skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Evaluating office lighting environments: Second-level analysis

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5710516

Data from a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) of 912 work stations with lighting power density (LPD), photometric, and occupant-response measures were examined in a detailed, second-level analysis. Seven types of lighting systems were identified with different combinations of direct and indirect ambient lighting, and task lighting and daylight. The mean illuminances at the primary task location were within the IES target values for office task with a range of mean illuminances from 32 to 75 fc, depending on the lighting system. The median LPD was about 2.36 watts/sq ft, with about one-third the work stations having LPD's at or below 2.0 watts/sq ft. Although a majority of the occupants (69%) were satisfied about their lighting, the highest percentage of those expressing dissatisfaction (37%) with lighting had an indirect fluorescent furniture-mounted (IFFM) system. The negative reaction of so many people to the IFFM system suggests that the combination of task lighting with an indirect ambient system had an important influence on lighting satisfaction, even though task illuminances tended to be higher with the IFFM system. Concepts of lighting quality, visual health, and control were explored, as well as average luminance to explain the negative reactions to the combination of indirect lighting with furniture-mounted lighting.

Research Organization:
National Inst. of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD (USA)
OSTI ID:
5710516
Report Number(s):
PB-89-189153/XAB; NISTIR-89/4069
Resource Relation:
Other Information: See also PB--88-164512
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English