Experiments in Artificial Lightins: Comparative Analysis of Luminative Typologies

Abstract

“Light is not so much something that reveals, as it is itself the revelation.” This statement once made by artist James Turrell articulates the primal idea that light is essential for humans to receive visual information about their surroundings. The amount of light available correlates to the amount of understanding we have of a space. As architects, we are able to alter the built environment not only through the use of form, but also through the manipulation of light. This project aims to explore how changes to architectural lighting can create visual nuances in contrast ratios, uniformity, and illuminance levels, thereby affecting the overall visual experience of a particular space. This will be achieved through the cross-referencing of both qualitative and quantitative data, in the form of an analysis chart, using the same space to act as constant variable. This allows for visual comparison of different lighting solution impacts, as well as provides an understanding of quantitative data in a visual manner. In order to compare the different lamps, a baseline will be set using the IESNA horizontal illuminance targets. This information is then utilized to reference and compare criteria-based light evaluation systems from LEED, BREEAM and HI-CHPS. In particular, comparing and understanding how these systems excel and where they can be improved. The study proposes several guideline alterations that can be made LEED, BREEAM and HI-CHPS to further improve lighting quality in the classroom with respect to illuminance levels, illuminance uniformity, luminance, and visual contrast.