GOOD 
| BAD 
|
LIGHT DISTRIBUTION
Light is bright enough to see clearly, but not glary. Light
should be soft and evenly distributed, with a good mix of
light that falls on horizontal surfaces such as desks, and
vertical surfaces such as displays and – crucially – faces. | LIGHT DISTRIBUTION
All the light reflects flat on to desks, with not enough
falling on vertical surfaces. This makes it harder to see
colleagues’ faces, and can mean that not enough light
reaches the eye to keep people alert. |
CEILINGS AND UPPER WALLS
Bright ceilings and upper walls make the office feel
spacious and airy. It also helps workers stay alert, as our
eyes are designed to look for daylight from above. | CEILINGS AND UPPER WALLS
Poorly designed lighting sends all the light downwards,
leaving ceilings and upper walls are dark and dim: the
dreaded cave effect. |
EFFICIENCY
Lights use efficient modern light sources such as LED,
and the lighting is properly designed to put light where
it’s needed without waste. Controls help keep energy
use down even further. | EFFICIENCY
Luminaires use inefficient sources and light is wasted
shining out of windows or into areas where it isn’t used.
Lack of controls mean lights are left on even when no
one is there. |
PERSONALISATION
Task lighting and controls give workers the chance to
adapt the light to their personal needs, preferences and
tasks. | PERSONALISATION
Without any control, staff
are stuck with whatever
the general lighting in the office is. |
FLICKER
High-quality luminaires mean there’s no flicker –
either visible or invisible. Staff can relax
and get on with their work.
| FLICKER
Poor-quality luminaires flicker – which is annoying and
bad for the health. Even invisible flicker has been shown
to have an effect on people’s ability to work. |
LIGHT LEVELS
Lights are bright enough to see by, and appropriate for
the tasks being carried out. Lighting standards give
guidance on what levels to go for, but it also depends on
individual preferences. | LIGHT LEVELS
Lighting that’s too dim prevents people
doing their jobs properly, and leaves
staff feeling drowsy. |
COLOUR
Good lighting has a high colour rendering index (CRI)
to show colours faithfully. The colour temperature of
the light will be appropriate for a workspace – typically
around 4000K. | COLOUR
A low colour rendering index
makes faces look unnatural and colours
of objects hard to make.
Colour temperature that’s too low
or high can also make offices uncomfortable. |
VISUAL INTEREST
Good lighting highlights areas of visual interest – e.g.
breakout areas, displays or decorative items. It’s good
for our eyes to be able to focus on items nearby and far
away, and it makes the whole space more pleasant. | VISUAL INTEREST
Care hasn’t been taken to light items of interest, making
the office dull and leaving workers stuck with only their
own desks to look at. |
EMPLOYEES
Happy, healthy and productive. | EMPLOYEES
Uncomfortable, sleepy, think they might be getting ill, so
taking tomorrow off to look for other jobs. |
