Lighting the Electronic Office: Glare Problems with VDUs Roland deSouza Member, ISP With the proliferation of computers in the modem office, former lighting concepts that applied to paper-based tasks need to be thoroughly reviewed, and a proper understanding developed by engineers, architects, interior designers and other lighting design professionals of the visual ergonomic requirements of screen-based tasks. Some of the main differences between VDU-based and paper-based visual task include: physical mobility of the worker vertical vs near-horizontal positioning 70% (matt) * Walls: 50-70% * Floors:30% * Window treatment: 50-70% Power Budget Not addressed Subjective Impressions Not addressed Miscellaneous The Chartered Institution of * For indirect lighting, luminaires should have cutoff angles in the range of 45°-55°, ‘with maximum luminance at cutoff of 200 ed’m2 * For indirect lighting, look for widespread distribution and uniform, matte ceiling reflectance 9f Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) Criteria ‘Design Targets Tiuminances Surface Luminances Luminance Ratios Surface Reflectances Power Budget Subjective Impressions Miscellaneous * 300 lux on digitizer * 500 cd/m? for surfaces directly infront of VDT screen * 1,500 ed/mfor walls and ceiling with only "gradual" variation = 500 cd/m? average for ceiling for indirect lighting with maximum of 1,500 edi? * 5 70.cd/m2 on board of graphic workstation with all other surface Luminances <200 edim2 'Not addressed * Ceiling: > 70% * Floor: high Not addressed (Not addressed * For direct lighting in VDT-intensive areas, luminaire luminance should be < 200 ccd/m* above a cutoff angle of 55° * Indirect lighting eliminates harsh reflections ‘* Mounting height of task lights should be <1 the width of task area to be lights German Institute for Norms (DIN) Criteria Design Targets Tluminances Surface Luminances Luminance Ratios Surface Reflectances Power Budget * Ambient of 500 lux * <200 cd/m? mean luminance of all surfaces with a maximum < 400 cd/m? Not addressed ‘Not addressed Not addressed | Subjective Impressions Not addressed Miscellaneous * For direct lighting, luminaire luminance should be <200 ed/m’ in the cutoff zone * Task lights are discouraged unless direct and reflected glare are avoided and luminance ratios not increased [this seems impossible, given that a task light will put more light onto a paper task with hopefully no light on the VDT task — hence rations will always be increased)= Tlumination Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) Criteria Design Targets Tituminances * “Ambient of 300 to 500 lux providing VDT screen luminance 1s >50 cam (that is, the | VDT sereen, when energized with text has luminance of 50 cd/m? or greater, excluding any electric light or daylight reflections) Surface Luminanees _* < 850 ed/m* average from the ceiling over any zone of 0.35m* Luminance Ratios * Paper to VDT= 3:1 * VDT to nearby dark surface = 3:1 * VDT to nearby light surface = 1:3, * VDT to remote dark surface = 10:1 * VDT to remote light surface = 1:10 * Ceiling directly over luminaire to ceiling between luminaires (for indirect lighting)< 4:1 Surface Reflectances Not address directly (addressed through Surface Luminance and Luminance Ratio Criteria) Power Budget Not addressed Subjective Impression Not addressed Miscellaneous * For direct or direcVindirect lighting, luminaires should have maximum Luminances 0f 850 cd/m’, 250 cd/m, and 175 cd/m at cutoff angles of 35°, 65°, and 75° respectively. International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Criteria Design Targets Tiuminances ‘Recommendations based on Tumninances ‘Surface Luminances | * Average luminance < 200 cd/m for surfaces surrounding the VDT screen * Maximum luminance of 400 cd/m? Luminance Ratios Not addressed Surface Reflectances * Ceiling: 60-80% * walls: 40-80% * Floor: 15-25% * Fumiture:20-50% * Paper document: 40-80% | Power Budget Not addressed Subjective Impression Not addressed Miscellaneous * For direct lighting, luminaires should have luminances of < $00 cd/m? at angles above 45°, with preferable luminances of 200 cd/m’ to 400 ed/mn? ® For indirect lighting, average ceiling luminance should not exceed 500 edm* * Consider indirect or direct/inditect lighting * Achieve uniform brightness distribution Consider individual, controllable task lighting in conjunction with general lighting, (do not use local task lighting exclusively) ‘ssapssmnmzas tevezAnnexure-3 Checklists for assessing lighting quality in a space ‘This Annexure outlines the checks likely to be required to ensure that the visual environment in VDU areas is acceptable and can be maintained in that manner. Section 1 describes the reasoning behind the checks while Section 2 and 3 outline the checks that should be made to an installation, both initially and then through its life 1 Checklist Qiteria © Check that there is sufficient ambient light in each area: it is recommended that 200 lux is provided in any continuously occupied area to avoid it appearing gloomy or oppressive tothe occupants. © Check that there is sufficient illumination on each task: the recommended lighting levels for typical, purely sereen-based tasks are 300 Iux and, when combined with paper-based tasks, 500 lux. Lighting levels for other tasks are given inthe schedule ofthe CIBSE Code for Interior Lighting. © Check that there is no undue glare from the room lights: this is difficult to check in detail. The most extreme ‘cases will be obvious but in marginal cases expert assistance will be required to determine if recommended glare levels have been exceeded. © Check that there is no undue glare from windows: as with room lights the more extreme cases will be obvious, although the situation will change considerably with season and weather conditions. If there is a problem, screening in the form of roller blinds or similar may be needed. © Check that there is no undue contrast between windows or window shading and adjacent wall surfaces: this offen occurs with small windows in otherwise dark walls. The solution is normally either to increase the brightness of adjacent intemal wall surfaces or to increase the shading of the window opening, © Check that there is no undue contrast between any display screen and its immediate surround if there i, then the lighting of the workstation or surface reflectance within the workstation may need to be altered. © Check that there is no undue contrast between a display screen and the room seen beyond it if there is, the oom lighting or room surface reflectance may need to be altered. © Check that there are no distracting or disturbing reflections on any display sereens: some reflections are inevitable but they should be of a level low enough not to obscure the image on the screen, nor distinct ‘enough to be distracting. Remember that the changing sunlight position may affect certain windows and blinds at different times of the year. © Check that there are no disturbing reflections from the desk surfaces: generally matt surfaces of a light tone are required. Glossy surfaces reflect images of overhead lighting and dark desks cause high contrasts with white documents © Check that there are no extremely bright reflections from room surfaces: these can be distracting and may ‘cause reflection in display screens, 9 Check that desk task lights are provided where the type of task or work environment required them: such lights are needed where reading text-based information is caried out in an area lit to allow ambient level, © Check that, where desk task light ae provided, they do not act as a source of heat to the use, are a danger to the user or allow light to stray onto adjacent workstations: desk task lights should be adjustable and remain in the position required by the user. The light should be of a low energy design to minimise heat output and should be shielded or have a range of movement that does not allow stray light to annoy adjacent users. © Check thatthe direction of light falling on the task aids perception and that no disturbing shadows are cast ‘over the task area: directional lighting can be used to provide task lighting to text adjacent toa screen or on a text holder and avoid stray reaching display screen. However, poorly positioned light sources can throw shadows across the workplace and lead to luminance imbalance. 2 Chocks The following checks should be carried out in each VU area when itis frst assessed:© Check thatthe ambient lighting level inthe space provides sufficient general light. © Check that the lighting level is sufficient forthe task(s) being carried out at each workplace. © Check that for any workstation where local task lighting is provided to boost the ambient lighting that is not provided a risk tothe users and is not allowing stay light to affect others users. Check to see if existing lighting equipment or windows are a source of glare. © Check that the windows are clean and are not unnecessarily obstructed. Consider the relocation of existing ‘workplaces to increase the proportion of daylight available for lighting the task. Check that there is no undue contrast between the windows or window shading and adjacent wall surfaces. © Check that no lighting equipment provides a danger of striking or being struck by an employee or items being carried by employees © Check that there is no risk of bums, fire or over heating of materials near to lamps or light sources, especially ‘mobile lighting or workplace mounted lighting. 0 Check for safe access to all lighting equipment for maintenance and lamp changing, 2 Check for safe access to all lighting equipment for maintenance and lamp changing, 3° Continuous Checks ‘The following checks should be carried out at intervals asthe circumstances ofthe individual workplaces dictate: © Assess the impact of the lighting during each workplace assessment, Provide local task lighting for any workstation that is located or is relocated such that the ambient lighting does not provide sufficient lighting onthe task. Monitor the provision, use and maintenance of window shading in display sereen areas, (Check that there is no undue contrast between any display sereen and its immediate background. ‘Check that there is no undue contrast between any display screen and the room seen beyond the screen. ‘Check that there are no distracting or disturbing reflections on any display screen or desk surface. ‘Ensure that all niew lighting schemes are designed to provide the correc level of task illuminance and that the lights do not provide a source of glare tothe occupants, ® Ensure that all new lighting equipment is installed in such a manner and in such a location that it does not constitute a risk of collision with staff or items they may be carrying, and that the equipment itself can be safely maintained and relamped, 4 Summary ‘The provision of a safe and wel lit environment is fundamental to good working practice. The most important principles o consider are: © Monitor all changes to the type and location of workstations, the equipment being used, the task being carried ‘out and their relationship to the lighting equipment and windows. Assess the impact of the changes on the heath and safety ofthe occupants and take any necessary action. © Review all plans for changes to existing buildings, including plans for extensions and new buildings, to ensure that the designers have taken into account the needs ofthe users and the assessment system Assess the impact, of the proposed plans on the workstations and users and take any necessary remedial action,