BSR231

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY II

Sr. Noorazlina Kamarulzaman

Building Surveying Department (UiTM)
LECTURE 1 :
Introduction to
Lighting
AIMS OF THIS • Provide an understanding of the
features of light and its performance.
general

CHAPTER • Introduce the performance characteristics of

selected types of lamps and luminaires, and an
understanding of the physical basis of their
operation.

• Introduce the energy efficiency and economics

aspects of the design and operation of lighting
system.

• Enable you to estimate daylight levels in interior

spaces.

• Introduce aspects of lighting theory with lighting

criteria.
OBJECTIVES OF
LIGHTING FOR PRIVACY
Privacy is somewhat like being in the shadows. Lighting
patterns which are overall low illuminance, non-uniform
and darker in the zone of the occupant then in the
surrounding will reinforce on impression of privacy.

FOR ILLUMINATION PURPOSE

To create luminance space in the area for carried out the
activity.

FOR HEALTHY
In natural lighting, the light can produce health
environment when the proper ventilation are being made
i.e. sunrise
Nature of Light Light and the effect of light are the major
element in the human sense of environment.
Both artificial and natural source of light are
use in the building can be supplied and
controlled in many ways.

WHAT IS LIGHT?

Light is energy in the form of electromagnet of

radiation and light is a ‘wave phenomenon’.

This energy is radiated by processes in the

atomic structures of different materials and
cause a wide range of effects.
-R.C MULLAN-
 Light is a kind of electromagnetic wave.

A chart of the electromagnetic wave

spectrum is shown in Figure 1.

It can be seen that visible light occupies a

very narrow band of the whole spectrum.
Visible spectrum Wavelength (nm)
Visible light is a small portion of the
Ultraviolet (UV) 100 - 400 electromagnetic spectrum. The energy in the
Visible region 380 – 770 non visible portions of the spectrum still
affect us, and must be considered along with
Infrared (IR) 770 - 108 the visible portion.

In addition to the visible spectrum, the

ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) regions of
the electromagnetic spectrum are particular
importance to the designer.
Electromagnetic
Spectrum

FIGURE 1
 Visible
light region
FIGURE 2
 Light sources typically do not contain all

Light is the
wavelength in equal intensity throughout the full
visible spectrum, although they still appear as
“w hite”.

energy in the Light has specific characteristics at different

w avelength w hich can be used to differentiate
spectral regions:

form of i) 180-220nm = ultraviolet light can

produce ozone
ii) 220-300nm = bactericidal effect

electromagnetic
iii) 280-320nm = can causes skin
burn
iv) 300-400nm = produces ‘black
light’

radiation Lights w ith shorter w avelengths and hence

higher frequencies have more energy than those
with longer w avelengths and hence low er
frequencies.
 The transmissions of light energ y can be described as
a ‘w ave moti on’ and can be considered as ha ving the
follow ing general properties :

1) The energ y r esides in fluctuations of electric and

magnetic fields, w hich travel as a trans verse w ave
motion .

Properties of 2) These w aves require no medium and can therefore

travel through a vacuum.

Electromagnetic 3) Different t yp es of electromagnetic radiation ha ve

different w avelength frequencies .

Waves 4) Al l electromagnetic w aves ha ve the same velocit y,

w hich approximately 3X10 8 m/s in vacuum.

5) The w aves tra vel in straight lines but can be

affected by :
Reflection :
Reversal of direction w hich occurs at a surface
Refraction :
Deflection w hich occurs at the boundaries of
different materials .
Diffract ion :
Deflection w hich occurs at edge of objects .
 The colors of the visible spectrum as violet,
indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red w hich
combination appear as a w hite light.

White light = is the effect on sight of

combination all the visible w avelengths.

The w avelength of electromagnetic radiation that

are visible to the eye range from approximately
Visible Radiation 30nm to 76nm (1nm is 10 9 metres).

RED
ORANGE
YELLOW
WHITE GREEN
LIGHT BLUE
INDIGO
VIOLET

Figure : Dispersion of White Light

 N o n vi s i bl e r a di a t i o n c a n be de s c r i b e d a s e l e c t r o m a gne t i c
r a di a t i ons w i th w a ve l e ngt hs out s i de t he r a n ge of vis i bl e
w a v e l e n gt h c a n n ot b e d e t e c t e d b y t h e h u m a n e ye .

Non Visible U l t r a vi ol e t Li ght i s not vi s i bl e , ye t i t c a n da m a g e t i s s ue a nd

ot he r or ga ni c m a t e r i a l s suc h a s f ur nit u r e a nd a r t w or k .
T he r e f or e , w he n s e l e c t i ng l i g ht s ou r c e s , de s i g ne r s h oul d b e
c o ns i de r how m uc h UV r a di a t i on w il l be e m i t t e d a nd a bs o r bi n g

Radiation surface.

U l t r a vi ol e t r adi at i o n hel ps k e e p t he b od y heal t h y but

e x c e s s i ve a m ou nt s c a n da m a ge t he s k i n a nd t he e ye s . I t s a l s o
c a n be us e d t o k i l l ha r m f ul ba c t e r i a i n k i t c he ns a nd i n
hospitals.

I nf r a r e d Ra di a t i on i s c o m m o nl y f e l t a s ‘ he a t ’ , or t he r m a l
r a di a t i on . Li ght s our c es of t en pr o duce i nf r a r ed r a di at i on
a l o n g w i t h U V a n d v i s i bl e r a d i a t i on .

I t a l s o c a n be us e d f or s e e i ng in the da r k a nd f or
c o m m u ni c a t i o n l i n k s .
Human Visual
The human eye receives light impulses and converts them into electric
signals in the optic nerve.

In the retina, the eyes have two kinds of elements to distinguish and code

System – Eyes
the light receive:

1. 120 million rods, which are sensitive only to brightness. Their

sensitivity is pretty high, that means they can work even in low
light conditions.

2. 6 million cones, which are sensitive to colour. There are three

kinds of cones: red, green and blue, and that is why colour
treatment is almost always based on those three light channels.

Source: Bea Cabrera

Human Visual
System – Eyes

Figure: Cross section of human eye

 The sensitivity curve of the eye states that for the same
amount of light (brightness).

Sensitivity curve Human vision has a more luminous feeling for the green
spectral components.

of the eye This is also why people see many more shades in the range
from green to yellow.