You are here: Getting Started > Tutorials > Room Estimator > Room Estimator-Introduction

Room Estimator - Introduction

Time Estimate: 20 minutes

Room Estimator applies the Zonal Cavity method to determine the approximate luminaire quantity required to meet a target
average illuminance level on a horizontal work plane in a rectangular space. At this stage, the results can be easily printed
in a presentation ready format. For the purpose of this example, we will take it a step further and export the room and
luminaire layout to AGi32’s Model Mode, where a calculation grid will be added and point-by-point analysis computed.

Problem Statement

Use Room Estimator to place fluorescent luminaires in a rectangular space suspended 1.5 ft from image\IMG00063.gif
a ceiling grid to meet an average illuminance level of 40 footcandles. The rectangular space
measures 40’ x 30’ x 10’ and the work plane is located 2.5’ above finished floor (AFF). Use the
8-cell parabolic 1X4 luminaire, zlf1, provided in the Z-Lux database.

Note: If you would like to see what this project will look like when complete, you can open the Tutorial-Room
Estimator.agi sample file, which you can find in the AGi32 Sample Files. You can download them from here. Scroll down
to AGi32 Sample Files - Version 15/16 (or whatever is the latest version). Information and instructions regarding the
Sample Files: After you click on the Downloads button, select Save (rather than Run). Next, locate the saved file and right
click on it. Select Run As Administrator. Follow the installation dialogs. All Sample Files are installed in your
personal Windows folder (e.g., My Documents\AGi32). (Note the other items that are available on the web page for
download.) There will be two folders of sample files: AGi32 Sample Files and CAD Sample Files.

Tutorial Summary

Step 1 – Define the Luminaire

Step 2 – Use Room Estimator

Step 3 – Export the Layout Into Model Mode

Step 4 – Automatic Placement of Calculation Points

Step 5 – Calculate

Conclusion

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You are here: Getting Started > Tutorials > Room Estimator > Room Estimator-Step 1
Room Estimator - Step 1

Step 1 - Define the Luminaire

Click on the New File button on the Common Toolbar to create a new
job file.

For this tutorial, we are going to use units of Feet and Footcandles.
If you look at the Units button in the bottom right corner of the
screen, it should indicate our project is set to use Feet and
Footcandles (Ft - Fc). If this is not the case, click on the button and
make the appropriate changes. These settings can also be accessed
through Menu :Tools - System Settings - Units tab.

Before using the Room Estimator tool, we must first define a luminaire. The luminaire definition includes photometric
information as well as a symbolic representation of the luminaire. Each luminaire location will incorporate these
parameters in addition to the aiming information specified by the user.

Within Model Mode, click on the Define button in the Luminaire

Toolkit.

Access the Photometric Instabase by clicking on the Instabase button in the Define Luminaire dialog.

When the Instabase In The Cloud (IITC) dialog opens, the luminaire photometric data supplied with AGi32 is available
for download.

Our first step will be to set up a User Profile. This is normally option, but it has the advantage that any Favorites or other
settings that the user enables will be available from any computer by simply signing in. Click on the User Profile tab at the
top of the dialog. It is also necessary for the purpose of this Tutorial.

Click on the link to Sign In or Create a User Profile.

In the lower half of the dialog, create a new User Profile: Enter your first and last name, your email address, a Username
(anything you like), and a password that you can remember. Then click OK.

For this tutorial, we will be using luminaires from a "pretend" manufacturer called Z-Lux. The luminaires and their
photometric data are not real and are only accessible by entering an Access Code. This is to prevent them from being used
in real lighting designs!
On the right-hand side of the dialog, enter this Access Code: pretend. Then click on the "save" icon to the right.

Now you should see this:

The Instabase User Guide will open. It has tips for those who are new to IITC. Close it by clicking on the X in the upper-
right corner. (Be careful not to close the IITC dialog!)

Now we are in the main part of the IITC dialog, with the Z-Lux Sample Instabase displayed. We may now either perform
a Search (using the fields on the left side of the dialog) for luminaires that meet specific criteria, or simply select the
luminaire(s) that we wish to download for our project. We will do the latter.

NOTE: If you have been in IITC and downloaded luminaires already, they will be pre-selected. You will want to unselect
them to avoid downloading them again.

Under the ZL-Indoor node, in the ZL-Fluorescent group,

select the zlf1.ies luminaire.

You can see its characteristics shown to the right.

Scroll to the bottom of the dialog and click Download.

The Smart Symbols dialog appears, prompting you to select an

appropriate symbol for the selected photometric file.

The default Mounting Type (left side of dialog) is Ceiling Surface,

which works for this luminaire.

Choose the 1x4 LV Down symbol, and then click OK.

The luminaire is entered in the Define Luminaires

 section. It is ready to be used in our project, except that
we need to make a couple of changes first.

Begin by clicking on the Relabel button (right side of

dialog). Enter a new Label: 1x4. Then click OK to return to
the Define dialog.

A Description may also be entered, if desired.

Next, to set the Light Loss Factors, click on the Specify

button.

In the next dialog, enter a value of 0.9 in the LLD text box, 0.9
in the LDD text box, and 0.88 in the BF text box.

Click OK to return to the previous dialog. Note that the Total

LLF = 0.713.

To keep these changes to the luminaire definition, click on the Add/Redefine button.
Click on the Close button to return to Model Mode.

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You are here: Getting Started > Tutorials > Room Estimator > Room Estimator-Step 2

Room Estimator - Step 2

Step 2 - Use Room Estimator

The Room Estimator tool allows you to enter the dimensions of a

rectangular room and compute a symmetric luminaire layout to
meet your specified lighting criteria.

On the Control Bar, click on the small arrow to the right of Design
Tools button then select Room Estimator.

Begin in the Luminaire Section. The

Description cell is optional and will be
included in the Room Description if the
layout is exported to AGi32. The Luminaire
Label list box contains all luminaire
definitions. Since we have only defined one
luminaire type in this tutorial, no selection
needs to be made here.

In the Room Geometry section, specify the

room dimensions: Length (X) = 40, Width
(Y) = 30 and Height (Z) = 10. As the
information is entered, the footprint of the
room will be created dynamically in the 3D
Display window.

The Suspension Length represents the

vertical distance between the ceiling and the
luminous plane of the luminaire. In our case, the luminaires will be ceiling mounted and are therefore assigned a
Suspension Length of 0. The Work plane Height represents the vertical distance between the floor and work plane. Our
work plane is located 30 inches ( 2.5’) above the floor (at typical desk height), which corresponds to a Work plane Height
of 2.5, the default value.

The room reflectances are specified using decimal values between 0 and 1. By default, 0.8, 0.5 and 0.2 are specified as the
reflectances for the Ceiling, Walls and Floor, respectively. To change the reflectances, click the Reflectance tab.

In the Specify section, enter 40 as the Desired Illuminance value. This value corresponds to maintained illuminance, as the total
LLF entered in the luminaire definition will be considered. This value typically represents a minimum allowable average
value, meaning that an average illuminance value larger than 40 fc would be acceptable to us.

In the Ceiling Grid section, click in the checkbox next to Apply to create a 2’ x 4’ ceiling grid. By default, it is specified with
the 4 ft dimension along the X axis, and 2' dimension along the Y axis. To center the luminaires and the grid in the room,
click in the Center selection box.

Results are calculated automatically on data entry, and the corresponding number of luminaires are laid out uniformly in
the room. Room Estimator has placed a quantity of 35 luminaires in the space, which will provide an average illuminance
of 44 footcandles. The luminaires are oriented and spaced according to the ceiling tile locations and to meet the luminaire's
Spacing Criteria.

The Specify and Luminaire Layout sections also include information regarding luminaire spacing and Lighting Power
Density. Coefficients of Utilization results can be viewed in the Reflectance tab.

The luminaire symbols included in the luminaire definition are not displayed in Room Estimator. However, their general
symbol shape and scale are used in Room Estimator.

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You are here: Getting Started > Tutorials > Room Estimator > Room Estimator-Step 3

Room Estimator - Step 3

Step 3 - Export the Layout Into Model Mode

Let's assume that we have obtained satisfactory results in Room

Estimator and are ready to bring the room and luminaires into
AGi32 so that we may calculate point-by-point values. Remember,
Room Estimator uses the Zonal Cavity method to ESTIMATE the
AVERAGE illuminance level in the space. A point-by-point
calculation with a reasonable number of points will be more
accurate.

Click on the Export button in the Room Estimator dialog to return to

AGi32’s Model Mode with the environment.

The lower-left corner of the room will be attached to the cursor. Locate the cursor at
X=0, Y=0 using the mouse (it may take a zoom action with the mouse wheel) and
click. OR, you may enter the coordinates of the lower-left corner of the room from the
keyboard. Simply type 0,0 and press the Enter key.

Once the room location is determined, the luminaires will be placed within the ceiling
grid automatically. Notice that the 1x4 symbols are now centered within the ceiling
tiles.
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You are here: Getting Started > Tutorials > Room Estimator > Room Estimator-Step 4

Room Estimator - Step 4

Step 4 - Automatic Placement of Calculation Points

Once the room has been placed in the Model area, the Calculation Points-Automatic Placement dialog will appear, allowing
you to place calculation points on any surface of the room or on the work plane..

To apply calculation points to the work plane, we need

to highlight this virtual surface in the small graphics
window of the Automatic Placement dialog. Use the
Move to Workplane button (or the F6 key) to move focus to
the work plane.

Click in the Calculation Points property field (currently

Off), and then select On to turn the calculation points on
using the current options.

Click Ok to exit the dialog.

The screen image here displays the room, luminaires and

calculation points in Isometric View. Your screen will still
be in Plan view, looking down from the top of the room.

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You are here: Getting Started > Tutorials > Room Estimator > Room Estimator-Step 5
Room Estimator - Step 5

Step 5 - Calculate

You should have the Calculate Full Radiosity Method button

available, since it is the default setting, but if you do not, click on
the small arrow to the right of the Calculate button, move the mouse
down to Full Radiosity Method and click. With the Calculate button set to
Full Radiosity Method, click on it to begin the calculation.

The “Calculating…” dialog will appear in the lower-right corner of the screen. It displays the
calculation progress as a percentage of light absorbed. The Radiosity process initially computes
the direct light, that which is emitted from the luminaires directly to all surfaces. At each
surface, some light is reflected and the remainder absorbed, based on the reflectance of the
surface. Reflected light is then re-emitted and encounters the room surfaces again. This process
repeats until all light has been absorbed (100%). The computations are then complete and the
point-by-point illuminance values displayed.

While calculating, you will be given the Estimated Total Time for the calculation process, the Estimated Time Left until
complete, and the Estimated Completion Time.

The final illuminance results are displayed in the Statistics window, which will replace the calculation progress display on
conclusion of the computations.

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Room Estimator - Conclusion

Conclusion

This tutorial demonstrated the use of the Room Estimator tool as a quick means of calculating average illuminance in a
rectangular room with a flat ceiling. Once satisfactory results were obtained, the room and luminaires were exported into
the Model Mode of AGi32. The Automatic Placement command was used to place a calculation grid within the room at
work plane height.
The Zonal Cavity method has some limitations that may cause the average estimated illuminance value to vary from one
obtained by averaging individual point-by-point calculations in Model Mode. The limitations of the Zonal Cavity method
are as follows:

1. The luminaires must be spaced uniformly and at the same height in the room to obtain a uniform average illuminance
value.

2. The coefficient of utilization (CU) calculation is based on a completely empty room.

3. The average illuminance calculation is defined as the total number of lumens reaching the work plane divided by the area
of the work plane.

Note: If you would like to see what this project will look like when complete, you can open the Tutorial-Room
Estimator.agi sample file, which you may have download previously. (Instructions are on the Introduction page of this
tutorial.)

AGi32 copyright 1999-2016 Lighting Analysts, Inc.