In a school, good lighting is not simply about ensuring staff and pupils can go about their business comfortably and safely. As a minimum it must provide enough illumination to encourage the fulfilment of school activities, but a well-designed lighting scheme, incorporating both natural and electric lighting, will enhance a space and help to create a pleasant learning environment. So what are the elements that make a good lighting scheme? When it comes to providing light in schools the best source of illumination for almost all teaching spaces is natural light introduced through strategically located windows and roof-lights. There is some evidence to suggest that spaces with high levels of daylight can have significant long-term health and wellbeing benefits and may even result in improved academic achievement. Daylight is important in regulating and maintaining biochemical, physiological, and behavioural processes in human beings through their circadian rhythm, or body clock. The primary link to the circadian rhythm is daylight, so it is important that both pupils and staff are exposed to high levels of daylight, particularly in the morning. A lack of daylight can disrupt this system and cause problems such as depression and poor sleep quality, which could lead to more serious problems.
Different requirements Artificial light The amount and distribution of daylight in Of course, there will be times of the year and a room will vary depending on the learning times of the day when there is insufficient environment: typically, art rooms require more daylight while dance studios and daylight during normal school hours and at lecture theatres will require less daylight. such times electric lighting will be required. In addition, computer rooms, which often The traditional way of artificially lighting have high heat loads and high-density a teaching space is with a regular array of occupancy, are best located in areas within ceiling-mounted light fittings. This approach the building that have limited daylight as will ensure a uniform task illuminance this would reduce heat gains caused by the anywhere in the space, which is useful in sun. Similarly, a ‘special educational needs’ allowing the space to be reconfigured easily (SEN) school may require that some rooms in order to accommodate different layouts have few distractions and, as such, views may and uses. The downside to this approach is need to be temporarily obscured by blinds. that it will waste energy by lighting all areas While daylight is dynamic and good for of a space, including the areas not in use and occupant’s wellbeing you can, sometimes, may also appear un-exciting. A more energy have too much of a good thing in both new efficient and visually appealing, although less and refurbishment projects. For that reason, adaptable, design can be created by focusing it needs to be considered at the outset of the light on the surfaces where it is needed. any design or layout by a lighting designer The colour of the artificial light is important. in order to avoid glare and excess Colour temperature is a measure of a heat from the sun making lamp’s colour. A light source with a the room uncomfortable. colour temperature of 3000K will While Failure to properly appear warm, slightly reddish dayligh consider daylight could white while one with a colour result in the use of temperature of 5300K will dynami t is blinds, which will appear as a cold, blueish good fo c and r negate any of its white. For educational o c c u wellbei pant’s potential benefits. interiors, a light source E ng
Written by Iain Carlile, President of CIBSE’s Society of Light and Lighting
The best lighting designs take account of natural and electric lighting, and are controlled to balance one carefully with the other throughout the working day, writes Iain Carlile, President of CIBSE’s Society of Light and Lighting
Lighting
The key elements of a good school lighting scheme
Similarly, where teaching is likely to rely on the use of projection onto a screen, it is important to consider the position of the screen in relation to daylight sources to avoid blinds having to be closed when the projector is in use. The most effective lighting designs will be those where the architectural form and associated shading system serves to provide adequate levels of daylight throughout a space whilst simultaneously shading it from undue levels of direct sun. If the design is wrong the space will likely be too dark at the furthest points from the façade and too bright adjacent to the façade, a scenario which typically leads to the worst scenario of lights on and blinds closed. To give advice on this tricky area of lighting design, The Society of Light and Lighting has published SLL Lighting Guide LG10: Daylighting and window design.
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Issue 24.3 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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