out of the exit, and (c) ensure that fire alarm call points,
firefighting equipment and safety equipment provided along the escape route can
be readily located.
The standards usually adopted for escape lighting are specified in BS 5266, BS
EN 1838 and SLL Lighting Guide 12: Emergency lighting design guide (SLL,
2004). These documents are not legal requirements. However, they can acquire
legal status by reference. Although most enforcing authorities in the UK quote
BS 5266, some modify the conditions. For example, they may insist on a higher
illuminance. Therefore, the designer must thoroughly investigate the standards
that will be applied to the interior by the responsible person and by the relevant
enforcing authority.
4.2.1 Marking All exits and emergency exits must have exit or emergency exit signs. Where
direct sight of an exit is not possible, or there could be doubt as to the direction,
the route then direction signs with an appropriate pictogram are required. The idea is to
direct someone who is unfamiliar with the building to the exit. All of these signs
must be illuminated at all reasonable times so that they are legible. A luminaire
must also be positioned directly outside the final exit, so that people exiting a
building are not faced with unseen dangers. Ancillary rooms within the building
may be accessed by a corridor. Here, emergency luminaires need to be placed at
changes of level and direction, and must also be adjacent to any fire appliances
and first-aid points.
4.2.2 Illuminating The minimum illuminance along the centre line of a clearly defined escape route
should be 1 lux, and 50% of the route width for escape routes up to 2 m wide should
the route be lit to a minimum of 0.5 lux. Passageways should be lit as clearly defined escape
routes. Verified luminaire photometric data should be de-rated for end of battery
and lamp design life, and allowance made for the effects of dirt and ignoring any
reflections. It is important to note that most fires are accompanied by smoke and
that smoke may affect the illuminances produced on the escape routes. Durations
of 3 hours may be necessary in large complex premises, particularly where people
unfamiliar with the site or of limited mobility may be present. Systems with a
duration of 1 hour are only suitable when the responsible person carrying out
the risk assessment can guarantee that persons will not be allowed back into the
building until the emergency luminaires are fully recharged, this usually being
24 hours.
The emergency lighting luminaires should not cause problems of disability glare.
Luminaires should be mounted at least 2 m above floor level in order to avoid
physical damage in use. If spotlights are used they should be mounted at least 30°
above the line of sight, to avoid disability glare. Luminaires should be located
near each exit door and emergency exit door and at points where it is necessary
to emphasise the position of potential hazards, such as changes of direction,
staircases and changes of floor level.
Firefighting equipment, fire alarm call points and first-aid points along the escape
route must be adequately illuminated at all reasonable times. While these may
not be used in the event of fire they should be illuminated. Emergency lighting
is required in each lift car in which people can travel.
Emergency lighting luminaires are required in all control rooms and plant
rooms. In toilets of over 8 m2 gross area, emergency lighting should be installed
to provide a minimum of 0.5 lux.
Emergency lighting is required for open areas larger than 60 m2 or areas of any
4.2.3 Open area size with an escape route passing through them. The floor area of many meeting
lighting rooms, chapels and naves of churches will exceed this size. BS EN 1838 requires
0.5 lux minimum anywhere in the central core of the floor area. This core area
excludes the 0.5 m to the perimeter of the area. The shadowing effects of movable
objects in the core area are also excluded.
In some cases it is possible that the use of candles can be accepted as adequate
maintained emergency lighting.
4.2.4 High risk High risk task area lighting is required in cases where machinery, plant or
processors need to be brought to a safe and stable state before the area is
task area evacuated. For such locations, the area should be illuminated to a minimum of
lighting 10% of normal illuminance. The emergency lighting may be needed for less time
than is recommended for escape route lighting, the minimum duration being
determined by an assessment of the time required to make the machinery or
process safe. After this period, the emergency lighting may be extinguished or
the illuminance provided reduced depending on whether the area forms part of
an escape route or not.
Kitchens have always been a grey area with regard to emergency lighting. Those
which are used to make only tea and coffee by means of an electric kettle and store
biscuits do not need emergency lighting. However, some kitchens are used to
cook full meals and drinks for either meetings or visiting homeless people. When
the method of cooking involves gas ranges then advice should be gleaned from
BS 5266. The illumination in areas where people are preparing or transporting
hot food needs to be sufficient for them to be able to leave equipment in a safe
condition, for example:
—— gas powered equipment needs to be turned off to ensure that

a fully safe condition exists while the area is evacuated
— electric appliances need to be isolated to ensure that they do not
turn on once the supply is reinstated and cause a possible unsafe
condition.
The minimum average illuminance level on any controls should be 15 lux,

measured at task height.
For areas where continuous operation is needed throughout the period of failure
4.3 Standby of the normal lighting, standby lighting should be installed. The illuminance
lighting provided by standby lighting can vary from 5% to 100% of the standard service
illuminance provided by the normal lighting, depending on the nature of the
activities that need to continue. The correct lighting requirement can only be
established by careful analysis of each situation. This type of emergency lighting
would not normally be used in a place of worship, but may be necessary in certain
adjacent areas to small chapels in buildings such as hospitals.
Emergency lighting 117
5 Exterior Application Maintained
illuminance
ugr
limit
Minimum
uniformity
Ra Remarks
lighting (lux) (Uo)

Car parking area:
– light traffic 5 55 0.25 20
– medium traffic 10 50 0.25 20
– heavy traffic 20 50 0.25 20
Pedestrian walkways:
– main access 10 50 0.25 20
– secondary access 5 50 0.25 20
Perimeter security 5 50 0.25 20 Dependent on
cameras if installed
Noticeboards 150 n/a 0.4 80 Timed operation
recommended to
save energy
Clock:
– light surface, dark
– surroundings 200 n/a 0.5 60
– light surface, bright
– surroundings 500 n/a 0.5 60
Sundial:
– large 100 n/a 0.2 40
– small 200 n/a 0.2 40
There are several exterior areas associated with places of worship, which, for the
5.1 Introduction purposes of lighting design, can usually be put into one of three groups: security,
access and floodlighting. For all these areas the lighting must be designed to
give a safe environment by revealing obstacles and hazards, and it must be of
sufficient quantity and nature to enable efficient operation.
5.2 Car parking Car parks belonging to places of worship, just like the buildings themselves, are
varied in size and complexity. The lighting must be designed in a practical way
and in accordance with methods suggested in the Guide to limiting obtrusive light
(SLL, 2012) and SLL Lighting Guide 6: The outdoor environment (SLL, 1992).
The use of floodlights with asymmetric reflectors and flat glasses, which emit no
upward light, will generally limit the amount of light pollution, as long as they
are tilted as little as possible from the horizontal.
Figure 5.1 Church car park lit with asymmetric floodlights (right)
The horizontal maintained illuminance level for car parks will depend on the
size of the area, amount of traffic flow and situation. Small car parks adjacent to a
village church will only need a low quantity of light for patrons to see well, in the
order of 5 lux. Larger car parks in built-up areas will require more illuminance,
around 10 lux, while those in city centres with high levels of surrounding
luminance will require an average of 20 lux.
Where the car park is private and has protective gates or barriers to help stop
intruders, it is important that the gates are noticeable to an approaching driver.
This can be achieved by either illuminating the gates themselves or allowing the
gates to appear dark against an illuminated background. Luminaires should be
chosen carefully, with energy-efficient lamps and appropriate controls, to assist
in keeping running costs to a minimum. The style of lighting will set the scene.
H
4H
6H 3H 4H 2H
Figure 5.2(a) Typical lighting Figure 5.2(b) Lighting layout with

layout for a small car park: an array of symmetrical lanterns
asymmetric floodlights mounted
on columns around the perimeter
Ideally, columns should be positioned around the perimeter of the park where
they are least likely to be damaged by vehicles. The layout of columns and
floodlights around the perimeter is easily determined if it is assumed that wide-
angle floodlights will provide useful illuminance over a depth of area equal to
three times their mounting height, and that lateral spacing between floodlights
should also equal about three times the mounting height. These ratios are called
the ‘rule of three’; see Figure 5.2(a). The selected column height will often have
to be a compromise. It needs to be high enough to ensure the floodlights are well
above parked vehicles, which create increasing lengths of shadow as their distance
from the floodlight position increases, and to minimise glare for drivers using the
car park. However, the height must be related sensibly to the height of nearby
buildings and it may well be limited by local authority by-laws. Maintenance
of any floodlighting system should be taken into consideration. If it becomes
clear that the column height required is excessive, an alternative solution may
be to use intermediate columns, effectively splitting the car park into two, using
symmetrical distribution lanterns on lower columns in a regular array; see Figure
5.2(b). Such an installation may prove less economical and less efficient, but it is
also likely to have a less severe and more aesthetically pleasing appearance.
When considering any exterior lighting scheme guidance should be sought from
other sources, such as the SLL Lighting Handbook (SLL, 2009) and Lighting
Guide 6: The outdoor environment (SLL, 1992). In order to avoid problems such as
light pollution and light nuisance it is suggested that advice given in the Guide to
limiting obtrusive light (SLL, 2012) be followed.
5.3 Security Security lighting for places of worship usually consists of surface-mounted
bulkhead luminaires placed around the perimeter of the building. A spacing/
lighting mounting height ratio of around 3:1, together with an average maintained
illuminance 1 m out from the building of 5 lux, is usually enough to dissuade
most criminals and vandals from coming too close.
Exterior lighting 119
In the context of equipment security it should be noted that floodlights mounted
low or on the ground may be subject to damage or deliberate interference unless
they are protected. In some situations, better revealment and lower cost will
result from lighting building faces around an area rather than using area lighting.
There may be publicity value in the floodlighting as well. However, care must be
taken to keep light pollution low and not to contravene local authority planning
requirements.
5.4 Floodlighting Many of Britain’s towns and cities owe much of their individual character to fine
historic churches, which can boast rich, ornate facades and beautiful architecture.
Places that are perhaps less fortunate in their legacy of fine historic buildings are
nevertheless sure to have a liberal provision of interesting places of worship.
The grandeur of the historic and the qualities of the modern can both be
accentuated during the hours of darkness by well-conceived installations of
floodlighting. Although the primary objective of lighting a building facade or
its surroundings may not have been to prevent illegal entry or theft, it has to
be acknowledged that floodlighting can be an effective security measure. Facade
lighting in particular enables observers on the street to easily perceive movement
and people revealed in silhouette against the brightness of the building surface.
Daylighting is general and non-selective; artificial lighting can reveal specific

buildings and stress particular characteristics and its effects can be modified.
Thus the designer is able to select exactly what needs to be accented or ignored.
Most buildings of any merit can be successfully floodlit. The emphasis should
be on the aesthetic values of the architecture, rather than on achieving specific
lighting levels. Not only are the buildings enhanced, but the local environment
as a whole can be invigorated. Older buildings and monuments can respond
particularly well to this approach.
No floodlighting project can be commenced until a comprehensive survey has

been made of the building and the surroundings in which it stands. It is essential
to study the features of the building fabric under the conditions of natural light
and preferably to view it in sunlight at regular times throughout the day. A
detailed appraisal of the effects created by variations in the angles of sunlight
striking the architecture can reveal which features of the building are the most
attractive and need to be enhanced with artificial lighting.
Many early architectural styles were only considered in relation to the natural
light of day and decorative illumination after the sun had set would have been
unthinkable. There is now no limit to the forms a modern building may take
and architects are more inclined to the precept that the building should also
be attractive to view after dark, when the various surfaces and textures may be
illuminated artificially. The appearance of the building at night-time may well
have been considered when the design was in its early stages and it is important
that there should be contact with the architect in order to ensure the correct
interpretation of the original concept.
It is necessary to decide on what should be considered the main directions and

positions from which the building will be viewed. There may be one or two
preferred positions. The location of the floodlights and lighting equipment must
be considered in relation to the building and to the predominant view. It is also
necessary to decide, for design purposes, on what should be considered as the
normal distance between the viewer and the building, based upon the optimum
direction of view. Whether an observer will be able to discern all or none of the
architectural details on the facade will most probably depend on the distance
involved, and on the modelling.
Often, a tall building will be seen standing against a relatively dark night sky.
If the immediate surroundings and background are also dark, a relatively small
amount of illumination will make the building appear much lighter and give
it prominence. If there are other buildings adjacent which are themselves
illuminated, or if due to road lighting or signage, the ambient light values give
an even greater impression of brightness, the illuminance incident upon the
building facade will have to be of a relatively higher value in order to achieve an
effective contrast between the building and its surroundings for it to have any
worthwhile visual impact.
An alternative solution may be found by creating a contrast in colour rather than

a contrast in brightness. The use of colour in floodlighting enables differences
in planes and textures to be heightened, but, as a general rule, colour should be
used sparingly and with great discretion to avoid the result looking cheap and
garish. If floodlights are positioned parallel to the line of the building and aimed
directly at the facade it is likely the lighting effect will be flat and disappointing.
It is usually desirable to achieve fairly strong modelling on all but the plainest
facade. A degree of modelling is obtained by ensuring that the greater proportion
of light arriving at the surface comes from a single direction, although several
floodlights may be required to achieve the effect. The greater the angle between
the line of view to the building and the direction at which the light incident upon
the surface arrives, the stronger and more dramatic will be the modelling effect.
The optimum effect is likely to be achieved when the direction of light flow is
between 30° and 60° to the direction of view.
The complete facade should be illuminated to some extent in order to show

the entire building outline to the viewer. This maintains the proportions of
the architecture and allows the more prominent and desirable features to be
given due emphasis. In any case, the building needs to look like more than
just an illuminated front. Its solidity can be emphasised by adding light at a
lower illuminance to the side, or at very least to the return corners, allowing the
illuminance to decay gradually to the rear of the end wall. It may be necessary
to illuminate a sloping roof to achieve a coherent picture, otherwise clock towers
and minarets may appear as if they are suspended in mid-air.
The view of a building may appear incomplete because lower areas of the walls or
facade are partially concealed from a distance by trees or other larger structures.
Trees and bushes may usefully be allowed to show up in silhouette against the
building, or be provided with their own separate lighting arrangement in a
contrasting colour. Alternatively, should the obstructions detract from the effect,
the illuminance should be decreased in the lower areas of the building, thereby
diminishing the presence of silhouettes.
It may be found desirable in some instances to soften the strong modelling effect
of light from a single direction. This may be achieved by illumination in the form
of a fill-in light from a completely opposite direction to the main flow of light.
In most cases it is likely that there will be sufficient ambient or inter-reflected
light to give the desired result. Any fill-in light should be only one-tenth the
value of the main illuminance. Where possible it can be useful to conduct trials
using temporary floodlights, to enable the designer to assess alternative lighting
solutions.
There are four basic forms which may serve to classify or describe the
considerations to the architectural style of any building facade:
—— facades which are basically flat

—— facades with predominantly vertical characteristics
—— facades with predominantly horizontal characteristics
—— facades with external recesses.
5.4.1 Facades which A typical example of a religious building with a completely flat facade would be a
prefabricated meeting room. Such dull functionalism without any projections or
are basically flat architectural detail is not an ideal subject for floodlighting. The achievement of
any shadow effects may only be possible by placing the luminaires at exceptionally
close-offset positions. Unless a high level of uniformity is required for security
surveillance, a certain unevenness in the brightness patterns across the facade
could produce a degree of visual interest. This effect would be achieved by
variations in placement and aiming of the floodlights. However, if the surface has
pitting or deep fissures, some of the light will be absorbed, resulting in an evenly
lit surface. To overcome this the floodlights should be positioned closer together.
An alternative approach is to illuminate the window recesses. This can work well
if the windows are all the same size and form a regular pattern. Similarly, lighting
ledges above windows and doors can create an interesting effect.
5.4.2 Facades with Strong vertical lines on a facade are characteristic of both medieval and classical
architecture. Many modern buildings have a strong vertical emphasis, not only
predominantly in their basic forms, but in details such as pillars or support columns.
vertical
characteristics It is impractical to ignore such pronounced vertical influences and the style
can be emphasised by applying illumination from the left and right sides of
the facade using medium-beam floodlights. Another method is to use narrow-
beam floodlights shining up each vertical feature. Care must be taken to avoid
horizontal features such as ledges at the top of the feature receiving too much
illumination. The beam needs to be very narrow and mounted close to the
column, in order that the effect of ‘height’ is properly emphasised. Generally,
if the surface fabric is highly reflective, the shadows formed by sharply oblique
lighting are too strong and create too distinct a contrast. Infill lighting from the
opposite direction using wide-beam floodlights will attenuate the contrasts and
soften the appearance. Visual impression is optimised when the direction of view
is towards the areas of shadow, i.e. parallel to the flow of infill illumination.
Figure 5.3 The dome of St Paul’s

Cathedral in London has vertical pillars
5.4.3 Facades with Post-war changes in planning and the introduction of new materials and
predominantly construction techniques enabled the architect to exploit the full use of prestressed
concrete forms and a wide variety of both vertical and horizontal cladding. A great
horizontal many of the modern places of worship, including such buildings as Methodist
characteristics churches and Kingdom Halls, have a markedly horizontal emphasis. Often,
such design includes horizontal elements which project slightly, for example,
window ledges or continuous bands that run across the facade from one side of
the building to the other.
Floodlights placed close to the facade and aimed upward will produce bands of
dark shadow above the projection. The wider the shadow band, the more likely
it will be that the surface area of the facade above the projecting ledge will appear
to be floating on air and the building will appear as dismembered sections.
Supplementary lighting, such as fluorescent or linear led luminaires, may be
placed upon the ledge to infill and eliminate the shadow or, alternatively, the
floodlights should be moved away from a close-offset position, creating a greater
distance between the facade and the light source.
5.4.4 Facades A facade is often designed to incorporate features such as balconies or galleries that
project forward or are recessed into the facade. In both cases, the floodlights must
with external be located some distance from the building in order to prevent excessively dark
recesses shadows being formed. If lack of available space in front of the facade prevents
this, supplementary illumination will have to be placed inside the balcony space
or incorporated within the object creating the shadow. Supplementary light of a
contrasting colour may be used to good effect in some circumstances.
The triangular pediments with sculptured compositions that dominate the

entrance porches of some historic churches should preferably be illuminated by
floodlights located some distance away; linear sources positioned at the base of
the triangle are seldom effective. Balustrading is given prominence both when
lighted by a line of fluorescent lamp luminaires or linear leds mounted on a
balcony and aimed outwards to give pleasing modelling of the baluster, and when
revealed in silhouette against an illuminated wall. The appearance of a floodlit
facade is enhanced if balconies, galleries with railings at the front and similar
recesses are illuminated individually, preferably by light that contrasts subtly in
colour with that used for the main floodlighting.
Columned arcades and porticoes present something of a similar problem.

Columns may be incorporated as part of the lighting effect by silhouette. Lighting
concealed behind the columns may be used to illuminate the inner walls of the
portico, thereby silhouetting the columns against their background. The discreet
use of colour in this situation may help to emphasise the effect. Columns that
are relatively close to the facade are often revealed best by lighting them directly
using floodlights that have a fan-shaped light distribution horizontally and
an asymmetric distribution vertically. These luminaires would preferably be
positioned at ground level, suitably protected, and aimed upwards at high angle.
In many open and enclosed areas people may be allowed to congregate in large
numbers at times and in places where there is insufficient daylight. The activities
in these areas would normally be illuminated by electric lighting in accordance
with recommendations given for entrances in chapter 3 of this guide.
When a building is floodlit, light passes through the windows. As a result,

windows appear dark compared with the other surfaces of the building. Window
lighting should, therefore, be treated separately.
When floodlighting a building, the decision must be taken as to whether it is the

windows or the glass within them that is more important architecturally. Except
for stained glass, which is discussed in section 5.4.7, it is usually the window
itself that is the more important element.
5.4.5 Light colour Attractive effects are sometimes achieved by using light of different colours
at different times of the year. For example, metal halide lamps can be used in
winter; their bluish-white light suggesting the cold season. In summer, high-
pressure sodium lamps can be used to give an appropriate impression of warmth.
Similar effects can be achieved using dmx-controlled led luminaires.
It is important to remember that the colour of surface material is accentuated

if light of the same colour is used. Alternatively, if white light is used, this may
be converted to colour by using filters. Table 5.1 gives the factors by which the
calculated illuminance based upon white light has to be increased in order to
achieve the same apparent value. These factors take into account the fact that
coloured light is more conspicuous.
Table 5.1 Multiples of illuminance required with coloured filters
Illuminance multiplier
Filter colour
factor
Amber 1.5
Red 2.0
Green 4.0
Blue 6.0
5.4.6 Essentials There are certain essentials that should be an integral part of a floodlighting
design specification, although some aspects may only be checked on site prior to
the commissioning of the installation.
— No light trespass should be caused.

— No glare should be apparent to road users, to the occupants of
nearby buildings, or to visitors to the building floodlit.
— There should be no confusion with traffic signalling or aircraft
navigation.
— There should be no danger to the public from inconsiderate
placing of floodlights, cabling and control gear boxes, and all
electrical and lighting equipment should be vandal resistant and
mechanically, electrically and thermally safe.
— Floodlights and cable should be as discreetly concealed as is
practical.
— rganisations having responsibility for the care of places of
O
worship and of historical buildings and monuments, such as
English Heritage, Historic Scotland, Cadw (in Wales) and the
Northern Ireland Environment Agency, may need to be consulted
regarding restrictions on such matters as the lighting concept,
fixings to structures and cable trenches.
5.4.7 Stained-glass Coloured-glass windows can present challenging, in some cases insoluble,
floodlighting problems. If the window is to appear lit from inside the building
windows as well as from outside and clear coloured glass is used, very little can be done.
Figure 5.4(a) Stained-glass window
B
lighting with clear glass
clear
glass
In Figure 5.4(a) the light from a floodlight at position A passes straight through
the clear glass with little or no scatter, so that the window will appear dull or
black from positions on either side. The floodlight at B will be seen directly
through the glass, the rest of the window remaining dark. If a single light source
is used at A, an image of the window will appear on the surface of any overhang,
assuming that this has a reasonably light coloured surface.
In Figure 5.4(b), diffusing glass will scatter the light from a floodlight at position
A, its apparent brightness depending upon the degree of diffusion. Position B is
still unsuitable as the degree of diffusion is unlikely to be such that the source
image is completely obliterated. Owing to the angle of incidence of the light
on the surface of the glass and the consequent losses by reflection, absorption
and diffusion, only about 5% of the light falling directly on the windows will be
effective. Consequently, direct floodlighting of stained glass requires the use of
very high output equipment with good colour rendering sources.
In Figure 5.4(c), light coloured surfaces inside the room, or screens placed behind
the window, are lit by floodlights placed in either position to give the effect of a
lighted window without the use of a diffusing medium against the glass. General
interior lighting can produce a similar effect if the walls and ceilings have a
reasonably high reflectance.
Figure 5.4(b) Stained-glass B

window lighting diffused glass
diffused
glass
Figure 5.4(c) Stained-glass window B

lighting using reflected light
clear or
diffused glass
It is almost always necessary to experiment on site to achieve successful results,

but in spite of the difficulties, lighting stained-glass windows can, with care and
patience, produce some striking effects.
5.4.8 Spires, Towers, steeples and domes appear as more naturally solid features when
illuminated from only one direction, and not saturated with light all round. An
towers and impression of greater height is obtained by diminishing the value of illuminance
minarets progressively from the base to the top. This effect occurs naturally when
luminaires are mounted at the base of a spire.
Richly decorated spires are usually shown to best advantage when floodlit from
the main structure of the building, the resulting patterns of light and shade are,
in general, more pleasing than those produced by floodlights located on distant
buildings. It is sometimes necessary to use both systems to achieve the best effect.
Lanterns in spires can be illuminated effectively by internal lighting. Pinnacles,
crockets and similar features should be highlighted by narrow-beam floodlights
mounted nearby.
5.4.9 Clocks and The lighting of a clock should enable the time to be read easily from a distance at
night, reveal clearly the rich decoration that is a characteristic of many historic
sundials clocks and, where appropriate, provide a point of visual interest on a building
facade.
Clock faces of light colour can be floodlit, to provide a bright background against
which the hands and numerals are seen in dark contrast. If the facade of the tower
on which the clock is mounted is floodlit to display its architecture, additional
light should be provided on the face to give it prominence, as illustrated in Figure
5.5. A symmetrical beam floodlight may be located at a distance and trained on
the face or, if the structure permits, an asymmetric or double asymmetric beam
floodlight can be mounted on the tower or facade. Floodlights for both systems
should have a beam spread that ensures as little light as possible falls outside
the face. Whichever system is used it may be difficult to prevent confusing
shadows being cast by the hands and numerals; experiments on site will usually
Floodlight
Floodlight Floodlight
Floodlight be necessary to determine the best arrangement.
with 20W
with 20 W LED with
with 30
30WW LED
LED engine
engine LED engine
engine
The lighting solution may be simpler if the clock has a translucent face that can
Figure 5.5 Close offset floodlighting be lit from behind. Tubular fluorescent lamps, or other lamps with a long rated
of a clock face and tower life, such as leds, are mounted at the back of the face and positioned to provide
reasonably uniform luminance over its surface. Care must be taken when using
leds to prevent hotspots on the clock face due to the small size of the light source.
It may be necessary to use led luminaires with an opal diffuser fitted. Ingenuity
may be needed to prevent shadows being cast on the rear of the face by the clock
mechanism.
A lit longitudinal sundial may be regarded as a decorative object on a facade.

The characteristics of the object should be brought out. It is desirable to light a
sundial in such a way that a distinct shadow of the gnomon is cast across the face.
The floodlighting of buildings is described more fully in SLL Lighting Guide 6:

The outdoor environment (SLL, 1992).
5.5 CCTV Closed-circuit tv (cctv) surveillance is a common security facility. The main role
of lighting in such a facility is to allow the camera to produce a good quality
surveillance picture. To do this it is essential to determine (a) the sensitivity of the camera to
the wavelengths produced by the light source, (b) the minimum illuminance that
will be required to produce good quality pictures, especially of moving objects,
(c) the location of the camera, and (d) the area to be covered by surveillance.
The spectral sensitivities of cctv cameras are not the same as that of the human
visual system, many being sensitive to infrared radiation as well as visible
radiation. The choice of light source should take the spectral sensitivity of the
camera into account.
Most manufacturers of cameras will indicate a minimum illuminance to be

provided for the camera to operate reasonably. However, if moving objects are to
be successfully shown an illuminance above the minimum should be provided.
Figure 5.6 Security cameras around
Care should be taken to provide the required illuminance evenly on all of the
the perimeter of a building offer relevant surfaces. Some discrete cameras produce infrared images from infrared
increased protection against vandalism floodlighting mounted with the camera. These units can be used in darkness to
detect intruders and then enable manual or automatic switching on of the main
visible lighting.
Ideally, the camera and the luminaires should be in the same plane. Where this
is not possible the luminaires should be located so as to light the whole surveyed
area uniformly. It is essential that the luminaires do not silhouette any object of
interest, nor should they point directly into the camera. The camera should not
be able to see a light source or light of an intensity that prohibits the camera from
providing a correct image.
The area to be surveyed should be determined with care, particularly if the

camera is of the motorised pan and tilt type. Only when the complete area to be
surveyed is known will it be possible to select suitable positions for the camera
and luminaires so that uniform lighting can be provided on all relevant surfaces
and static highlights (e.g. direct sunlight) and moving highlights (e.g. vehicle
headlights can be avoided.
When designing a security lighting system for use with cctv it is essential that
guidance as to the characteristics of the cctv system be sought from a competent
systems installer. It is also necessary to remember that the lighting installation
has a role to play in security, independent of the cctv system. A well-lit area
will deter thieves and intruders and will enable anyone responding to the cctv
surveillance to see what is happening. A well-designed security lighting system
should be capable of meeting the requirements of both people and cctv cameras.
5.6 Obtrusive Outdoor lighting makes a valuable contribution to people’s safety and enjoyment
after dark, but it can also be obtrusive. This is not inevitable, but it is certainly
light possible, depending on how the lighting is designed and used. Obtrusive lighting
can be said to be occurring when people complain about sky glow, light trespass
or glare.
5.6.1 Sky glow Sky glow refers to the increase in the luminance of the sky at night above that
produced by natural sources, such as moonlight. Sky glow is evident over most
cities and towns in the form of a glowing, flattened dome of light (Figure 5.7).
Sky glow is diffuse and can affect people over great distances. Complaints about
sky glow originate from many people, ranging from those who have a professional
interest in a dark sky, i.e. optical astronomers (McNally, 1994; Mizon, 2002),
through those who are concerned with the effect of too much light at night on
flora and fauna (Rich and Longcore, 2006), to members of the general public who
simply like to be able to see the night sky. Opposing these complaints are people
who want light outside at night for the amenity and the safety and security it can
bring and those who want to use lighting for business purposes, both to attract
Figure 5.7 Sky glow above Canterbury customers and to advertise products. Dealing with obtrusive light is largely a
matter of balancing the interests of these groups.
5.6.2 Light trespass Unlike sky glow, light trespass is a local phenomenon that causes disturbance
to an individual. The classic event that provokes a complaint of light trespass is
when light from a nearby street light enters a bedroom window (Figure 5.8). Of
course, complaints about lighting may really be complaints about the activity
associated with the lighting rather than the lighting itself. Nonetheless, there
are situations where complaints are justified. The common feature of these
complaints is that a significant amount of light crosses a property boundary and
impacts the ability of the property owner to enjoy, in the legal sense, the use of
that property. Light is recognised as potential statutory nuisance in the Clean
Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. Local planning authorities might
require an environmental impact assessment for the proposed lighting scheme,
Figure 5.8 Light trespass in accordance with EU Directive 85/337/EEC, amended by Directive 97/11/EC.
from a post-top luminaire
5.6.3 Glare Outdoor lighting can cause both disability glare and discomfort glare (Figure
5.9). Disability glare has an effect on visual capabilities that can be measured
with conventional psychophysical procedures and has a plausible mechanism:
light scatter in the eye. Discomfort glare is not well understood. It occurs when
people complain about visual discomfort in the presence of bright luminaires.
The separation between disability and discomfort glare should not be taken to
mean that disability glare does not cause visual discomfort, nor that discomfort
glare does not diminish the capabilities of the visual system. Whenever disability
glare makes what needs to be seen more difficult to see, complaints of discomfort
are likely to occur. As for the disabling effect of what is conventionally called
Figure 5.9 Disability and discomfort glare, the failure to find any effects on visual capabilities is more a
discomfort glare from floodlights matter of measurement sensitivity than anything else. In essence, disability glare
used to light a car park and discomfort glare are simply two different outcomes of the same stimulus
pattern, namely a wide variation of luminance across the visual field. The feature
that separates glare from light trespass is that glare causes discomfort whereas
light trespass causes disruption. Glare can also be associated with small area
luminaires at a distance, far enough away that the illuminance crossing the
property boundary is very small so light trespass is negligible.
5.6.4 Reflection Even if no light is emitted from the luminaire above the horizontal, obtrusive
light is still a possibility. This is because whenever light strikes a surface, some is
reflected. For diffuse reflection, which is what occurs for most outdoor surfaces,
Table 5.2 Reflectances of some the amount reflected is quantified by the reflectance of the surface. Reflectances
common outdoor materials for some commonly occurring outdoor surfaces are given in Table 5.2. Thus, for
Surface material Reflectance a lighting design based on illuminance – which, apart from traffic route lighting,
is what is normally done – the higher the reflectance, the larger is the amount
Asphalt road surface 0.07
of light reflected, and much of this reflected light would be directed up into the
Concrete 0.31
sky. In a sense, this widespread distribution of light is the price we pay for having
Red brick 0.25
Grass 0.06
light available wherever we choose to look. Diffusely reflected light will not cause
glare and is very unlikely to cause light trespass, but it does contribute to sky
glow. Some methods of controlling obtrusive light ignore reflected light.
5.6.5 Necessity of The first and most effective means to limit obtrusive light is to not install outdoor
lighting when it is actually not necessary. Outdoor lighting is usually provided
exterior light for one or more of a number of reasons; for example, to:
— enhance safety of movement, e.g. on roads and paths

— enable work to be done, e.g. urgent building repairs
— rovide security by making surveillance of a space possible, e.g. in
p
a church car park
— l engthen the time for which outdoor facilities can be used, e.g.
church gala or fair
— advertise forthcoming events, e.g. a noticeboard
— i ncrease the attractiveness of an area, e.g. by floodlighting historic
buildings.
When considering the need for outdoor lighting, the rationale for the proposed
lighting has to be assessed. This rationale should consider what the expected
benefits are, what lighting criteria are to be met, and over what area and over what
time period the lighting should be provided. There is little benefit in lighting a
church car park in the middle of the night when there are no visitors.
5.6.6 Lighting Given that outdoor lighting is needed, the next consideration is how much
criteria light is required? The greater the amount of light used, the greater the risk of
obtrusive light occurring. How much light is required depends on the purpose of
the lighting. There are widely used recommendations for road lighting (BS 5489-
1: 2013), for work outdoors (BS EN 12464-2: 2007) and for sports (SLL Lighting
Guide 4: Sports lighting). If the purpose of the lighting is to enhance security by
the use of cctv cameras then the lighting has to be sufficient for the cameras to
operate effectively.
These recommendations are applicable regardless of location because they are

based on what is required to do the tasks associated with the location. For the
purposes of advertising and increasing attractiveness, it is reasonable to take the
location of the lighting into account. This is because what is required to stand out
in a city centre is very different from what is needed in a rural area. The effect of
location has been recognised by the CIE classification of environmental zones.
This classification is used in the recommendations of the Institution of Lighting
Professionals (previously the Institution of Lighting Engineers), where more
stringent criteria are recommended for darker environmental zones. For further
information on methods of reducing or restricting obtrusive light, the reader is
directed to the SLL Guide to limiting obtrusive light (SLL, 2012).
6 Equipment The main types of light source referred to in this guide are:
6.1 Light sources —— tungsten halogen

—— high-pressure mercury (metal halide)
6.1.1 Introduction
—— low-pressure mercury (tubular fluorescent)
—— high-pressure sodium
—— low-pressure sodium
—— light emitting diode (led).
Due to low efficacy most general lighting service (gls) lamps are banned from
sale in the EU and are therefore only mentioned for special applications. For
more details reference should be made to section 3.3.9 of the SLL Lighting
Handbook (SLL, 2009).
For each type of light source a range of lamps is available, differing in construction,
wattage, luminous efficacy, colour properties, cost, etc. For exact details of the
characteristics of a specific light source, the manufacturer should be consulted.
6.1.2 Summary of The broad properties of the light sources commonly used for lighting in places
of worship are summarised in Table 6.1. The meaning of the column headings is
light source given in the following sections.
characteristics
6.1.2.1 Lamp type Lamp type is indicated by prefix letters found marked on the lamp or on its
packaging and in the UK they are widely used as a means of identification.
Additional letters may be added to the end of the prefix according to the
construction of the specific lamp, e.g. F for a fluorescent coating, R for a reflector
coating. The prefix letters shown in brackets are widely used in Europe and may
be found on equipment in the UK.
6.1.2.2 Efficacy Luminous efficacy is a measure of how efficiently the lamp converts electrical
power (measured in watts) to light (measured in lumens). The higher the value of
the luminous efficacy, the more efficient the lamp. A range of values is given for
each lamp type because luminous efficacy varies with power. These values do not
include the power consumed by any control gear that may be required.
6.1.2.3 Life The life of a lamp will be affected by such factors as the switching cycle, the
voltage supply and the physical operating conditions. The life of tungsten and
tungsten halogen incandescent lamps is particularly sensitive to the voltage
applied. Within a range of lamps the life will vary from one wattage to another,
generally the lower wattage lamps having the shorter life. It is always advisable
to contact the lamp manufacturer for the data regarding the particular lamp
under consideration. The range of lamp life given refers to the typical lamp life
as defined by 50% of the lamps in a large installation failing. The lower value
in each range, refers to the lower wattage lamps and the higher value refers to
the higher wattages, generally used in buildings with high ceilings. Sometimes,
information is supplied on the rated life of a lamp. This is essentially an economic
concept, representing the optimum point in time for lamp replacement, thereby
ensuring that operating costs are kept to a minimum. The factors included in the
estimation of rated life are electricity and replacement labour costs, light output,
lamp mortality and lamp price. These factors will obviously vary according to
local conditions.
Table 6.1 Summary of lamp characteristics

130
Lamp type Output range (lm) Power range (W) Efficacy (lm/W) Control gear Colour temp. (K) Colour rendering (Ra) Run-up time Dimming Life (h1) Comments
Incandescent
GLS 5–12 000 1–1000 8–14 No 2500–2700 100 Instant Easy to 0% 1000 Large variety
of shapes and
sizes of lamp
TH 40–50 000 4–2000 15–25 No(2) 2700–3200 100(3) Instant Easy to 0% 1500–5000
Fluorescent
T12(4) 1000–10 500 25–140 50–80 Yes 3000–6500 50–90 30 sec Limited to 25% 8000–12 000 High-output
lamps available
for special use
T8 650–6200 13–70 50–96 Yes 2700–17 000 50–98 30 sec Easy to 2% 8000–17 000(5)
(6)
T5 120–8850 6–120 20–93 Yes 2700–17 000 82–95 30 sec Easy to 2% 8000–19 000(5)
Compact fluorescent
CFLni (non- 250–9000 8–120 30–70 Yes 2700–6500 85–90 15–90 sec Some types to Up to 15 000(5)
integral gear) 5%
CFLi (integral 100–1500 5–30 20–50 No 2700 >80 60 sec Some types to 5000–15 000
gear) 20%
Metal halide
Quartz tube 5200–200 000 85–2050 60–98 Yes 3000–6000 60–90 1–8 min No 2000–7000
Ceramic tube 1600–26 000 20–250 65–97 Yes 3000–4400 78–93 2 min Limited(7) 6000–10 000 Lamp range
increasing
rapidly
Low-pressure
Sodium
SOX/SOX-E 1800–32 000 26–200 70–180 Yes N/A N/A 10–20 min No 15 000–20 000 Good lumen
maintenance
but power
consumption
increases
through life
High-pressure
sodium
SON 4300–130 000 85–1040 53–142 Yes 1900–2100 19–25 3–7 min Limited to 25% 10 000–20 000
Delux SON 12500–37 000 165–430 75–86 Yes 2150 65 5 min Limited to 25% 10 000–14 000
White SON 1800–5000 45–115 40–44 Yes 2500 83 2 min No 6000–9,000
Induction 2600–12 000 55–165 47–80 Yes 2550–4000 80 1 min No 60 000 +
8 The range
LED 20–3000 1–50 30–140 Yes 2685–6500 40–90 Instant Easy to 0% 15 000–60 000(9)
of leds is
increasing
rapidly
Lighting Guide 13: Lighting for places of worship
Equipment 131
Notes to Table 6.1:
1. Economic lamp life may be limited by lumen depreciation.
2. A lot of TH types are designed to run on low voltages and thus need a transformer or other device to
supply the necessary voltage.
3. Some lamps with dichroic reflectors have part of the red end of the spectrum missing and thus do
not have a colour rendering index of 100; information from lamp makers on this topic is hard to find.
4. T12 lamps are not generally used in new installations, as T8 and T5 types are more efficient.
5. Lamps also available with exceedingly long lamp lives of e.g. 30 000 hours and 60 000 hours.
6. Most T5 lamps are optimised to give maximum light output at 35 °C. The figures in this table are
based upon their output at 25 °C. As in most luminaires the lamp runs close to 35 °C then the
apparent light output ratio (lor) of the luminaire appears to be higher than normal.
7. Most manufacturers are working on dimming control gear for this sort of lamp, but most products
released onto the market so far have had major problems.
8. The leds can be integrated within the led lamp, led module or led luminaire. The values represent the
values of the led alone as at Jan 2009 and two points should be noted. First, thermal, driver and
optical losses (potentially 50%) will reduce these lumen output and efficacy values when built into a
luminaire. Second, the lumen output and efficiency development curves are much steeper than other
existing lamp technologies.
9. For lamp life both electrical failures and lumen maintenance should be considered to measurement
standards, e.g. B10/L70 (10% electrical failures and 70% lumen depreciation at lamp life).
6.1.2.4 Colour The extent to which a lamp type will give surface colours the same appearance
as they have under a reference light source, usually daylight. Excellent colour
rendering
rendering implies no distortion of surface colours.
6.1.2.5 Run-up and Tungsten halogen, led and tubular fluorescent lamps produce significant amounts
restrike time of light immediately when switched on. All the other lamp types require several
minutes to approach full light output; this may be important where installations
have to be used at unexpected times.
Tungsten halogen, led and tubular fluorescent lamps can be switched off and
then switched on again immediately. All the other lamp types, unless fitted with
special control gear, show a significant delay after switch off before they will
re-ignite. This property may have important safety implications as momentary
interruption in the electricity supply can extinguish these lamps and it may be
some time before they can be re-lit.
6.1.3 Control gear The control gear associated with all types of discharge lamps should fulfil three
functions; it should (a) start the lamp, (b) control the lamp current after ignition,
and (c) correct the power factor. Control gear consumes energy. The efficiency
of a lamp circuit as a whole depends on the total power taken by the lamp and
the control gear. It is also necessary to consider the power factor of the circuit in
order to minimise electricity charges and to ensure correct cable ratings.
The current and the wattage ratings of cables, fuses and switchgear used in the
control gear must be related to the total current in the circuit, or an allowance
may be necessary for increased currents and voltages during switching. Harmonic
currents may be present and will increase the neutral current in a three-phase
system. Current ratings of neutral conductors should be the same as those of
phase conductors. Manufacturers can supply information about the power factor
and harmonic currents of their control gear. However, it is extremely unlikely
that any place of worship will have a three-phase electrical supply.
All electrical installations should comply with the current edition and
amendments of BS 7671.
It is important to appreciate that the lamp and the associated control gear
constitute an integrated unit for producing light. Lamps from different
manufacturers may not operate on the same control gear, even when the lamps
are nominally of the same type. Whenever any change is proposed in either
element of the lamp/control gear package, care should be taken to ensure that the
proposed combination is compatible, both electrically and physically. For some
lamps which are sensitive to the voltage applied, tapped chokes are provided. It
is important that the voltage at the point of connection is matched to the voltage
tapping.
Only high-frequency electronic control gear, drivers and transformers should

now be used. The older, less efficient wirewound gear has either been withdrawn
from sale or will be soon. Electronic gear has a number of advantages over
wirewound control gear, the main ones being increased efficacy, instant starting
and flicker-free operation. It also produces considerably less noise. Special types
of control gear are necessary if dimming or rapid re-ignition of some types of
discharge lamps are required, although certain types of high-frequency control
gear can be used to dim tubular fluorescent lamps to a limited extent, without
further modification.
The life of control gear is sensitive to ambient temperature. The control gear
used should have an appropriate temperature rating for the situation. If this
temperature is exceeded the insulating material may deteriorate rapidly.
6.2 Luminaires Luminaires can take many different forms, but they have to be safe during
installation and operation and be able to withstand the ambient conditions. The
standard which covers most luminaires in the UK is BS EN 60598. It is suitable
6.2.1 Standards and for use with luminaires containing tungsten filament, tubular fluorescent and
markings other discharge lamps running on supply voltages not exceeding 1 kV. It covers
the electrical, mechanical and thermal aspects of safety. Luminaires should
comply with BS EN 60598. In BS EN 60598, luminaires are classified according
to the type of protection against electrical shock that they offer, the degree of
protection against ingress of dust or moisture they have, and according to the
material of the supporting surface for which the luminaire is designed. Table
6.2 lists the luminaire classes according to the type of protection against electric
shock. Class 0 luminaires are not permitted in the UK by reason of the Electrical
Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 and relevant EU directives.
Equipment 133
Table 6.2 Classification against electric shock
Class Type of protection against ingress of solid bodies Symbol used to

mark luminaires
0* A luminaire in which protection against electric shock relies upon No symbol

basic insulation: this implies that there are no means for the
connection of accessible conductive parts, if any, to the protective
conductor in the fixed wiring of the installation, reliance in the event
of a failure of the basic insulation being placed on the environment.
I A luminaire in which protection against electric shock does not No symbol

rely on basic insulation only, but which includes an additional
safety precaution in such a way that means are provided for the
connection of accessible conductive parts to the protective (earthing)
conductor in the fixed wiring of the installation in such a way that
the accessible conductive parts cannot become live in the event of a
failure of the basic insulation.
II A luminaire in which protection against electric shock does not rely Two concentric
on basic insulation only, but in which additional safety precautions
boxes
such as double insulation or reinforced insulation are provided,
there being no provision for protective earthing or reliance upon
installation conditions.
III A luminaire in which protection against electric shock relies upon III in a diamond
supply at safety extra-low voltage (selv) or in which voltages higher
than selv are not generated. The selv is defined as a voltage which
does not exceed 50 V a.c., r.m.s between conductors or between
any conductor and earth in a circuit which is isolated from the
supply mains by means such as a safety isolating transformer or
converter with separate windings.
* Class 0 luminaires are not permitted in the UK.
The degree of protection the luminaire provides against the ingress of dust and
moisture is classified according to the ingress protection (ip) system. This system
describes a luminaire by two digits; for example, IP54. The first digit classifies
the degree of protection the luminaire provides against the ingress of solid
foreign bodies; from fingers and tools, to fine dust. The second digit classifies
the degree of protection the luminaire provides against the ingress of moisture.
A third digit did exist to classify a luminaire’s impact resistance, but this has now
been superseded by the ik rating system, which is described in BS EN 62262:
2002. Table 6.3 lists the classes of the two digits. Table 6.4 lists the ip numbers
that correspond to some commonly used descriptions of luminaire types. Table
6.5 lists the symbols that may be used to mark luminaires in addition to the ip
number.
Table 6.3 The degrees of protection against the ingress of solid bodies (first characteristic
numeral) and moisture (second characteristic numeral) in the ingress protection (ip) system of
luminaire classification
Degree of protection against ingress of solid bodies

First characteristic Short description Brief details of objects which will be
numeral ‘excluded’ from the luminaire
0 Non-protected No special protection
1 Protected against solid objects A large surface of the body, such as
greater than 50 mm a hand (but no protection against
deliberate access). Solid objects
exceeding 50 mm in diameter
2 Protected against solid objects Fingers or similar objects not exceeding
greater than 12 mm 80 mm in length. Solid objects
exceeding 12 mm in diameter
3 Protected against solid objects Tools, wires, etc., of diameter or
greater than 2.5 mm thickness greater than 2.5 mm. Solid
objects exceeding 2.5 mm in diameter.
4 Protected against solid objects Wires or strips of thickness greater than

greater than 1.0 mm 1.0 mm. Solid objects exceeding
1.0 mm in diameter
5 Dust-protected Ingress of dust is not totally prevented
but dust does not enter in sufficient
quantity to interfere with satisfactory
operation of the equipment
6 Dust-tight No ingress of dust
Degree of protection from ingress of moisture
Second characteristic Short description Details of the type of protection

numeral provided by the luminaire
0 Non-protected No special protection
1 Protected against dripping Dripping water (vertically falling drops)
water shall have no harmful effect
2 Protected against dripping Vertical dripping water shall have no
water when tilted up to 15° harmful effect when the luminaire is
tilted at an angle up to 15° from its
normal position
3 Protected against spraying Water falling as a spray at an angle up
water to 60° from the vertical shall have no
harmful effect
4 Protected against splashing Water splashed against the enclosure
water from any direction shall have no harmful
effect
5 Protected against water jets Water projected by a nozzle against the
enclosure from any direction shall have
no harmful effect
6 Protected against heavy seas Water from heavy seas or water
projected in powerful jets shall not enter
the luminaire in harmful quantities
7 Protected against the effects Ingress of water in a harmful quantity
of immersion shall not be possible when the luminaire
is immersed in water under defined
conditions of pressure and time
8 Protected against submersion The equipment is suitable for
continuous submersion in water under
conditions which shall be specified by
the manufacturer
Equipment 135
Table 6.4 Ingress protection (ip) numbers corresponding to some commonly used descriptions
of luminaire types and the symbols which may be used to mark a luminaire in addition to the ip
number
Commonly used description of IP number * Symbol which may be used in addition

luminaire type to the IP classification number
Ordinary IP20† No symbol
Drip-proof IPX1 (One drop)
Rain-proof IPX3 (One drop in square)
Splash-proof IPX4 (One drop in triangle)
Jet-proof IPX5 (Two triangles with one drop in each)
Watertight (immersible) IPX7 (Two drops)
Pressure-watertight (submersible) IPX8 (Two drops followed by an indication of the
maximum depth of submersion in metres)
Proof against 1 mm diameter probe IP4X No symbol
Dust-proof IP5X (A mesh without frame)
Dust-tight IP6X (A mesh with frame)
* Where X is used in an IP number in this guide it indicates a missing characteristic numeral. However,
on any luminaire both appropriate characteristic numerals should be marked.
†
Marking of IP20 on ordinary luminaires is not mandatory. In this context an ordinary luminaire is one
without special protection against dirt or moisture.
Table 6.5 Information that should be marked on luminaires (from BS EN 60598)
1. Mark of origin.
2. Rated voltage(s) in volts. (Luminaires for tungsten filament lamps are only marked if the rated
voltage is different from 250 V.)
3. Rated maximum ambient temperature if other than 25 °C (ta...°C).
4. Symbol of class II or class III luminaire, where applicable.
5. Ingress protection (ip) number, where applicable.
6. Manufacturer’s model number or type reference.
7. Rated wattage of the lamp(s) in watts. (Where the lamp wattage alone is insufficient, the
number of lamps and the type shall also be given. Luminaires for tungsten filament lamps
should be marked with the maximum rated wattage and number of lamps.)
8. Symbol of luminaires with built-in ballast or transformers suitable for direct mounting on
normally flammable surfaces, if applicable. (‘F’ Mark)
9. Information concerning special lamps, if applicable.
10. Symbol for luminaires using lamps of similar shape to ‘cool beam’ lamps, where the use of a
‘cool beam’ lamp might impair safety, if applicable.
11. Terminations to be clearly marked to identify which termination should be connected to the
live side of the supply, where necessary for safety or to ensure satisfactory operation. Earthing
terminators should be clearly indicated.
12. Symbols for the minimum distance from lighted objects for spotlights, floodlights etc., where
applicable.
In addition to the above markings, all details which are necessary to ensure proper installation,
use and maintenance should be given either on the luminaire or on a built-in ballast or in the
manufacturer’s instructions provided with the luminaire.
Table 6.6 Summary of the characteristics of the different types of luminaire available
Luminaire Suitable Mounting Typical luminous Typical

type lamp types positions intensity application
distributions
Cone CFL, LED Pendant Widespread but Dining room
downward
Bare batten T5, T8, LED Surface/ In all directions Store and plant
pendant rooms
Trough reflector T5, T8, LED Surface/ Widespread but Store and plant
pendant downward, some rooms
upward if slotted
Linear enclosed T5, T8, LED Surface/ Widespread External canopies
(IP rated) pendant and internal plant
rooms
Linear prismatic/ T5, T8, LED Surface/ Dependent on Ancillary areas
opal pendant controller
Linear louvre T5, T8, LED Surface/ Dependent on Meeting rooms/
recessed louvre offices
High bay reflector HQI, IND, CFL Surface/ Concentrated High ceiling
pendant downwards churches
High bay HQI, IND, CFL Surface/ Mainly downward Medium to high
prismatic pendant but some upward ceiling churches,
light community halls
Low bay HQI, CFL, T5 Surface/ Widespread but Community and
pendant downward sports halls
Wall lights CFL, LED Wall mounted Widespread Worship rooms
Downlights CFL, HQI, LED Surface/ Downwards Foyers, corridors
recessed
Chandeliers TH, CFL, HQI, LED Pendant Widespread Worship rooms,
churches
Exterior SON, CFL, LED Wall mounted Widespread Security lighting
bulkheads
Floodlights SON, HQI, IND Wall/pole Varies with Building and
mounting reflector type amenity lighting;
certain applications
inside churches
Street lanterns SON, HQI, CFL, Pole/wall Controlled but Car parks and
LED, IND mounting widespread access roads
Post-top lanterns SON, HQI, CFL, Pole In all directions Car parks and
LED, IND mounting usually but can be pathways
controlled
Bollards SON, HQI, CFL, LED In-ground Widespread Paths and
decorative in
garden areas
Ground uplights SON, HQI, CFL, LED In-ground Controlled Lighting of building
upwards facias, statues,
monuments and
other features
6.3 Control systems The control system is an inherent part of any lighting installation. There are
many forms of control system, varying from a simple wall switch to part of a
sophisticated microprocessor-controlled building management system. Whatever
6.3.1 The function of form is used, the aim of a control system is always to ensure that the lighting
control systems system is only operating when it is required, and that when it is, it is operating in
the required state. The aim of most control systems is to vary the light output of
the installation, either by switching or by dimming the lamps.
In principle, all light sources can be switched, but the light output that is
6.3.2 Switching immediately available on switch on and the interval necessary between restarts
varies with lamp type (see section 6.1.2.5). Switching can be achieved by a number
of different methods. The simplest is the manual switch. Remote switches which
Equipment 137
use an infrared transmitter and a receiver on the luminaire are also available.
Both these forms of switching require human initiative. Alternative forms of
switching operate without human intervention. Lamps can be switched by time
switches or in response to the availability of daylight or the occupation of an area.
Photocells are used to sense the level of daylight available, while sensors of noise
level, movement and emitted or reflected radiation have all been used to detect
people’s presence or absence.
One particular aspect of switching which has limited its use in the past has been
the difficulty of switching individual or small groups of luminaires without
excessive investment in wiring. Recent developments in electronics have made
it possible to send switching signals by low-voltage wiring or by high-frequency
transmission pulses over the existing supply wiring. Further, logic circuitry now
exists which allows individual luminaires to respond in one of several different
ways. Such systems provide great flexibility in the way the lighting installation
can be used.
6.3.3 Dimming Whenever the ability to steadily diminish the illuminance in a room is desirable,
dimming is required. Tungsten halogen and led lamps with dimmable gear can
be readily dimmed. Not all discharge lamps can be dimmed successfully, and
those that can, such as tubular fluorescent lamps, may need special control gear.
Dimming lamps reduces the energy consumed by the lamp, but not necessarily
in proportion to the light output, and usually changes its colour properties.
Dimmers can be controlled manually or automatically in response to daylight
availability. Many of the electronic developments mentioned in relation to
switching can also be associated with dimming. Useful advice on the selection
of lighting control systems is given in BRE Digest 498 Selecting lighting controls
(BRE, 2006).
6.4 Maintenance Maintenance of lighting systems keeps the performance of the system within the
design limits, promotes safety and, if considered at the design stage, can help to
of lighting minimise the electrical load and capital costs. Maintenance includes replacement
equipment of failed or deteriorated lamps and control gear and the cleaning of luminaires
and room surfaces at suitable intervals. Detailed advice on lighting maintenance
6.4.1 Introduction can be found in CIE publications 097:2005 (CIE, 2005) and 154:2003 (CIE, 2003).
6.4.2 Lamp Two factors need to be considered when determining the timing of lamp
replacement: the change in light output and the probability of lamp failure. The
replacement relative weight given to these two factors depends on the lamp type. Tungsten
halogen lamps, which have a filament, usually fail before the decline in light
output becomes significant. Therefore, the replacement time for these lamps is
determined by the probability of lamp failure alone. All the other light sources
conventionally used in places of worship show a significant reduction in light
output before a large proportion fail. Therefore, for these lamps, both the decline
in light output and the probability of lamp failure are important in determining
the lamp replacement time. Frequently it is desirable to replace such lamps even
though they are still operating electrically, simply because the light output has
fallen to an uneconomic level.
For the majority of installations in high spaces the most sensible procedure is
to replace all the lamps at planned intervals. This procedure, which is known
as ‘planned group replacement’, has visual, electrical and financial advantages
over the alternative of replacing individual lamps as they fail. Visually, planned
group replacement ensures that the installation maintains a uniform appearance.
Electrically, planned group replacement reduces the risk of damage to the
control gear caused by lamps nearing the end of their electrical life. Financially,
by arranging that the lamp replacement is associated with luminaire cleaning,
and doing it at a time when it will cause the minimum of disturbance to the
activities, the cost of lamp replacement can be minimised. Group replacement
is an appropriate procedure for routine maintenance. However, in any large
installation, a few lamps can be expected to fail prematurely. Failure of control
gear and luminaire components may occur, unless these lamps are replaced
promptly.
No matter whether lamps are replaced individually or in a group, a decision has

to be made about the replacement light source. As light source development
proceeds there is a temptation to replace one light source with another that is
superficially similar but of higher luminous efficacy. If this course of action is
attempted, great care should be taken to establish that the replacement light source
and the existing control gear are compatible, both physically and electrically.
Before replacing any discharge light source with another of a different type, or
the same type but from a different manufacturer, advice on compatibility should
be sought from the manufacturers.
The timing and nature of lamp replacement is usually a matter of economic

and managerial judgement and may well be determined by factors other than
those directly related to the lighting. The proposed lamp replacement procedure
should be considered during the design of the installation.
6.4.2.1 Bulk disposal If lamps are to be disposed of in any quantities, they must be dealt with in
of lamps accordance with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
Regulations 2006.
Staff should be instructed to segregate lamp types and allocate them immediately
where possible to their appropriate containers. If no containers are available then
they must quarantine the lamps prior to collection by an authorised recycling
organisation. Staff or volunteers should be suitably protected in case of lamp
breakage and wear suitable protective clothing; in particular, eye protection and
gloves should be worn to guard against broken glass.
All sodium lamps should be handled extremely carefully in a well-ventilated area

outdoors, in a dry atmosphere. As sodium reacts violently with water, precautions
should also be taken against fire.
Although most modern lamps contain only minute amounts of mercury, there
are other chemicals present that could cause discomfort to the skin and eyes; they
should therefore be treated with respect if broken accidentally.
Removal and disposal of lamps should be carried out and documented in

accordance with current statutory health and safety requirements.
6.4.3 Luminaire The rate at which dirt is deposited on and in a luminaire depends on the amount
and composition of the dirt in the atmosphere and on the type of luminaire.
cleaning Over the same period and in the same location, dust-proof (IP5X) and dust-tight
interval (IP6X) luminaires and open reflectors with slots in the top will collect less dirt
than louvred luminaires with closed tops or luminaires with unsealed diffusers.
This latter type frequently acts as a dust trap.
For particularly locations or where access is difficult it is usually best to install

either dust-proof (IP5X) or dust-tight (IP6X) luminaires, ventilated luminaires
which are designed to use air currents to keep them clean, or lamps with internal
reflectors. It is important to note that even the most protected luminaires –
e.g. dust-tight (IP6X) luminaires – will collect dirt on their external surfaces.
Equipment 139
Therefore, even these luminaires will need cleaning regularly (see section 6.2.1
for a description of the ip system).
The appropriate cleaning interval for luminaires and the lamps they contain
is again an economic and managerial question. The factors that need to be
considered are the cost and convenience of cleaning at a particular time and the
prevailing efficiency of the installation. As a general guide, luminaires should be
cleaned at least once a year, during the summer months. It is usually advantageous
to co-ordinate luminaire cleaning with lamp replacement if the latter is required.
6.4.4 Room surface Regular cleaning is particularly important where light reflected from the room
surfaces makes a major contribution to the lighting of the interior, such as where
cleaning interval daylight from the side windows is used or where an indirect lighting installation
is present.
6.4.5 Design aspects The maintenance procedures for a lighting installation should be considered
at the design stage. Three aspects are particularly important. The first is the
maintenance factor to be used in the calculation of the number of lamps and
luminaires needed to provide the required conditions.
Typical maintenance factors used for interior lighting, assuming replacement of

failed or broken lamps and annual cleaning of equipment, can be found in the
SLL Lighting Handbook (SLL, 2009). Maintenance factors for exterior lighting
for different degrees of ingress protection, air pollution and cleaning interval can
also be found in the SLL Lighting Handbook.
The second aspect is the practical one of access and handling. Good maintenance
will only occur if access to the lighting installation is safe and easy, and the
lighting equipment is simple to handle.
The third aspect is equipment selection. The dirtier the atmosphere where the
installation is to operate, the more important it is to select equipment that is
resistant to dirt deposition.
6.4.6 Practical aspects A wide range of different materials are used in luminaires. Table 6.7 summarises
the most suitable cleaning methods for use with these different materials. In
addition, ultrasonic cleaning techniques can be incorporated where appropriate.
Table 6.7 Suitable cleaning methods for lighting maintenance

Material Best cleaning Alternative Remarks
compound cleaners
Aluminium Soap and Acidic or alkaline cleaners and water may cause
water chalking of the oxide surfaces. Aluminium should
be rinsed thoroughly after cleaning.
Glass Detergents and Proprietary glaze Polishing pastes and fluids are not recommended
water cleaners as these may leave a film on the glass surface
which affects its characteristics in relation to
moisture and dirt adhesion. Paraffin must not be
used.
Plastics Non-ionic Ordinary Dust accumulates due to a static charge
(including detergents and detergents and developing on the plastic. It should not, therefore,
GRP) water water be wiped but allowed to drip-dry after cleaning.
De-staticisers are commercially available either as
a polish, spray or solution in the rinse bath.
Vitreous Detergents and Proprietary glaze See remarks appertaining to glass.
enamel water cleaners
Stoved Detergents and Abrasive cleaners should not be used as they will
enamel and water injure the finish.
paints
Different lighting installations call for different levels of skill from the people
undertaking the maintenance. For completely conventional installations, only the
most basic knowledge is necessary, but where luminaires with special properties
– e.g. dust-proof (IP5X) or jet-proof (IPX5) – are used, considerable knowledge
and care are required from the operator doing the cleaning and reassembly.
Similarly, where complex control systems form a part of the installation, the
maintenance operator will need to understand the operation of the system and
the consequences of any changes made. For all maintenance work the operators
should be aware of the basic electrical and mechanical safety aspects of the work.
Lighting design 141
7 Lighting Lighting design is a complex process and no hard-and-fast rules can be devised
to suit all design problems or every designer. Nevertheless, the following
design design approach represents reasonable practice and will give guidance to less-
experienced designers.
7.1 Introduction
The first stage in planning any lighting installation is to establish the lighting
7.2 Objectives design objectives. Care and time expended on this is well invested because the
objectives guide the decisions in all the other stages of the design process. The
lighting objectives can be considered in three parts.
The lighting must be safe in itself and must allow the occupants to move about
safely. These are not only primary objectives but also statutory obligations. It
is, therefore, necessary to identify any hazards present and to consider the most
appropriate form of emergency lighting. It is now a requirement that a fire risk
assessment be carried out and this will assist the lighting designer to formulate
the objectives.
The type of activity that takes place in the several parts of an interior will define
the nature and variety of the visual tasks. An analysis of the visual tasks (there is
rarely just one) in terms of size, contrast, duration, need for colour discrimination
and so on is essential to establish the quantity and quality of the lighting required
to achieve satisfactory visual conditions. In addition to establishing the nature of
the tasks undertaken in an interior, it is also necessary to identify the positions
where the tasks occur, the planes on which the tasks lie and the extent of any
obstruction. This information is essential if lighting is to be matched to the tasks.
The lighting of a space will affect its character, and the character of objects
within it. It is, therefore, necessary to establish what mood or atmosphere is to be
created. This is not a luxury to be reserved only for theatrical venues, but should
be considered in all designs involving places of worship.
When establishing the objectives, it is important to differentiate between those

which are essential and those which are merely desirable. It is also important at
this stage to establish both the design objectives and the design constraints. There
are many constraints that may affect the design objectives, such as allowed budget,
energy consumption, environmental considerations (including compliance with
the latest edition of Part L of the Building Regulations) and physical problems of
access. These constraints must be recognised at the objectives stage of the design
process.
7.3 Specification Once the lighting objectives have been defined, they must be quantified wherever
possible. However, not all design objectives can be quantified. For example, the
need to make an environment appear relaxed cannot be quantified. Furthermore,
although many objectives can be expressed in physical terms, suitable design
techniques may not exist or may be too cumbersome. For example, obstruction
losses are difficult to calculate and predict accurately. This does not mean that
the objectives represented by these terms should be ignored, but that experience
and judgement may often have to replace calculation.
7.4 General Once the lighting design specification has been established, the purpose of
the remaining stages of design is to translate these requirements into the best
planning possible solutions, with the intention of meeting the original objectives. Indeed,
if it subsequently proves difficult to plan an installation it may be necessary to
reassess the original objectives.
Experience and judgement will usually dominate the planning process.

Nevertheless, the planning stages can be divided into general planning and
detailed planning (see section 7.5). Calculation methods can be found in detail in
the SLL Code for Lighting (SLL, 2012).
The first stage in the general planning of a lighting installation is to consider the
7.4.1 Daylight interior to be lit: its proportions, its contents and, most importantly, the available
daylight.
A comprehensive assessment of the role of windows and roof-lights in buildings

is given in SLL Lighting Guide 10: Daylighting and window design (SLL, 2013).
In places of worship, the most common means of admitting daylight is by side
windows. Therefore, this guide will restrict the consideration of daylight to the
role of side windows. Specifically, the question that needs to be considered is:
how should the electric lighting relate to the natural lighting? Electric lighting is
usually planned as if daylight did not exist. However, natural lighting may well
suggest the form and especially the control system of the electric lighting. For
this reason every lighting designer needs some knowledge of daylight prediction.
In temperate climates, the extent to which daylight is available at a position in an

interior is conventionally expressed as a daylight factor. This is the illuminance
at a point on a plane in an interior due to light received directly or indirectly from
a sky of known or assumed luminance distribution expressed as a percentage of
the illuminance on a horizontal plane due to an unobstructed hemisphere of the
same sky. The sky usually assumed is the overcast sky specified by the CIE. The
average daylight factor (%) on a horizontal reference plane in an empty interior
is given approximately by the following expression:
T W q
Average daylight factor =
A (1 – R2)
where T is the transmittance of glazing material, expressed as a decimal,

W is the net area of glazing (m2), q is the angle (degrees) in vertical plane
subtended by sky visible from the centre of a window, A is the total area of
indoor surfaces: ceiling plus floor plus walls, including windows (m2) and R is
the area-weighted average reflectance of all indoor surfaces, including the
windows.
When the average daylight factor is 5% or more, an interior will generally look
well daylit. When the average daylight factor is less than 2%, the interior will not
be perceived as well daylit and electric lighting may be in constant use during
a ceremony. When the average daylight factor exceeds 5% in a place of worship
that is used mainly during the day, local manual or automatic controls should be
provided to turn off general lighting, where daylight can provide the required
quantity and quality of light. When the average daylight factor is between 2%
and 5%, the electric lighting should be planned to take full advantage of available
daylight. Localised or local lighting may be particularly advantageous, using
daylight to provide the ambient lighting of the space.
Average daylight factor will often give the designer sufficient information on
which to base decisions on the relationship between natural and electric lighting.
Lighting design 143
7.4.2 Choice of electric Lighting systems which provide an approximately uniform illuminance over
the whole area are called ‘general lighting systems’. The luminaires are normally
lighting systems arranged in a regular layout. General lighting is simple to plan using modern
computer programs and requires little or no co-ordination with task locations.
7.4.2.1 General lighting The lumen method of calculation can also be used for quick estimates of luminaire
quantities in general lighting schemes. The greatest advantage of such systems is
that they permit complete flexibility of task location.
The major disadvantage of using just general lighting to achieve the high levels
needed for a particular task is that energy may be wasted illuminating the whole
area to the level needed for that task. Energy will be saved by using the general
lighting to provide the lower ambient level for circulation and other non-critical
tasks, and providing the higher illuminance over only the objective task or task
areas by adding local or localised lighting where needed.
7.4.2.2 Localised lighting Localised lighting systems employ an arrangement of luminaires designed to
provide the required maintained illuminances over specific areas together with a
lower illuminance for the other areas. For guidance as to the relative illuminance
necessary in both the ‘immediate surrounding area’ and the ‘background area’,
reference should be made to Table 2.1.
Considerable care must be taken to co-ordinate the lighting layout relative

to task positions and orientation. The system can be inflexible and so correct
information is essential at the design stage. Changes in the objective layout can
seriously impair a localised system, although easily relocatable or switchable
systems can overcome these problems.
Localised systems normally consume less energy than general lighting systems.
This should be confirmed by specific calculations. Localised systems may also
require more maintenance than general lighting systems.
7.4.2.3 Local or task lighting Local lighting provides illumination only over the small area occupied by the task
and its immediate surroundings. A general lighting system must be installed to
provide sufficient ambient illumination for circulation and non-objective tasks.
This is then supplemented by the local lighting system to achieve the necessary
illuminance on certain tasks. The immediate surrounding area illuminance
should not be less than one-third of the task illuminance.
Local lighting can be a very efficient method for providing adequate task
illumination, particularly where high illuminances are necessary and/or flexible
directional lighting is required. Local lighting is frequently provided by
luminaires mounted near to or at the objective area. Such areas would be the
lighting of a music stand on an organ or a lectern.
Fixed local lighting must be positioned to minimise shadows, veiling reflections

and glare. Although local luminaires allow efficient utilisation of emitted light,
the luminaires themselves may be inefficient and can be expensive. Most local
lighting systems are accessible and often adjustable. This increases wear and tear
and hence maintenance costs, but provides some individual control.
Both local and localised lighting offer scope for switch control of individual
luminaires, so that they can be off when not required, but care must be taken to
ensure that sufficient ambient illumination is provided.
7.4.3 Choice of lamps The choice of light source will affect the range of luminaires available, and vice
versa. Therefore, one cannot be considered without reference to the other. Tables
and luminaires 7.1 and 7.2 list some typical mounting heights for some common lamp/luminaire
combinations used for interior lighting and exterior area lighting, respectively.
7.4.3.1 Choice of lamp
The designer should compile a list of suitable light sources, by rejecting those
which do not satisfy the design objectives. The availability of suitable luminaires
can then be checked and the economics of each assessed. General guidance can
be obtained from section 6.2.
The run-up time of most discharge lamps (excluding fluorescent lamps) is

unsatisfactory for applications requiring rapid provision of illumination or
switching control unless auxiliary tungsten halogen lamps are provided.
Table 7.1 Typical mounting height ranges for some common lamp/luminaire combinations
used in interior lighting
Lamp and luminaire Typical mounting Notes

heights in metres
Min. Max.
Fluorescent luminaire with trough 2.5 8 Usually difficult to maintain
reflector, any wattage/length at heights over 5 m
Fluorescent luminaire with controller, e.g. 2.0 4 Upper limit depends on
opal, prismatic or louvre; any wattage/ manufacturer’s photometric data
length and lumen output of lamps
Discharge (SON, MBI(HPI)) luminaire with
opal, prismatic or louvre controller:
– up to 250 W SON or 2.5 5 Upper limit depends on
manufacturer’s photometric data
– up to 400 W MH(HPI or CMH) and lumen output of lamp
High bay type luminaire dispersive or
concentrating:
– up to 150 W SON or 250 W MH 4.0 8
– up to 250 W SON or 400 W MH 5.0 8
– up to 400 W SON or 1000 W MH 7.0 12
– up to 1000 W SON or 2000 W MH 12.0 No limit
Low bay type luminaire, bare lamp or
controller:
– up to 150 W SON or 250 W MH 3.0 5
– up to 250 W SON or 400 W MH 4.0 5
– up to 400 W SON or 1000 W MH 5.0 7
Notes:
Mercury (mbfu) lamps have been omitted from this table because they are now considered inefficient
and require large amounts of maintenance.
Many luminaires are now available with leds for the light source. Wattages vary, and advice must be
sought from the manufacturers regarding photometric performance and suitability for a particular
purpose.
Lighting design 145
Lamps must have colour rendering properties suited to their intended use. Good
colour rendering may be required in order to achieve better discrimination
between colours where that is part of the visual task. The life and lumen
maintenance characteristics of the lamps must be considered to arrive at a
practicable and economic maintenance schedule.
Minimising the number of lamp types and sizes within a particular site or
company can simplify maintenance and stocking.
Table 7.2 Typical minimum mounting height ranges for floodlights used in area lighting
schemes
Lamp Nominal Initial Typical minimum

rating lumens mounting
(W) height (m)
Compact fluorescent (CFL) 16–57 <4800 3
70 5200 4
2 × 36–2 × 80 >5200 5
Metal halide (HQI) (HPI) (CDM) 35 3300 3

including ceramic 70 6500 4
150 11 000 5
250 20 000 6
400 35 000 7
1000 80 000 10
High-pressure sodium (SON) 50–70 6500 4

100 10 000 5
150 17 200 6
250 33 000 7
400 55 000 8
1000 130 000 12
Notes:
1. Mercury (mbfu) lamps have been omitted from this table because they are now considered
inefficient and require large amounts of maintenance.
2. These recommended minimum mounting heights do not apply to schemes using street
lighting lanterns.
3. Floodlight luminaires are now available with leds for the light source. Wattages vary, and
advice must be sought from the manufacturers regarding photometric performance and
suitability for a particular purpose.
7.4.3.2 Choice of luminaire In the choice of luminaire, the designer can exercise a combination of professional
judgement, personal preference and economic analysis. Luminaires may have
to withstand a variety of physical conditions, such as vibration, moisture, dust,
ambient temperature and vandalism. In addition, the onus is on the designer
to specify safe equipment. Safety can be guaranteed by using equipment with
the British Standard safety mark or by obtaining written assurances from the
manufacturer. It is important to ensure that the equipment specified can withstand
and operate safely in the environmental conditions that will be encountered. The
ingress protection (ip) rating gives guidance regarding the ability of the luminaire
to withstand the ingress of solid foreign bodies and moisture. The designer must
make sure that the manufacturer’s claims apply throughout the intended life of
the luminaire. This is particularly true of a claimed ip rating, which, without
further qualification, applies to a new luminaire. However, when a luminaire has
the British Standard safety mark or ENEC mark, the ip rating is applied to an
already arduously tested luminaire.
The light distribution of the luminaire, as well as visual appraisal of samples in

situ, should be carefully considered as it influences the distribution of illuminance
and the directional effects that will be achieved.
Luminaire reliability and life will have a direct impact on the economics
of the scheme and therefore must be realistically considered. The ease
with which luminaires can be installed and maintained will also affect the
overall economics and convenience of the scheme. Luminaires with good
maintenance characteristics and which can be easily maintained will not only
save on maintenance costs, but will also be more efficient throughout their life.
Luminaires that can be unplugged and detached, or which have removable gear,
can simplify maintenance by allowing remote servicing.
A good lighting system must not only be well designed, it must also be managed
7.4.4 System and operated effectively and efficiently. System management must:
management
—— control the use of the system to ensure efficiency, and
—— maintain the system in good order.
7.4.4.1 Choice of controls Methods of control fall into three broad categories:
—— manual control (managerial)

—— automatic control (non-intelligent)
—— microprocessor control (intelligent).
7.4.4.2 Manual Manual methods rely upon individuals and appointed persons to control the
controls lighting system. These methods tend to be inexpensive in capital costs, but they
may be less effective than automatic methods. To be effective the lighting system
must be well planned to permit flexible switching of individual luminaires or
banks of luminaires. The switch panels must be sensibly located and clearly
marked (a mimic diagram can be very helpful). An education programme to
ensure user awareness is essential; this can be reinforced with posters, and with
labels on or adjacent to the switch panels.
One of the main snags with manual methods is that while occupants may be
aware that natural lighting is insufficient and will turn on lights, it is rare for
them to respond to sufficient daylight by turning lights off. Automatic control
in the form of an imposed switch-off can be effective, since, if natural lighting
is adequate, the luminaires may not be turned back on. A considerable amount
of energy is often wasted when the lighting is left on to no useful purpose. The
provision of automatic cleaners’ circuits, which control only some of the lighting
to provide reduced illuminances, can save money.
Automatic control systems, such as time switches, presence/absence detectors

and photocells, can be inexpensive and can switch (or dim) banks of lights.
7.4.4.3 Photocells and Photocells, or daylight control, can monitor the level of daylight and turn off or
daylight control dim lamps when there is sufficient daylight. Whether or not this is economic
will depend upon the daylight factor and the proportion of the year for which the
required illuminance is exceeded, as well as obstructions affecting the useful area.
This type of control is best suited to buildings with either high windows or large
Lighting design 147
window areas, and even then may only be suitable for rows of luminaires nearest
the window walls.
7.4.4.4 Time switches Time switches are normally used for exterior lighting to prevent lights being
on during daylight hours. However, they can be used internally in areas such
as foyers and entrances, which only require lighting at certain times of the day.
They should have an override fitted in case they need to be operated outside
normal hours.
7.4.4.5 Presence and Presence and absence detectors provide a convenient method of ensuring that
absence controls lighting is not being used when there is no-one around. Presence detectors can be
used to detect the presence of occupants and to switch on the lights accordingly.
These are most useful in toilets, corridors, storerooms and some ancillary
rooms. Absence detectors require a manual switch on and will then switch off
automatically after a preset time if no occupants are detected. They are most
suitable for rooms or areas that contain reasonable amounts of natural daylight
but are only infrequently occupied, as they are only switched on if the occupier
has insufficient daylight. Both these types can rely upon acoustic, infrared,
microwave or other methods of detection. A time-lag must normally be built into
the system to prevent premature switch-offs.
7.4.4.6 Automatic controls Automatic systems must normally have some degree of manual override (on and
off) to cater for unexpected circumstances. Systems which automatically cancel
lighting but must be manually reset can offer greater savings than those that
switch on again automatically. Occupants can be relied upon to turn on lighting
if they need it. Computer-based or microprocessor-based control systems are
now widely used, irrespective of the size of a project. These rely on dedicated
computers or processors to control some or all of the building services. Lifts, fire
alarms, lighting, air-conditioning and other equipment can be controlled as part
of an integrated system. The most important advantages of such an approach
are that complex decisions can be taken from moment to moment, based upon
the precise state of the building’s operation, and that the system is controlled
by software. This last feature means that the control programs can be refined
and tailored to suit the building and can be easily amended to suit changed
circumstances.
With any control system, considerable care must be taken to ensure that acceptable
lighting conditions are always provided for the occupants. Safety must always be
of paramount importance.
Control systems that are obtrusive or disruptive are counter-productive, and

may even be sabotaged by occupants. For this reason, dimmer systems are often
preferred.
Further details on the choice of lighting control systems can be found in BRE
Digest 272: Lighting controls and daylight use (BRE, 1983).
7.4.4.7 Maintenance Lighting systems must be serviced regularly and this must be allowed for at
the design stage. Faulty or failed lamps should be replaced and unsafe or faulty
equipment should be rectified. In addition, depreciation in illumination, caused
by dirt on lamps, luminaires and room surfaces, should be controlled by regular
cleaning to maintain the required illuminance levels.
It is not always enough to replace lamps on failure. The light output of lamps
falls with hours of operation. For most lamp types, a point will usually be reached
where it is financially better to replace the lamps than to continue to waste power.
Furthermore, labour charges for the replacement of individual lamps can be
high, so it is often less expensive to clean and service a complete installation

when convenient than to undertake intermittent cleaning and spot replacement
of lamps. Access to luminaires is important for maintenance and so specialised
raising and lowering units should be considered for luminaires at high mounting
heights.
7.5 Detailed When the overall design has been resolved in general terms, detailed calculations
are required to determine such things as the number of luminaires, the glare
planning index and the final cost.
7.5.1 Introduction
The calculations that may have to be carried out during the design process can be
found in the SLL Lighting Handbook (SLL, 2009) and the SLL Code for Lighting
(SLL, 2012).
7.5.2 Average Most illuminance calculations are now carried out using one of the many computer
programs available. Most of these are free of charge and enable calculations to be
illuminance for done quickly and easily. Some programs will also show 3-D structures of complex
interior lighting rooms or areas and carry out realisation plots for visual evaluation. Some also
create cad drawings of the resultant design, showing luminaires, objects and
room parameters ready for presentation to the client. It must be noted that
calculations carried out using software are only as good as the quality of input
information and of course software cannot make decisions about appearance, feel
and comfort. Designers are advised to check thoroughly the output from software
calculations against known expectations, or an approximation using the lumen
method detailed below.
However, there are occasions when the lighting designer needs to calculate on
site an approximate number of luminaires required for a project. This can be
done easily with a calculator using the lumen method.
The average illuminance Es over a reference surface can be calculated from the
lumen method formula:
F n N mf ufs
Es =
As
where F is the lamp luminous flux (lighting design lumens), n is the number of
lamps per luminaire, N is the number of luminaires, mf is the maintenance
factor, ufs is the utilisation factor for the reference surface and As is the area of
the reference surface (m2).
The formula can be rearranged to permit the calculation of the number of

luminaires required to achieve the chosen illuminance.
Utilisation factors can be obtained from luminaire manufacturers. To use

utilisation factor tables it is necessary to know the room index and the room
reflectances. For details regarding both utilisation factors and room indices,
reference should be made to the SLL Lighting Handbook (SLL, 2009).
7.5.3 Average Again, most area lighting calculations are carried out using one of many computer
programs readily available. However, if a lighting designer needs to estimate an
illuminance approximate number of luminaires required while on site, there is an external
for exterior version of the lumen method available for use.
areas
Lighting design 149
The average illuminance that will be achieved on a horizontal surface using
area lighting techniques can be calculated approximately by using the following
formula:
f N bf wlf mf
ES =
As
where Es is the average illuminance on the horizontal surface (lx), f is the lamp
luminous flux (initial), N is the number of lamps, bf is the beam factor of the
luminaire, wlf is the waste light factor, mf is the maintenance factor and As is the
area of the horizontal surface (m2).
The beam factor of the luminaire and the light output of the lamp will be supplied
by the respective manufacturer. The maintenance factor will depend on the
location of the installation and the frequency of cleaning. As a first approximation,
a combined beam factor, waste light factor and maintenance factor of 0.25 will
often be satisfactory. For accurate estimation, illuminance should be calculated
by the use of light planning software programs.
7.5.4 Illuminance When local or localised lighting systems are employed, or when irregular layouts
of luminaires are used, or luminaires with unconventional light distributions
at a point are selected, or where there is considerable obstruction, calculations of average
illuminance can be inadequate or meaningless. In such circumstances it is
necessary to calculate the illuminance at all points of interest.
Where a computer is available with suitable programs, illuminance values at a

particular point can be easily calculated. Virtual calculation surfaces can be placed
anywhere in the room, horizontally or vertically, at an angle, and indeed at any
height. In addition, 3-D realisation is readily available and an immense option of
results also, covering such topics as unified glare rating, surface luminance values
and mean cylindrical illuminance, to name but a few.
The ease with which computers can be used often results in abuse. The quality of
the results is only as good as the calculation approach used and the data on which
the calculation is performed, but the computer printout can give the impression
of precision. Before using a computer program the designer should take care
that the assumptions contained within the program are understood and should
ensure that the data used are accurate and appropriate to the equipment and that
reflectance values and calculation surfaces are correct.
7.5.5 Glare index The method of evaluating glare is by use of the ‘unified glare rating’ (ugr) system.
This is an empirical system whereby calculated values can be assessed against
limiting values for certain tasks and room or area usage. It is also designed for
assessing rectangular spaces such as office environments, so may not be relevant
or accurate for some building forms.
Details of the method for calculating the ugr can be found in the SLL Code for
Lighting (SLL, 2009).
However, calculating glare manually is an involved and lengthy process, and one
that should not be undertaken lightly. Modern illuminance calculation programs
are very versatile, and will not only calculate accurate ugr values, but also allow
the user to insert observers at specific points within the room.
Appendix 1: Light Light sources, both natural and electric, have two colour properties related to the
spectral composition of their emission. One is the apparent colour of the light
source colour that the source emits and the other is the effect that the light has on the colours
of surfaces. The latter effect is called ‘colour rendering’.
A1.1 Apparent The colour of the light emitted by a ‘near white’ source can be indicated by
its correlated colour temperature (cct). Each lamp type has a specific cct, but
colour of the for practical use ccts have been grouped into three classes by the Commission
emitted light International de l’Eclairage (CIE) (see Table A1.1).
Table A1.1 Correlated colour temperature classes and colour rendering groups
Correlated colour temperature (CCT) CCT class

CCT < 3300 K Warm
3300 K < CCT < 3500 K Intermediate*
5300 K < CCT Cold
Colour rendering group Applications
1A Ra > 90 herever accurate colour matching is required, e.g.
W
colour printing inspection
1B 80 < Ra < 90 herever accurate colour judgements are necessary
W
and/or good colour rendering is required for reasons of
appearance, e.g. shops and other commercial premises
2 60 < Ra < 80 Wherever moderate colour rendering is required
3 40 < Ra < 60 herever colour rendering is of little significance but
W
marked distortion of colour is unacceptable
4 20 < Ra < 40 herever colour rendering is of no importance at all and
W
marked distortion of colour is acceptable
* This class covers a large range of correlated colour temperatures. Experience in the UK suggests that
light sources with correlated colour temperatures approaching the 5300 K end of the range will usually
be considered to have a ‘cool’ colour appearance.
The choice of an appropriate apparent colour of light source for a room is largely
determined by the function of the room. This may involve such psychological
aspects of colour as the impression given of warmth, relaxation, clarity, etc., and
more mundane considerations such as the need to have a colour appearance
compatible with daylight and yet to provide a ‘white’ colour at night. The only
general rules to help with the selection of apparent colour are: (a) for rooms lit
to an illuminance of 300 lux or less, a warm or intermediate colour is preferred,
cold apparent colour lamps tending to give rooms a gloomy appearance at
such illuminances; and (b) different apparent colour lamps should not be used
haphazardly in the same room.
A1.2 Colour The ability of a light source to render colours of surfaces accurately can be
conveniently quantified by the CIE general colour rendering index. This index is
rendering based on the accuracy with which a set of test colours are reproduced by the lamp
of interest relative to how they are reproduced by an appropriate standard light
source, perfect agreement being given a value of 100. The CIE general colour
rendering index has some limitations, but it is the most widely accepted measure
of the colour rendering properties of light sources. Table A1.1 shows the groups
of the CIE general colour rendering index used by the CIE and in this guide.
Where the main consideration is the appearance of the space and objects within
it, light sources with a high CIE general colour rendering index may be desirable.
In general, light sources with good colour rendering properties (groups 1A and
1B) make surfaces of objects appear more colourful than do light sources with
moderate or poor colour rendering properties (groups 2, 3 and 4). In addition,
light sources with poor colour rendering properties may distort some colours
Appendices 151
to a marked extent. Thus, where a colourful appearance is desirable, lamps with
good colour rendering properties are appropriate. However, the exact level of
colour rendering desirable in any particular circumstance remains a matter of
individual judgement. Ultimately, the CIE general colour rendering index is no
substitute for actually seeing the effect of different light sources when it comes to
assessing their contribution to the appearance of an interior.
Appendix 2: Field Field measurements of illuminance are usually undertaken for one of three
reasons:
measurements
—— t o establish whether a new installation has
of illuminance achieved the design specification
A2.1 Functions —— to establish whether an installation meets a desired criterion

of field —— a s part of a process for identifying the causes of
measurements complaints about the lighting, i.e. trouble-shooting.
The same instrumentation is used for all three purposes, although the nature of
the measurements made will vary with the circumstances.
A2.2 llluminance Illuminance meters usually consist of a selenium or silicon photovoltaic cell
connected directly or indirectly by an amplifier to a display, which can be analogue
meters or digital. The quality of an illuminance meter is determined by four factors: (a)
its spectral response; (b) its response to light incident on the photocell at different
angles; (c) its linearity of response; and (d) its sensitivity to temperature.
The basic spectral response of both selenium and silicon photovoltaic cells
differs from that of the human visual system. Therefore, to achieve accurate
measurements of illuminance it is necessary to correct the spectral response of
the photocell to that of the human visual system. This can be done either directly,
by means of a filter superimposed on the photocell, or indirectly by providing
correction factors to effectively recalibrate the photocell for different light
sources. When filters are used the instrument is described as colour corrected.
The photocell whose spectral sensitivity is corrected by a filter can be used for
all light sources, either separately or in combination, although the accuracy of
the result will obviously depend on the quality of the filter. The photocell, the
spectral sensitivity of which is modified by correction factors supplied by the
manufacturers, can only be used for those light sources for which correction
factors are available, and then only for those light sources when they occur alone.
The response of illuminance meters to light falling on the photocell from

different directions is termed the ‘response to oblique light incidence’ (or ‘cosine
response’). Specifically, the measured illuminance E for light incident at an angle
q from the normal to the photocell should follow the equation:
E = En cos q
Illuminance meters that are not cosine corrected can give large measurement
errors when used to measure illuminances where an appreciable proportion of the
luminous flux comes at large deviations from the normal, e.g. when measuring
daylight in side-lit rooms. Most illuminance meters are cosine corrected by
means of either transparent hemispheres or diffusing covers of some sort. It is
important that these covers are kept clean.
The linearity of response of an illuminance meter is determined by the resistance

of the circuit into which the output from the photocell is fed; the higher the
resistance the greater will be the non-linearity of response at higher illuminances.
The sensitivity of illuminance meters to temperature variations is also influenced

by the resistance of the circuitry associated with the photocell. If that resistance is
high then extremes of temperatures will cause errors in measurement. Selenium
photocells are considerably more sensitive to temperature than are silicon
photocells. Prolonged exposure to temperatures above 50 °C will permanently
damage selenium photocells. Ideally, photovoltaic cells should be operated in
ambient temperatures of about 25 °C. For other temperatures errors will occur,
but correction factors for different operating temperatures can be supplied by
manufacturers.
To summarise, a good illuminance meter should be colour and cosine corrected,

should be linear in response and insensitive to ambient temperature variations.
Standards for two grades of portable photoelectric illuminance meters (types P1
and P2) are given in BS 667: 2005. Errors of measurement of ± 10% (type 1) and
± 15% (type 2) are permitted. This gives some idea of what is achievable even with
a good quality illuminance meter when it is new. It should also be noted that the
sensitivity of illuminance meters varies with time. Illuminance meters should be
recalibrated at least once a year. This can be done by any photometric laboratory.
Illuminance meters are available for illuminances from 0.1 lux to 100 000 lux full
scale deflection, i.e. from emergency lighting conditions to daylight conditions.
A2.3 Field Field measurements are always obtained in specific circumstances. It is therefore
essential when making field measurements to keep a complete and accurate record
surveys of the state of the lighting installation and the interior in general at the time the
measurements are made. Particular attention should be given to the lamp type
A2.3.1 General and age, the level and stability of the supply voltage, the state of maintenance
of the lamps and luminaires, the surface reflectances, the degree of obstruction
and any other factors which may be expected to influence the measurement.
Photographs of the interior are a valuable supplement to a written record.
Before starting measurements it is necessary to decide on the conditions of

interest. For example, is daylight to be admitted and if it is what type of control
is to be used; are the measurements to be concerned with average conditions
over the interior or are they concerned only with individual places; should the
measurements around the place of worship be taken with the people present etc.
The answers to these and similar questions are determined by the aim of the
survey.
In addition, before starting measurements it is necessary to stabilise the

performance of the lamps and luminaires and of the illuminance and luminance
meters used. The time required to stabilise the light output of an installation
depends on the nature of the lamp and luminaire. Installations using discharge
lamps, including tubular fluorescents, should be lit for at least 20 minutes and
ideally for 1 hour before measurements are made. Installations using incandescent
lamps should be lit for at least 10 minutes before any measurements are made.
It should be noted that daylight is rarely stable and hence the illuminance and
luminance it produces can vary over a very large range very quickly. For this
reason when measurements of the electric lighting installation alone are required,
daylight must be excluded from the interior.
To stabilise the reading of the photovoltaic cells used in illuminance and luminance
meters it is desirable to expose the photocell to the approximate luminous flux to
be measured for about 5 minutes before making the first measurement.
A2.3.2 Average
The average illuminance over an interior is usually measured to check if an
illuminance electric lighting installation has achieved its design specification. To do this the
Appendices 153
following procedure is recommended, after the installation has been operating
for an appropriate time at the design supply voltage. For discharge lamps this
time is 100 hours but for incandescent lamps it will be less.
The interior is divided into a number of equal areas which should be as nearly
square as possible. The illuminance at the centre of each area is measured and
the mean value calculated. This gives an estimate of the average illuminance. The
accuracy of the estimate depends on the number of measurement points and the
uniformity of illuminance.
Table A3.1 relates the room index to the number of measurement points necessary
to give an error of less than 10%; the data in the table are valid for spacing/height
ratios up to 1.5:1. Where an error of less than 5% is required, the number of
measurement points should be doubled.
The only limitation on the use of Table A3.1 is when the periodicity of the grid
of measuring points coincides with the periodicity of the grid of lighting points;
large errors are then possible and more points than the number given in Table
A3.1 should be used. The numbers of measurement points suggested are minima,
and it may be necessary to increase their number to obtain a symmetrical grid to
suit a particular room shape.
Table A3.1 Measurement points required
Room index Number of points

Below 1 4
1 and below 2 9
2 and below 3 16
3 and above 25
The following examples illustrate the use of the method:
(a) F
or an interior measuring 20 m × 20 m and with luminaires mounted
4 m above the task plane:
20 × 20
Room index = = 2.5
4(20 + 20)
ixteen points of measurement are therefore required,

S
i.e. a 4 × 4 grid.
(b) I f the room measures 20 m × 40 m and the luminaires are mounted
at the same height, it should be treated as two 20 m × 20 m areas and
32 points of measurements should be used.
(c) If the room measures 20 m × 33 m, the number of measurement
points required should be derived by first considering a 20 m × 20 m
area within the larger rectangle. From example (a) and treating this
area by itself, 16 points would be required. The number for the room
is then obtained proportionately, i.e.:
16 × 20 × 30
Number of points = = 26
20 × 20
he points are placed at the centres of rectangles which should be as

T
‘square’ as possible. Taking 26 as the minimum number of points, 28
points on a 4 × 7 grid could be used.
easurements should be made at a position representative of the task plane, but

M
if this is not specified the measurements should be taken on a horizontal plane
at height of 0.7 m above the floor for offices and of 0.85 m above the floor for
industrial premises. A portable stand or tripod is useful to support the photocell
at the required height and inclination. Care should be taken not to cast a shadow
over the photocell when taking the readings.
A2.3.3 llluminance When the illuminance at a workplace is of interest, e.g. when local lighting is
being measured, the illuminance should be measured at an appropriate point and
at a point plane with the operator in their normal position, no matter whether this casts a
shadow on the meter or not.
Point illuminance measurements can also be used to estimate the uniformity of

the illuminance provided by the electric lighting installation. For this purpose the
illuminance should be measured on a horizontal plane at an appropriate height
without shadowing the photocell. Uniformity criteria need to be interpreted with
a degree of common sense. It is always possible to find a very low illuminance in
the corner of a room but this is of little relevance if no work is being done there.
It is the uniformity of the illuminance over the working area that usually is of
concern.
Glossary 155
Glossary
aspect factor (af) A function of the angle subtended at a point by the length of a linear source,
and of the axial distribution of luminous intensity from the source; used in the
calculation of illuminance at a point.
asymmetric distribution A luminous intensity distribution which is not symmetric about the vertical axis
through the luminaire.
average illuminance See service illuminance.
axial distribution The luminous intensity distribution of a linear luminaire in the plane parallel to
the length of the luminaire.
beam angle The total angle over which the luminous intensity of a beam drops to a given
proportion (usually half or one-tenth) of the peak value.
beam factor The proportion of the lamp flux contained within the beam angle.
candela (cd) The si unit of luminous intensity, equal to one lumen per steradian.
cavity index (ci) A term, indicating the proportions of boundary surfaces, used in determining the
effective reflectances of room surfaces for interior lighting design: defined for a
cavity of length L, width W, and depth d, as LW/(d(L + W)).
ceiling cavity reflectance (rec) Effective reflectance of the room volume above the plane of the luminaires.
chroma In the Munsell system, an index of saturation of colour ranging from 0 for neutral
grey to 16 for strong colours. A low chroma implies a pastel shade.
colour rendering A general expression for the appearance of surface colours when illuminated by
light from a given source compared, consciously or unconsciously, with their
appearance under light from some reference source. ‘Good colour rendering’
implies similarity of appearance to that under an acceptable light source, such as
daylight.
colour rendering index (cri) A measure of the degree to which the colours of surfaces illuminated by a given
light source conform to those of the same surfaces under a reference illuminant,
suitable allowance having been made for the state of chromatic adaptation. (CIE
Publication 13.3.)
contrast A term that is used subjectively and objectively. Subjectively it describes the
difference in appearance of two parts of a visual field seen simultaneously
or successively. The difference may be one of brightness or colour or both.
Objectively, the term expresses the luminance difference between the two parts
of the field by such relationships as:
L – L1
Contrast=
L1
Quantitatively, the sign of the contrast is ignored. L1 is the dominant or

background luminance. L is the task luminance.
correlated colour temperature The temperature of a full radiator which emits radiation having a chromaticity
nearest to that of the light source being considered, e.g. the colour of a full radiator
at 3500 K is the nearest match to that of a white tubular fluorescent lamp.
daylight factor The illuminance received at a point indoors, from a sky of known or assumed
luminance distribution, expressed as a percentage of the horizontal illuminance
outdoors from an unobstructed hemisphere of the same sky. Direct sunlight is
excluded from both values of illuminance.
diffuse reflection Reflection in which the reflected light is diffused and there is no significant
specular reflection, as from a matt paint.
diffused lighting Lighting in which the luminous flux comes from many directions, none of which
predominates.
direct lighting Lighting in which the greater part of the luminous flux from the luminaires
reaches the surface (usually the working plane) directly, i.e. without reflection
from surrounding surfaces. Luminaires with a flux fraction ratio less than 0.1 are
usually regarded as direct.
directional lighting Lighting designed to illuminate a task or surface predominantly from some
direction.
disability glare Glare which impairs the ability to see detail.
discharge lamp A lamp in which the light is produced either directly or by the excitation of
phosphors by an electric discharge through a gas, a metal vapour or a mixture of
several gases and vapours.
discomfort glare Glare which causes visual discomfort.
effective reflectance (re) Estimated reflectance of a surface, based on the relative areas and the reflectances
of the materials forming the surface. Thus, ‘effective wall reflectance’ takes
account of the reflectances of the wall surface, the windows, the filing cabinets,
etc., that comprise the sides of a room.
emergency lighting Lighting provided for use when the main lighting installation fails.
escape lighting Emergency lighting provided to ensure that the means of escape can be safely and
effectively used at all material times.
externally reflected component The illuminance received directly at a point indoors from a sky of
of daylight factor (erc) known or assumed luminance distribution after reflection from an external
reflecting surface, expressed as a percentage of the horizontal illuminance
outdoors from an unobstructed hemisphere of the same sky. Direct sunlight is
excluded from both illuminances.
flicker A visible oscillation in luminous flux.
floor cavity reflectance (reF) Effective reflectance of the room volume below the working plane.
flux fraction ratio (ffr) The ratio of the upward luminous flux to the downward luminous flux from a
luminaire.
footpath A means of passage for pedestrians.

Glossary 157
footway That portion of a road which is reserved for pedestrians.
full radiator A thermal radiator obeying Planck’s radiation law and having the maximum
possible radiant exitance for all wavelengths for a given temperature; also called
a black body to emphasise its absorption of all incident radiation.
full radiator locus The curve on a chromaticity diagram representing the colour of the radiation
from a full radiator as a function of its temperature.
general dispersive distribution The luminous intensity distribution of a class of luminaires, characterised by a
spacing/height ratio > 1.0 and < 1.5.
general lighting Lighting designed to illuminate the whole of an area uniformly, without provision
for special local requirements.
glare The discomfort or impairment of vision experienced when parts of the visual
field are excessively bright in relation to the general surroundings.
glare index system A system that enables the discomfort glare from lighting installations to be
ranked in order of severity and the permissible limit of discomfort glare from an
installation to be prescribed quantitatively.
hazardous environment An environment in which a risk of fire or explosion exists.
hostile environment An environment in which the lighting equipment may be subject to chemical,
thermal or mechanical attack.
hue Colour in the sense of red, or yellow or green, etc. In the Munsell system, an
index derived by arranging the five named colours (red, yellow, green, blue and
purple) and their intermediates (yellow-red, green-yellow, etc.) in a circle of
constant chroma and dividing each of these ten equally spaced bands into ten
equal steps in the complete atlas (but four in the standard atlases, hence 7.5 BG
as a hue reference).
illuminance (E) (unit: lm/m2, lux) The luminous flux density at a surface, i.e. the luminous flux incident per unit
area. (This quantity was formerly known as the illumination value or illumination
level.)
illumination The process of lighting.
incandescent lamp A lamp in which light is produced by a filament heated to incandescence by the
passage of an electric current.
indirect lighting Lighting in which the greater part of the flux reaches the surface (usually the
working plane) only after reflection at other surfaces and particularly at the
roof or ceiling. Luminaires with a flux fraction ratio greater than 10 are usually
regarded as indirect.
ingress protection (ip) number A two-digit number associated with a luminaire. The first digit classifies the
degree of protection the luminaire provides against the ingress of solid foreign
bodies. The second digit classifies the degree of protection the luminaire provides
against the ingress of moisture. Details of the nature of the protection achieved at
different levels is given in BS EN 60598-1.
initial light output (unit: lm) The luminous flux from a lamp after 100 hours of operation.
internally reflected component The illuminance received at a point indoors from a sky of known or assumed
of the daylight factor (irc) luminance distribution after reflection within the interior, expressed as a
percentage of the horizontal illuminance outdoors from an unobstructed
hemisphere of the same sky. Direct sunlight is excluded from both illuminances.
isolux diagram A diagram showing contours of equal illuminance.
leni Lighting Energy Numerical Indicator, as defined in BS EN 15193.
light loss factor (llf) The ratio of the illuminance provided by the installation at some stated time,
with respect to the initial illuminance, i.e. that after 100 hours of operation.
The light loss factor is the product of the lamp lumen maintenance factor, the
luminaire maintenance factor and the room surface maintenance factor.
limiting glare index The maximum value of the glare index which is recommended for a specific
lighting installation or room.
local lighting Lighting designed to illuminate a particular small area which usually does not
extend far beyond the visual task, e.g. a desk light.
localised lighting Lighting designed to illuminate an interior and at the same time to provide
higher illuminances over a particular part or parts of the interior.
lumen (lm) The si unit of luminous flux, used in describing a quantity of light emitted by
a source or received by a surface. A small source which has a uniform luminous
intensity of one candela emits a total of 4p lumens in all directions and emits one
lumen within unit solid angle.
luminaire An apparatus which controls the distribution of light given by a lamp or lamps
and which includes all the components necessary for fixing and protecting the
lamps and for connecting them to the supply circuit. Luminaire has superseded
the term lighting fitting.
luminance (L) (unit: cd/m2) The physical measure of the stimulus which produces the sensation of brightness
measured by the luminous intensity of the light emitted or reflected in a given
direction from a surface element, divided by the area of the element in the
same direction. The si unit of luminance is the candela per square metre, the
relationship between luminance and illuminance is given by the equation:
illuminance × reflectance
Luminance =
p
This equation applies to a matt surface. For a non matt surface, the reflectance is
replaced by the luminance factor.
luminous efficacy (unit: lm/W) The ratio of the luminous flux emitted by a lamp to the power consumed by
the lamp. When the power consumed by control gear is taken into account this
term is sometimes known as lamp circuit luminous efficacy and is expressed in
lumens/circuit watt.
luminous flux (unit: lm) The light emitted by a source, or received by a surface. The quantity is derived
from radiant flux by evaluating the radiation in accordance with the spectral
sensitivity of the standard eye as described by the CIE Standard Photometric
Observer.
Glossary 159
luminous intensity (unit: cd) A quantity which describes the power of a source or illuminated surface to emit
light in a given direction. It is the luminous flux emitted in a very narrow cone
containing the given direction divided by the solid angle of the cone: the result
is expressed in candelas.
luminous intensity distribution The distribution of the luminous intensity of a lamp or luminaire in all spatial
directions. Luminous intensity distributions are usually shown in the form of a
polar diagram or a table for a single vertical plane, in terms of candelas per 1000
lumens of lamp luminous flux.
lux (lx) The si unit of illuminance, equal to one lumen per square metre.
maintenance factor (mf) The ratio of the illuminance provided by an installation in the average condition
of dirtiness expected in service, to the illuminance from the same installation
when clean. The maintenance factor is always less than unity.
minimum illuminance The lowest illuminance occurring at any point and at any time on the working
plane in the working area.
mounting height (hm) Usually the vertical distance between a luminaire and the working plane, but
sometimes the distance between the luminaire and the floor.
Munsell system A system of surface colour classification using uniform colour scales of hue, value
and chroma. A typical Munsell designation of a colour is 7.5 BG6/2, where 7.5 BG
(bluegreen) is the hue reference, 6 is the value and 2 is the chroma reference
number.
narrow distribution The luminous intensity distribution of a class of luminaires, characterised by a

spacing/height ratio of 1.0 or less.
power factor In an electric circuit, the power factor is equal to the ratio of the root mean
square power in watts to the product of the root mean square values of voltage
and current; for sinusoidal wave forms the power factor is also equal to the cosine
of the angle of phase difference between voltage and current.
reflectance (R) The ratio of the luminous flux reflected from a surface to the luminous flux
incident on it. Except for matt surfaces, reflectance depends on how the surface
is illuminated but especially on the direction of the incident light and its spectral
distribution. The value is always less than unity and is expressed as either a
decimal or as a percentage.
room index (ri) An index related to the dimensions of a room and used when calculating the
utilisation factor and other characteristics of the lighting installation:
LW
Room index =
hm (L + W)
where L is the length of the room, W the width and hm the height of the luminaires
above the working plane.
service illuminance The mean illuminance throughout the maintenance cycle of an installation,
averaged over the relevant area. The area may be the whole of the working plane
or just the area of the visual task and its immediate surround, depending on the
lighting approach used.
sky component of the daylight The illuminance received directly at a point indoors from a sky of known or
factor (sc) assumed luminance distribution expressed as a percentage of the horizontal
illuminance outdoors from an unobstructed hemisphere of the same sky. Direct
sunlight is excluded from both values of illuminance.
spacing/height ratio (shr) This ratio describes the distance between luminaire centres in relation to their
height above the working plane. For a regular square arrangement of luminaires,
it is the distance between adjacent luminaires divided by their height above the
working plane. More generally:
(A / N)
Spacing/height ratio =
hm
where A is the total floor area, N is the number of luminaires and hm is their
height above the working plane.
special location emergency lighting Emergency lighting provided to allow machinery, plant or processes, to be placed
in a safe and stable condition before leaving the location, usually kitchens and
plant rooms.
specular reflection Reflection without diffusion in accordance with the laws of optical reflection as
in a mirror.
standard service illuminance The service illuminance recommended for the assumed standard conditions of
the application.
standby lighting Emergency lighting provided to enable normal activities to continue.
stroboscopic effect An illusion caused by oscillation in luminous flux, that makes a moving object
appear as stationary or as moving in a manner different from that in which it is
truly moving.
symmetric distribution A luminous intensity distribution which is symmetrical about the vertical axis
through the luminaire.
transmittance The ratio of luminous flux transmitted by a material to the incident luminous
flux.
transverse distribution The luminous intensity distribution of a linear luminaire in a plane normal to
the length of the luminaire.
uniformity ratio The ratio of the minimum illuminance to the average illuminance. In some
instances, the ratio of the minimum to the maximum illuminance is quoted. The
ratio usually applies to values on the working plane over the working area.
utilisation factor (uf) The proportion of the luminous flux emitted by the lamps which reaches the
working plane.
value In the Munsell system, an index of the lightness of a surface ranging from 0
(black) to 10 (white). Approximately related to percentage reflectance by the
relationship:
R = V (V – 1)
where R is reflectance (%) and V is value.
Glossary 161
vdu (visual display unit) A self-luminous screen on which information is displayed (when the vdu is part
of a computer system, it is sometimes called a vdt (visual display terminal).
visual environment The environment either indoors or outdoors as seen by an observer.
visual field The full extent in space of what can be seen when looking in a given direction.
waste light factor The proportion of light produced by an exterior area floodlighting installation
that falls on the area to be lit (typically 0.8).
widespread distribution The luminous intensity distribution of a class of luminaires characterised by a

spacing/height ratio of > 1.5.
working plane The horizontal, vertical, or inclined plane in which the visual task lies, and
nowadays called either task area or task plane. If no information is available, the
plane may be considered to be horizontal and at 0.75 m above the floor for offices,
horizontal and 1.20 m above the floor for meeting rooms in places of worship.
Bibliography Sections 2 to 4 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 apply to all places
of work. Section 2 places a general duty on the employer to ensure, so far as is
reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all his employees. Section
Legislation relevant 3 requires the employer and the self-employed to ensure, so far as is reasonably
to lighting practicable, that people not in their employ who may be affected by their work
activities are not exposed to risks to their health or safety. Section 4 requires
that premises made available to people as a place of work or equipment provided
for use there are safe and without risks to health. These general duties include,
where appropriate, the provision of suitable lighting.
Other requirements dealing specifically with lighting are contained in the

Factories Act 1961, the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963 and the
Mines and Quarries Act 1954. These require effective provision of ‘sufficient
and suitable’ lighting, whether by artificial or natural means, in every part
of the premises where people work or pass, and all apparatus for producing
artificial lighting to be properly maintained. There are also a number of specific
Regulations made under these and other Acts of Parliament which contain
lighting requirements. The relevant legislation is listed below:
Building Regulations 2010 SI 2010 No. 2214: Part L: Conservation of fuel

and power
Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005
Construction (General Provisions) Regulations 1961 SI 1961 No. 1580
Construction (Health and Welfare) Regulations 1966 SI 1966 No. 95
Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 SI 1994 No. 3260
Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 SI 2003 No. 1660
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 SI 1999 No. 3242
Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963 Sections 8 and 9
Regulatory Reform (Fire Services) Order 2005
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2006.
SI 2006 No. 3315
European legislation EU Directive 85/337/EEC, amended by Directive 97/11/EC
British Standards Available from British Standards Institution: http://shop.bsigroup.com

BS 667: 2005: Specification for portable photoelectric photometers
BS 4800: 2011: Specification for paint colours for building purposes
BS 5266-1: 2011: Emergency lighting. Part 1: Code of practice for the emergency
escape lighting of premises
BS 5489-1: 2013: Code of practice for the design of road lighting. Lighting of roads
and public amenity areas
BS 7671: 2008 + A1: 2011: Requirements for electrical installations. IET Wiring
Regulations. Seventeenth edition
BS DD 73: 1982: Basic data for the design of buildings: daylight
BS EN 1838: 1999: Lighting applications. Emergency lighting
BS EN 12464-1: 2011:Light and lighting. Lighting of work places. Indoor work places
Bibliography 163
BS EN 12464-2: 2007: Lighting of work places. Outdoor work places
BS EN 15193: 2007: Energy performance of buildings. Energy requirements for
lighting
BS EN 60598: Luminaires
BS EN 60598-1: 2008: Luminaires. General requirements and tests
BS EN 62262: 2002: Degrees of protection provided by enclosures for
electrical equipment against external mechanical impacts (IK code)
BS PAS 79: 2012: Fire risk assessment. Guidance and a recommended methodology
CIBSE/SLL publications Available from CIBSE: www.cibse.org

SLL (1992) Lighting Guide 6: The outdoor environment
SLL (2004) Lighting Guide 12: Emergency lighting design guide
SLL (2005) Lighting Guide 7: Office lighting
SLL (2006) Lighting Guide 4: Sports lighting
SLL (2008) Lighting Guide 2: Hospitals and health care buildings
SLL (2009) The SLL Lighting Handbook
SLL (2011) Lighting Guide 5: Lighting for education
SLL (2012) The SLL Code for lighting
SLL (2012) Guide to limiting obtrusive light
SLL (2013) Lighting Guide 9: Lighting for communal residential buildings
SLL (2013) Lighting Guide 10: Daylighting and window design
SLL (2014) Lighting Guide 8: Lighting for museums and art galleries
Health and Safety Available from: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns

Executive publications HSE (1998) Health and Safety Guidance Note HSG38: Lighting at work
Other publications Boyce P R (1981) Human factors in lighting (London: Applied Science
Publishers)
Building Research Establishment (BRE) (2006) BRE Digest 498: Selecting
lighting controls (Watford: BRE)
Cayless MA and Marsden AM (1983) Lamps and lighting (London: Edward
Arnold)
CIE (1994) CIE 13.3: Method of measuring and specifying colour rendering properties
of light sources (Vienna: CIE) (2003)
CIE 154:2003: The maintenance of outdoor lighting systems (Vienna: CIE)
CIE (2005) CIE 097:2005: Guide on the maintenance of indoor electric lighting
systems (Vienna: CIE)
DCLG. Building Regulations 2010 Approved Document B (London: DCLG)
De Boer JB and Fischer D (1978) Interior lighting (Antwerp: Philips Technical
Library).
De Boer JB and Van Bomell (1980) Road lighting (Antwerp: Philips Technical
Library).
Inter Faith Network for the UK (2010) Building good relations with people of
different faiths and beliefs (London: Inter Faith Network for the UK)
McNally D (1994) The vanishing universe (Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press
Mizon B (2002) Light pollution, responses and remedies (London: Springer)
Rich C and Longcore T (2006) Ecological consequences of artificial night lighting
(Washington DC: Island Press)
Index 165
Index Christadelphian ecclesias 59–64
Christian Science churches 65–70
controls
emergency lighting 8, 11–12,
church halls 18–19, 36–37 113–116
Note: page numbers in italics refer to ci (cavity index) 155 energy conservation 6–8
figures; page numbers in bold refer to CIBSE/SLL publications 163 see also luminous efficacy
tables; repeated information for common classrooms 14, 20, 25, 57, 76–77 English Heritage 9–10
building areas is given for the first and cleaning interval 138–139 entrance vestibules/lobbies 14,
most significant page references. cleaning methods 139 28–29, 49, 55, 67, 74, 86
clock faces 125 see also reception rooms/areas
absence detectors 8, 12, 147 cloisters 14 environmental conditions 6, 133,
accessibility 10–12 closed-circuit TV (cctv) surveillance 145
af (aspect factor) 155
125–126 escape lighting 115–116, 156
altars 4, 14 colour appearance 150 European Standards 162–163
ambient lighting 4, 143 colour contrast 11 Evangelist halls 78–82
ambient temperature 6 colour properties 5 exit signs 115
amud 26, 27, 31 colour rendering 131, 145, 150–151, exterior lighting 117–128
anglican churches 14–19 155 car parks 117–118
area lighting 114, 116, 145 colour rendering groups 150 cctv surveillance 125–126
Ark 27, 29–31 colour rendering index (cri) 5, 7, floodlighting 119–125

aspect factor (af) 155 14, 155 obtrusive light 126–128
automatic controls 8, 12, 146–147 colour temperatures 5, 17, 130, 150, security lighting 118–119
average daylight factor 142 156
average illuminance see service committee rooms 63 facade lighting 119–125
illuminance community centres 18–19 family history units 52
community rooms 25, 31–32, 36–37 festivals 17–18
background area 3 compact fluorescent lamps (cfl) field surveys 152–153
baptismal fonts 14, 17, 45, 47, 52 130, 145 flicker 5–6, 10, 156
beam factor 149, 155 computer-based control systems 147 floodlighting 117–118, 119–125
bell towers 14 contrast 11, 155 floodlights 11, 145
bibliography 162–163 control gear 130, 131–132 fluorescent lamps 7, 130, 145
bimah 26, 27, 31 control systems 136–137, 146–148 fonts see baptismal fonts
boiler rooms 14 power consumption 7 funeral homes 104–106
book shops 90, 92 convents 90–95
book stands 17, 24, 41 correlated colour temperature (cct) general lighting 4, 143, 157
British Standards 162–163 150, 156 glare 5, 127, 157
Buddhist temples 83–89 corridors 20 see also unified glare ratio (ugr)
building management systems 147 crematoria 106–108 glare index 149, 157
cri (colour rendering index) 5, 7, glossary 155–161
Building Regulations
emergency lighting 113 14, 155 gls lamps 129, 130
energy conservation 6 ground mounted floodlights 11

daylight control 8, 146–147 group replacement 137–138
cafés 44 daylight factor 8, 142, 156 group switching 137
candlelight 4, 116 daylighting 8–9, 142
car parks 117–118 diffuse reflection 127 hazardous environments 114, 116,
care homes 44 dimming 130, 137 157
catafalque 107 dining rooms 42–43, 75–76 health and safety 10–12
catholic churches 14–19 disability access 10–12 high risk task areas 116
cavity index (ci) 155 disability glare 5, 127, 156 high-pressure discharge lamps 130,
cct (correlated colour temperature)
discomfort glare 5, 127, 156 138, 145
150, 156 disposal of lamps 138 Hindu temples 83–89
cctv surveillance 125–126
dressing rooms 47 historic buildings 9–10
celestial rooms 47–48 drop-in centres 43 hostels 44
cfl (compact fluorescent lamps)
dust-proof luminaries 138–139 hue 157
130, 145
chancel areas 14, 17 effective reflectance (re) 156 illuminance
chapel rooms 36 efficacy 129, 130 calculations 148–149
chapels 103–109 electric shock protection 133 definition 157
charity shops 38, 43–44 electronic control see automatic measurement 151–154
uniformity 2–3, 3, 14 health and safety 11 nave lighting 17

illuminance at a point 148, 154 for lamp types 136, 144 noise problems 7
illuminance meters 151–152 maintenance 6 non-conformist churches and
‘immediate surrounding area’ 3 spacing 2, 4, 153 chapels 33–37
incandescent lamps 130, 157 standards and markings 132–135, notice boards 11, 14, 22
information boards 11, 14, 22 135
ingress protection (ip) rating 133, type characteristics 136 obstructions 4
133, 134, 135, 145–146, 157 luminance 158 obtrusive light 126–128
interior temperatures 6 luminous efficacy 129, 130, 158 offices 20, 43
luminous intensity 159 open area lighting 114, 116, 145
Kingdom Halls of Jehovah’s luminous intensity distributions ordinance rooms 47
Witnesses 53–58 136, 159 organ lighting 14, 17
kitchens 41, 42, 51, 56, 75 see also under illuminance organ lofts 36
emergency lighting 116 overhead obstructions 4
madrasa 21
lamp flicker 5–6, 10, 156 maintained illuminances 2 Pentecostal halls 78–82
lamp life 129, 130, 131 maintenance 6, 137–140, 147–148 photocell switches 8
lamp replacement 6, 137–138, maintenance factor (mf) 139, 149, photocells 146, 151
147–148 159 pillar-mounted luminaires 17
lamps 129–132 majid 21 pillars causing obstruction 4
characteristics 130 manual controls 146 plane of the task 2
choice 144–145 maqsura 21 plant rooms 14
colour properties 5, 7, 150–151 marriage chapels 109 platform lighting 27, 31, 40–41
compatibility 138 masonic halls 96–102 pool rooms 31
for luminaire types 136, 144 mean cylindrical illuminance 4 porte-cochère 106
safe disposal 138 meeting halls 61–62 power factor 159
lecterns 14, 17, 31, 62 see also multi-function halls power loading targets 7, 7–8
leds (light emitting diodes) 7, 130 meeting rooms 20, 55–56, 63, 67–68, practice rooms 14
legal requirements 74–75, 81 prayer halls 87–88
emergency lighting 113 see also classrooms; multi-purpose prayer rooms 20, 23–24, 110–112
energy conservation 6 rooms presence detectors 8, 12, 147
lamp disposal 138 metal halide lamps 7, 130, 145 pulpits 14, 17, 24
legislation 162 methodist churches 33–37
leni (lighting efficiency numerical mf (maintenance factor) 139, 149, qibla 21, 23, 24
indicator) 7 159 Quaker meeting houses 71–77
libraries 20, 24, 57–58, 94 microprocessor-based control
see also reading rooms systems 147 re (effective reflectance) 156
light distribution 136 mihrab 20, 21, 23, 24 reading rooms 69–70
see also under illuminance mikvah 26, 27, 31 see also libraries
light emitting diodes (leds) 7, 130 mimbar 20, 21, 24 reception rooms/areas 20, 22, 28–29,
light loss factor (llf) 158 minaret towers 20, 25, 124–125 40
light meters 151–152 modelling 4 reflectances 2, 5, 11, 127, 159
light sources see lamps moisture ingress see ingress registry offices 109
light trespass 126 protection (ip) rating Religious Society of Friends see
lighting design 141–149 monasteries 90–95 Quaker meeting houses
lighting efficiency numerical Mormon chapels and temples 45–52 remote switching 137
indicator (leni) 7 mosques 20–25 residential accommodation 44
listed buildings 9–10 mounting positions 136, 144, 159 restrike time 131
llf (light loss factor) 158 multi-faith spaces 110–112 riwaqs 21
localised lighting 3, 143, 158 multi-function halls 18–19, 36, 43, room index (ri) 153, 159
low temperature starting 6 51 run-up time 130, 131, 144
low-pressure mercury discharge multi-purpose rooms 62–63
lamps 130, 138 see also community rooms sahn 21
lumen method formula 148 Munsell system 159 Salvation Army citadels 38–44
luminaires 132–133 music stands 14, 17 sanctuary lighting 14, 18, 26, 29–31,
choice 145–146 musical performances 17–18, 41 36
cleaning 138–139, 139 sanitary accommodation 12, 14, 20,
definition 158 natural light see daylighting 23
Index 167
sealing rooms 48 Sunday schools 14, 18–19, 36–37, 69 uniformity ratio 160
security lighting 118–119 sundials 125 uplighting 4
service illuminance 148–149, 152– surface lighting 2, 4 utilisation factors (uf) 148, 160
154, 159 surface reflectances 2, 5, 11, 127, 159
shops 38, 43–44, 90, 92 switching 136–137, 146 value (lightness) 160
signage 11, 115 synagogues 26–32 vertical plane illuminance 2, 4
Sikh temples 83–89 vestries 14, 19, 37
sky glow 126 task illuminance 3, 7 visual impairment 11
Society of Light and Lighting task lighting 2, 143
(SLL) publications 163 time switches 8, 147 wall ‘washing’ 2, 4
solar protection 9 toilets 12, 14 wall-mounted luminaires 11
spacing/height ratios 153, 160 towers 14, 25, 124–125 Waste Electrical and Electronic
specification 141 transept lighting 14, 18 Equipment (WEEE)
specular reflection 5, 160 triphosphor lamps 7 Regulations 2006 138
spires 124–125 tubular fluorescent lamps 130 wheelchair users 11–12
stained-glass windows 18, 123–124 tungsten halogen lamps 130, 137 see also accessibility
standby lighting 114, 116, 160 ‘tunnel’ effect 4 windows 8–9, 142
storerooms 14, 64 working plane 2
stroboscopic effects 5–6, 10–11, 160 uf(utilisation factors) 148, 160
study rooms 20, 25, 57, 76–77 unified glare ratio (ugr) 14, 149
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Lighting for the Built Environment: Places of Worship

Book · March 2014

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

Lighting Guide 13:

222 Balham High Road, London SW12 9BS, UK

The rights of publication or translation are reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or

©March 2014 The Society of Light and Lighting

The Society is part of CIBSE which is a registered charity, number 278104.

Layout and typesetting by The Lavenham Press.

Printed in England by The Lavenham Press

Note from the publisher

Any commercial products depicted or described within this publication are

This guide to lighting for places of worship is published by the Society of

CIBSE Head of Knowledge

Appendix 1 Light source colour.....................................150

Appendix 2 Field measurements of illuminance..........151

Lighting, as used in places of worship, has four objectives: to enable participants

It must be stressed that it is as important to apply the correct source of lighting

The recommendations and advice given in this guide are representative of

The illuminances recommended in this guide are consistent with those

A common failing of lighting in Christian churches is the provision of low

The illuminance of the ‘immediate surrounding area’ should be related to the

Table 2.1 Relationship of illuminances in ‘immediate surrounding areas’ and ‘background

Illuminance on the task Illuminance on immediate Illuminance on background

≥ 7500 500 100

500 300 100

≤ 500 Etask Etask / 2

However, in places of worship, particularly those devoid of daylight, a large part

Figure 2.1 Relationship

Good visual communication and recognition of objects within a space are

The maintained mean cylindrical illuminance (average vertical plane illuminance)

Discomfort glare occurs when people experience discomfort without any

stroboscopic problems in a religious environment. In addition, when using high

Legislation in England and Wales with regard to energy conservation is

In large buildings, such as Christian churches, some mosques and certain

registering listed buildings and scheduled ancient monuments. The equivalent

A listed building may not be demolished, extended or altered without special

It is important, therefore, before commencement of any repair or maintenance

It is therefore important that the requirements of all disabled worshippers are

or visual impairment. In particular, emergency lighting should be

2.18.2 Further reading The Building Regulations 2010: Approved Document M.

Freemasonry is not a religion and recognises no distinction of religion among

3.2 Anglican Application Maintained ugr Minimum Ra Remarks

– general 200 28 0.4 40 Beware of possible vibration

– multi-purpose 300 22 0.6 80 General lighting should be

Figure 3.2.1 A Catholic church

The height of many current churches is considerable and requires careful

Figure 3.2.3 Layout of a

is of a temporary type then lighting frames used in theatres can be brought in

3.3 Mosques Application Maintained ugr Minimum Ra Remarks

Figure 3.3.3 Layout of a

Figure 3.3.6 A typical mosque

Figure 3.3.7 The library in a

Consideration should be given to the use of lighting controls such as daylight

Figure 3.3.8 Study rooms are used

Figure 3.3.9 A typical minaret

– multi-purpose 300 22 0.6 80 General lighting should be