An important stage in the construction of any premises, as well as in the development of interior design, is the calculation of the illumination of the room. Its sufficient level allows not only comfortable use of the room, but also saves.

Pay attention to

Although natural lighting is the best, artificial lighting that mimics natural lighting is possible.

When calculating the illumination of a room, you need to pay attention not only to its type and area, but also to the following:

1. Purpose of the premises.
2. The height and color of the ceiling.
3. The color and texture of the walls.
4. Floor material, its color and structure.
5. The presence of large mirrors or mirror cabinets.
6. The color and amount of furniture used.

All this largely affects the choice of the number and type of lighting fixtures for the room.

According to their types, all lighting fixtures are divided into the following:

In this case, each lamp can have its own, different from the others, lamp. All of them, regardless of the type and purpose of the device, have the following parameters, allowing you to choose the right one:

The layout and choice of lighting depends on the type of room, the color scheme of its design and the furniture used. For example, the lighting in the living room - the main room of any home - should be planned very carefully. The recommended solution is to apply the European style, with the main object in the middle and lighting around the perimeter of the room.

It is also a good idea to use different lighting fixtures for different areas: floor lamps in the reading area, a low-hanging lamp at the dining table, etc.

For the bedroom, you should choose a calm, relaxing lighting scheme. For this type of room, low-power, spherical, matte lamps are well suited. They allow you to get a uniform soft illumination, without sharp transitions and borders, without straining your eyesight. The bedside area should be illuminated with small table lamps or wall sconces.

The kitchen is the main working area in the house, and the right light in it is important. A small kitchen does not require a central light - enough lighting for the work areas and the eating area. For a large kitchen, a central chandelier is a must, it’s good if it is a warm shade. Just like in the living room, height-adjustable (and ideally, brightness) light will come in handy here.

In other types of rooms in residential buildings, such as a corridor, a bathroom, a toilet, a dressing room, it is worth using spot lighting. It will allow you to get a uniform illumination, and also make the room visually a little more spacious.

The calculation of the illumination of a room largely depends on its design. Dark walls and floors absorb light and you need to put a margin in the calculations. Of course, if there is no goal to create a cozy environment with soft light. Light rooms are already bright, and busting can bring discomfort to the eyes, compare to when you look at the sun through loose clouds.

Illumination standards

There are certain norms for the illumination of various rooms. According to building codes and regulations (SNiP), the following are used:

• 5 Suite: elevator shaft.
• 20 Suite:
  • passages of the technical floor, attic and basement;
  • stairs.
• 30 Lux: lobby.
• 50 Lux:
  • bathroom or shower room;
  • toilet;
  • hall of the apartment;
  • apartment corridor.
• 75 Lux: Walk-in closet.
• 100 Lux:
  • bath (sauna);
  • pool.
• 150 Lux:
  • Gym;
  • kitchen;
  • living room.
• 200 Lux: children's room.
• 300 Lux:
  • billiard room;
  • cabinet;
  • library.

But do not forget that these norms were adopted in our country for a long time. Many complain that they do not have enough light with the correct calculation. Therefore, it is useful to consider the possibility of replacing lamps with more powerful ones or increasing the number of lighting equipment.

Illumination calculation

To calculate the required number of lighting fixtures, there are two main formulas - simple and complex, giving a more accurate calculation. In practice, a simple formula is sufficient. It does not require serious knowledge and is quite solvable even without a calculator.

To do this, you should resort to a simple formula A * B * C, where:

1. Illumination rate selected object.
2. The area of ​​the object.
3. Ceiling height factor. With a ceiling height of 2.5 to 2.7 meters, it is equal to 1, from 2.7 to 3 meters - 1.2, from 3 to 3.5 meters - 1.5 and from 3.5 to 4.5 meters - equal to 2.

The second step is to calculate the required number of lamps and their power. To do this, it is necessary to divide the number obtained in the first calculations by the value of the luminous flux indicated on the lamps in the selected lighting fixtures. It is important to remember that the more devices are used, the more uniform the lighting.

Calculation example 1

Given: a living room with an area of ​​20 square meters with a ceiling height of 2.7 meters and lighting fixtures equipped with 60 W incandescent bulbs.

First, we calculate the required luminous flux for a given room:

150 * 20 * 1 = 3000 Lumens.

Then we find out the required number of lamps for the normal illumination of the room. To do this, you first need to clarify the luminous flux of 60 W incandescent bulbs. On average, they give out from 600 to 800 Lumens.

Let's take an average value of 700 Lumens:

3000: 700 = 4.28571

We round up - up to 5 - this will be the required number of lighting fixtures equipped with one light bulb. Power 60 W. But it should be borne in mind that a larger number of less powerful lamps allows you to get a more uniform illumination.

A more complex, but with this and more accurate formula requires collecting a certain amount of data before starting the calculations:

We calculate the area of ​​​​the room (S):

a is the length of the room;

b is the width of the room.

We calculate the room index (Ф):

Ф \u003d S / ((h1 - h2) * (a + b))

h1 - height from floor to ceiling;

h2 - height from the workplace to the ceiling.

We calculate the number of lighting fixtures (N):

N = (E * S * 100 * Kz) / (Y * p * Fi)

E - illumination of the room;

S is the area of ​​the room;

Kz - safety factor;

Y - coefficient of use of lamps;

p is the number of lamps;

Fi is the light flux of one lamp.

Calculation example 2

Given: a living room measuring 9 by 6 meters with a ceiling height of 3.2 meters. Four fluorescent lamps of 18 W each were chosen as lighting devices. The distance from the work surface to the floor is 0.8 meters, the safety factor is 1.25, the floor reflectance is 10, the walls are 30, the ceiling is 50.

We calculate the area:

Ф = 54 / ((3.2 - 0.8) * (6 + 9) = 1.5

The coefficient of use of lamps in living rooms - U - is 51.

We make further, final calculations:

N = (300 * 54 * 100 * 1.25) / (51 * 4 * 1150) = 8.63

We always round up to a higher number - we get 9. This is the number of lamps necessary for the proper organization of lighting.

• When designing and calculating lighting, you should always lay large parameters., because you can turn off some of the lamps.
• When choosing lamps, current trends dictate the use of the most energy-saving solutions. An excellent choice would be to use LED lamps - they consume less, while they are quite compact and bright.