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Classrooms
The right amount of light
Reflectance
Lamps
Controls
Libraries
Gyms/Halls/Auditoriums
Workshops
Next steps

Classrooms

Good lighting quality is critical to providing a good learning environment where students can maintain high concentration levels. You need sufficient levels and quality of light for them to perform tasks. But that's not all – students also have to interpret the lighting effect as a pleasant environment.

With this in mind, there are a number of cost effective and basic initiatives you can take:

• Maximise natural daylight levels, while avoiding glare
• Light walls and ceilings with bright room surface colours, so people can safely move around the space
• Provide the correct colour rendering and colour temperature to improve the feeling of comfort
• Allow zoning so staff can dim lights or switch them off when they are not required, thereby saving electricity
• Find the correct amount of lighting level and contrast so students can focus their attention on focal points like lecture stands. Lecturers also need to be free from glare in order to make eye contact with students.

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The right amount of light

Most classrooms need to be lit to a minimum of 240 lux average on the working plane, which is usually desk height. However, keep in mind that work in classrooms is often done at floor level.

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Reflectance

Reflectance is the amount of light that bounces back off a surface (eg. wall or ceiling).

A lighter-coloured room with a ratio of 90/70/20% reflectance (ceiling/walls/floor respectively) requires 70% less energy for equivalent illuminance as a darker room with a ratio of (70/40/20%).

These figures compare with the absolute minimum reflectance recommended by the New Zealand Green Building Council (65% ceiling reflectance and 40% wall reflectance).

The lighter-coloured room also provides better daylight distribution, improves brightness ratios, and is more visually comfortable. These significant improvements are possible at little or no additional cost – rooms need to be repainted every few years so why not try lighter tones to brighten your space.

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Lamps

Linear fluorescent lamps, available in a range of colours to achieve a natural appearance, are the first choice for classroom environments.

There are two main types of fluorescent lamps: the older T8 and new technology T5. Both technologies have merits and limitations that your lighting designer can discuss in more detail.

A cool colour temperature of 4000K is suitable for offices and other work areas. Then change to warmer lamp colours in areas that are more relaxed and informal, such as staff rooms and entrance foyers. Fluorescent tubes are also available in 2,700K, 3,000K, and 3,500K, all of which would be suitable for use in the informal areas, depending on décor and style required.

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Controls

Retro-fitting a wall-mounted occupancy sensor in line with your standard switching is a good idea if there's often no one about. Although dimmable lighting provides the best flexibility. If you choose a dimmer be sure to fit a secondary light switch so you can easily switch off some lamps when you don't need them. (Just check the type of control gear within the light fitting.)

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Libraries

In this space it's important to:

• Allow lots of daylight to enter the space (use a dynamic automatic dimming system if adequate daylight is available)
• Balance the brightness and reflectance of finishes. We recommend this step so that students who look around to take a break from reading won't find any significant contrasts (the type that lead to adaptation issues)
• Add a high level of illuminance to the spine of books on shelves. The most energy efficient way to achieve this is to have specific shelf lighting integrated into the bookshelf unit. This can then be combined with a slightly lower level of ambient lighting that throws light upwards onto the ceiling and upper walls.

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Gyms/Halls/Auditoriums

These spaces are used for many different activities, from assemblies and concerts to sports and exams. Obviously the lighting needs to change each time. So you need a versatile lighting solution complete with controls that allow lighting to be varied when exams or fine detail activities take place.

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Workshop

The right solution for workshops is essentiatlly the same as that for industrial businesses.

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Next steps

If you want to take the lead on energy efficient lighting for your organisation:

• Talk with a registered lighting professional to assess your specific needs
• Ask them to specify the most appropriate energy efficient lighting designs and lamp options to meet your business needs
• Make sure you get a clear cost/benefit analysis of the different efficient lighting options available including payback period/ROI and lifecycle costs (including maintenance costs).

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