Understanding the brightness of a room is crucial to determine the amount of light needed to create a comfortable environment. The lighting should neither be too glaring nor too dim, unless there is a specific pre-planned effect. But how do you calculate the lighting of a room? Consider some fundamental factors, starting with the difference between illuminance and luminous flux.
How to Measure the Brightness of a Room
To understand how to measure the brightness of a room, that is, to know how much light is actually needed to illuminate the environment in the best way, you need to take into account three main elements:
- Total square meters of the room, i.e., its size;
- Lux, the unit of illuminance measurement;
- Lumen, the unit of measurement of luminous flux.
So, how do you calculate the lighting of a room? Illuminance is defined as the physical quantity resulting from the ratio between the illuminated area by a luminous flux and the flux itself. In other words, lux is equivalent to the ratio between lumens and the square meters that a room measures.
Luminous flux, on the other hand, is the amount of light emitted by a light source but does not consider the measurement of the illuminated surface. Consequently, lumens can be the quantity of light emitted by a lamp but do not include the illuminated environment. Lux, instead, measures the intensity of light within a specific environment in relation to its size.
Recommended Lux Levels in Every Context
To simplify the calculation of room lighting, you can consider some simple recommendations on the amount of lux needed for each environment. At home, for example, lighting is crucial to create a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere:
- In the living room, where relaxation and socializing often occur, a light ranging from 150 to 300 lux is sufficient to ensure functional lighting without being too intense;
- For the kitchen, higher lighting levels are recommended, exceeding 300 lux, to ensure optimal visibility;
- The bedroom benefits from softer levels, ranging from 100 to 200 lux, creating a relaxing atmosphere and promoting sleep.
In work settings, where lighting plays a fundamental role in productivity and visual comfort, higher lighting levels are recommended. For the desk, where tasks requiring attention are often performed, lighting levels between 500 and 750 lux are advised. This ensures good visibility without straining the eyes. In common office spaces, such as corridors or meeting rooms, light ranging from 300 to 500 lux is suitable to create a bright and welcoming environment.
And what if you’re organizing an event? In this case too, the choice of lighting is crucial to create the desired atmosphere. For conference rooms, where presentations and meetings take place, lighting levels between 300 and 500 lux are perfect to enhance visibility and concentration. In lounge or relaxation areas, a range of 100-300 lux contributes to creating a cozy atmosphere. These are indicative recommendations, and it is essential to assess the amount of light needed for each environment based on the activities carried out within.
Choosing Chandeliers or Lighting Fixtures Based on Results
Once you understand how to measure the brightness of a room, how to calculate room lighting, and the recommended lux levels for each context, all that remains is to choose the type of lighting that is most suitable for each environment.
It’s good to know that each lamp has specific characteristics and energy emissions:
- Halogen incandescent lamps: designed to overcome the limitations of traditional lamps, namely low efficiency and a short lifespan. Initially used mainly in stores to illuminate shop windows, as well as in other contexts such as museums, they are now also part of domestic furnishings and are an excellent solution for illuminating work tables and study areas;
- Fluorescent lamps: made with a glass tube containing low-pressure mercury vapor coated with a layer of specific fluorescent powders. At both ends of the tube, there are electrodes that, when the current passes, generate a discharge capable of emitting luminous radiation. These lamps are particularly suitable for environments, both external and internal, where light needs to be used for an extended period. They are very efficient and durable, allowing savings of up to 70% in terms of electricity consumption. Fluorescent lamps are divided into two main categories: tubular ones, commonly known as neon, and compact ones, better known as energy-saving lamps;
- LED – acronym for Light Emitting Diodes, i.e., diodes that emit light: used for many years in everyday electronics, from remote controls to standby indicators for various household devices. Over time, the popularity of LED lights has grown exponentially: they began to be used for traffic lights or brake lights in cars, for decorative lights and displays, up to light bulbs for chandeliers and wall lamps for the home. The strengths of LED lighting are primarily two: the energy savings they ensure, which can reach up to 80%, and longevity, which can reach up to 100,000 hours. An impressive figure, considering the 1,000 hours of an incandescent bulb and the 10,000 hours of a fluorescent lamp.
LED or incandescent lamps?
Which to choose among these options? In reality, the choice is much “easier” than one might think. We want to clarify that incandescent lamps have been subject to restrictions and bans in many countries due to their low energy efficiency. The European Union initiated a gradual phase-out plan for incandescent lamps from 2009 to 2012. This decision was made to promote more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly technologies, such as compact fluorescent lamps and LED bulbs.
Incandescent lamps, in fact, can only convert a small percentage of energy into light, dissipating most of it in the form of heat. Despite their light being the most beautiful by far, as it is closest to the color of natural light, they are environmentally unsustainable and uneconomical in the long term. For this reason, many nations have adopted policies to promote more efficient and eco-friendly lighting sources.
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