Lighting of buildings ? Standards, regulations and good practices

All those involved in the industry are aware of the obsolescence and lack of maintenance of building lighting. This situation has consequences for working conditions and the perception of our environment on a daily basis. This state of affairs is accompanied by excessive energy expenditure and indirect economic costs linked to visual fatigue and increased stress for people at work.

Lighting adapted to vision needs helps to meet psychosocial conditions in the workplace. Lighting requirements are determined by the satisfaction of three fundamental needs for the individual:

• visual performance to perform visual tasks under all circumstances and for long periods of time;

• visual comfort that contributes to a sense of well-being;

• safety to reduce the risk of accidents.

These needs are reflected in the ergonomics and lighting design standards by the following criteria:

• lighting levels and uniformity ;

• luminance balance ;

• glare control ;

• good color perception.

The lighting project helps define the lighting installation in its various components (lamps, luminaires, control gear) to meet users' "lighting needs". Now, to comply with the requirements of energy efficiency regulations and legislation, this design phase must be complemented by a new environmental and economic approach to lighting management based on room occupancy and natural light modulation.

LED solutions and management systems offer encouraging prospects for improving lighting. The development of these electronic and digital technologies promises progress. It should encourage professional players to perfect their practices to enhance the working environment and the economic efficiency of companies.