Lighting Quality for all

This paper discusses how good quality lighting might be made available to all. It begins by defining lighting quality as that which meets the objectives and constraints set by the client and the designer. Based on this definition, lighting installations can be classified as of bad, indifferent or good quality. Numerical lighting recommendations provided by authoritative bodies constitute a means to eliminate bad lighting but do little to ensure good lighting, the end result usually being indifferent lighting. The relative merits of four approaches to bridging the gap between indifferent lighting and good lighting are discussed. These are the development of more numerical lighting criteria, more use of daylight, changing the basis of design from the working plane to the whole space and giving occupants individual control of the lighting through the use of plug and play technology. Unless one or other of these approaches is tried, there is a risk that good quality lighting will be confined to those who can afford to hire a talented lighting designer while the rest have to be content with indifferent quality lighting.