Proper lighting can transform our houses into cozy, practical, and enjoyable spaces where people want to visit and where art and architecture meet perfectly. We can achieve this by designing efficient and adequate lighting.
Effective lighting can lighten a chore, create a mood, or offer security. It is efficient in the sense that we can get our desired results with the least amount of energy. Artistic and technical abilities are needed to create effective and efficient home lighting.
So, what exactly defines a cozy space, a welcoming house, or an intriguing landscape? How is color affected by light? Which areas employ which sorts of fixtures?
How can you calculate the prices of different forms of lighting and their energy efficiency? What questions need to be addressed when designing effective lighting for homes?
This home lighting design guide is helpful for designers, builders, and homeowners. It answers frequently asked lighting problems and integrates tried-and-true design principles with chances for energy savings in every room of a typical house.
How Does Light Help Us See?
Contrast, timing, brightness, and size are the primary factors impacting our ability to see well. Even if everyone’s vision changes with time, most people can benefit from the following core ideas.
It is essential to consider that as we age, our eyes need larger fonts to read, whether we are reading a book, using a computer, or adjusting light fixtures Canada.
It also takes more light, or brightness, to compensate for the losses in the ocular system. At fifty, we need up to twice as much light as we did when we were twenty. Time affects vision as well.
For instance, when driving, we only have a brief window of time to focus on an object and register it in our minds so that we can see clearly. The amount of time it takes to focus increases with age.
Ultimately, our ability to see is greatly improved by the contrast between the object we are focusing on and the nearby background, and this contrast gets increasingly significant as we age.
We also need the extra light to be diffused because we are more vulnerable to glare. It is also essential to ensure the light source is directly covered from our eyes.
Lighting Options
We usually refer to any type of light-emitting device used in light fixtures to give the necessary light as a “lamp” or “source.” Each lamp has various attributes that help determine which application is ideal for it.
Many different kinds of bulbs can be used in residential environments. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are starting to become commercially available, but fluorescent and incandescent lights are still the two most often used varieties.
The accompanying table provides:
- A quick reference of the most popular lamp types.
- Comparing their energy consumption.
- Color rendering.
- Lifespan.
- Typical usage locations.
(Note: The reader should confirm the most recent data from suppliers due to the frequent changes in lighting technology.)
Common Lamp Types
| Light Source | Energy Use | Colour Rendering Index (CRI) | Life (Hrs) | Application |
| LED | Low | 70+ | 50,000 | Accent, Task, Decorative |
| Compact Fluorescent (CFL) | Medium | 80 | 10,000 | Ambient, Task |
| Linear Fluorescent | Medium | 80 | 20,000 | Ambient, Task |
| Standard Incandescent | High | 100 | 1,000 | Task, Accent, Decorative |
| Halogen Incandescent | High | 100 | 4,000 | Accent, Task |
What is Efficiency?
The ratio of light emitted from a light fixture to light produced by the source is called the fixture’s efficiency.
For instance, a fixture is 60% efficient if a bare compact fluorescent source produces 1000 lumens, but only 600 lumens escape when mounted. There may be notable differences between light sources and between manufacturers.
As such, searching for the Dhillon symbol is a wise move. Lighting fixtures that have gained the mark combine high performance, superior quality, and the highest levels of energy efficiency to help save energy, reduce utility costs, and save the environment.
To compare solutions economically, learning how to compute lighting costs is worthwhile. To do this, you must be aware of three things:
- Power of the source, in kilowatts (kW)¹.
- Length of time the source operates, in hours (h).
- Utility rate, in cents (¢) per kWh.
Annual cost = kW × annual operating hours × utility rate
¹ 1 kilowatt = 1000 watts
Calculating how many lumens you need and selecting an energy-efficient lamp replacement can increase the efficiency of your lighting even with a set utility rate.
How to Choose Light Fixtures
A fixture’s aesthetic appeal is often the only factor in its selection. However, there are better options than this if it is highly inefficient or fails to direct light where needed.
We can direct light where we want, manage glare, store ballasts and transformers, and create visually pleasing lighting fixtures.
The color produced is a crucial factor to consider when selecting lighting fixtures. The Colour Rendering Index (CRI), which ranges from 0 to 100, indicates how effectively colors are displayed in a given light source.
A lamp’s Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT) indicates how warm or cool the room feels, depending on the mood the lighting creates. Light sources are rated using the Kelvin temperature scale; the higher the Kelvin value, the colder the light source.
The variety can be daunting when you factor in the abundance of colors, finishes, locations, and varieties. Fixtures can be categorized into generic types such as surface, pendant, recessed, track, portable, landscape, and fiber optic, which is useful.
Design Principles & Examples
This section provides a practical approach to energy-efficient and effective house lighting by combining many design ideas and methodologies.
Using the most efficient sources with the necessary controls to provide the desired lighting arrangement defines an efficient and successful design.
When planning a lighting plan, it’s a good idea to prioritize human needs, followed by architecture and art. Nothing is off limits, but the primary purpose of lighting in a house is to improve people’s comfort and ability to communicate and make eating and working more convenient.
The four main layers of light used in home lighting design are ambient, task, accent, and decorative. Typical techniques that support and improve light layering include grazing, silhouette, and wall washing.
Part of the design process is developing an appropriate and intuitive method of managing the fixtures. The most effective approach is to see the room as you go about your daily business.
When you park in the garage and bring groceries inside, what happens? Which location would you like the switches in? Which light fixtures are you interested in having control over? Which lighting fixtures would you want to be able to dim for a special dinner party setting?
Of course, when establishing or updating a lighting system, compliance with all relevant codes and regulations is crucial. Any electrical equipment that bears a CSA or cUL stamp or sticker has been approved. Contact your neighborhood electrical provider for information on the need for codes, permits, and inspections.
Below is a synopsis of the numerous methods required for a successful lighting design.
Ambient
Light is soft, diffuse light that fills a space, lessens shadows, and fosters coziness.
Task
Lighting gives extra light to complete a specific task.
Accent
When it comes to lighting, knowing where to put things that call for special attention, such as artwork, photographs, paintings, sculptures, or architectural elements, is necessary.
Decorative
Fixtures frequently serve more as decorative pieces than as sources of practical light. Chandeliers and wall sconces are the two most popular ornamental items.
Wall washing
Light is best seen where it is most visible, which is directly on the walls. This is a terrific way to create gentle ambient light.
Summing It All Up
By incorporating your creativity into the concepts and ideas presented in this guide, you can minimize your utility costs and environmental impact while reaping the long-term benefits of an effectively and efficiently lit house.
