LIGHTING DESIGN LIGHTING LEVEL CALCULATIONS

The Zonal Cavity approach to calculate average illumination levels is based on the concept
of dividing any room into three cavities. (1) The space between the ceiling and the luminaires is the ceiling cavity. (2) The space between he luminaires and the work plane is the
room cavity. (3) The space between the work plane and the floor is the floor cavity.

Room Cavity = Volume bounded by walls, luminaire plane and work plane.
hrc = height of room cavity.
Cavity Ratio = Dimensions of Cavity Expressed as Mathematical Relationship;
RCR = Room Cavity Ratio;
CCR = Ceiling Cavity Ratio;
FCR = Floor Cavity Ratio;
Room Cavity Ratio (RCR)
RCR =

5 hrc (L+W)

10 hrc

For Square Rooms RCR =

LxW

2.5 (Cavity Height x Cavity Perimeter)

For Irregular
Shaped Rooms RCR =

Room Surface Reflectances:

pc = Ceiling
pw = Walls
pf = Floor

(L=W)

Area of Cavity Base

Ceiling Cavity Ratio (CCR)

Effective Cavity Reflectances:

The combination of actual reflectances within a given cavity into one reflectance at the
face of the cavity.
pcc = Effective Ceiling Cavity Reflectance
pfc = Effective Floor Cavity Reflectance

5 hcc (L+W)

CCR =

LxW

= RCR

hfc
hrc

Floor Cavity Ratio (FCR)

5 hfc (L+W)
hfc
FCR =
= RCR
LxW
hrc
Coefficient of Utilization: (CU)
Portion of lamp lumens which reach the work plane. Affected by fixture design, room pro- For square rooms or irregular rooms calculate RCR then use the ratio of the cavity heights
portions, and room-surface reflectances.
to determine CCR and FCR.
Light Loss Factor: (LLF)
The approximate average illumination level or number of luminaires may be calculated as
Depreciation of initial lighting level due to Lamp Lumen Depreciation (LLD) and accumulafollows:
tion of dirt on the lamp and luminaire surface (Luminaire Dirt Depreciation LDD).
1. Determine Room Cavity Ratio (RCR)
Affected by fixture design, lamp choice, number of burning hours and type of interior.
2. Determine Reflectances
Ballast Factor: (BF)
The commercial ballast performance relative to reference ballast.

Typical approximate reflectances:

Other Factors:
See IES Lighting Handbook for recurring and non-recurring factors that lead to still greater
accuracy, including the determination of effective cavity reflectances.

Ceiling:
Standard White Paint
Rough White Pain
Rough Light Paint

80%
50%
30%

Walls:
White Paint
Rough Light Paint

80%
30%

Floors:
Dark Concrete
Carpet Average

20%
15%

3. Find Coefficient of Utilization

Knowing the ceiling. walls and floor reflectances and the room cavity ratio (calculated
in step 1), the coefficient of utilization may be found from the manufacturers published
data or typical data found in the current IES Handbook. See Table 1 below for example.
For a room cavity ratio of1.0 and reflectances of 30 (ceiling), 30 (wall), and 20 (floor) the
CU equals 0.63 for this luminaire.
W = Room Width
L = Room Length
Ceiling Cavity = Volume bounded by walls, ceiling and luminaire plane.
hcc = height of ceiling cavity. *For surface mounted or recessed fixtures

4. Compute Average Footcandle Level or Number of Luminaires using formulas A and/or B.

hcc = 0.
Floor Cavity = Volume bounded by walls. floor and work plane.
hfc = height of floor cavity.

B.Maintained
A.Number of
(Maintained Illuminance (FC) Desired) x (Area in Square Feet)
Illuminance (Number of Luminaires) x (Lamp Lumens Per Luminaire) x (CU) x (LLD) x BF)
Luminaires =
(Lamp Lumens/Luminaire) x (CU) x (LLD) x (BF)
(Area in Square Feet)
(FC) =

COEFFICIENTS OF UTILIZATION FOR 20 PERCENT EFFECTIVE FLOOR CAVITY REFLECTANCE

Effective Ceiling
Cavity Reflectance
Wall Reflectance

80
50

30

70
10

Room Cavity
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

50

30

50
10

50

30

30
10

10

50

30

10

50

30

10

65
57
49
43
37
33
29
26
24
21

63
53
45
38
32
28
24
21
19
16

61
50
41
34
28
24
20
17
15
12

62
54
47
41
36
32
28
25
23
20

61
51
43
36
31
27
23
20
18
15

59
48
40
33
27
23
20
17
15
12

57
47
38
31
26
22
18
15
13
10

COEFFFICIENTS OF UTILIZATIONZONAL CAVITY

75
64
56
48
42
37
33
29
26
23

71
59
49
41
35
30
26
22
20
17

68
54
44
36
30
25
21
18
15
12

73
63
54
47
41
36
32
29
26
23

69
58
48
40
34
30
25
22
20
17

66
53
43
35
29
25
21
18
15
12

69
60
52
45
39
35
31
27
25
22

66
55
47
39
33
29
25
21
19
16

64
51
42
35
29
24
20
17
15
12

See manufacturers published data for actual coefficients of utilization.

T 12
1/98