First the calculation, then the luminaire: the strategic importance of lighting design
When choosing a lighting system, people still tend to start with the catalogue: they browse through the products, compare the luminous flux in lumens, assess the price and make a decision. The result is often a space that, on paper, appears to be adequately lit but which, once switched on, proves to be dazzling in some areas, dark in others, and uncomfortable for those who work there every day. The lighting design calculation serves precisely to avoid this discrepancy between the design and reality, and today it is the first step in a proper lighting project, not an optional extra.
What does a preliminary assessment guarantee?
We shape the light, starting with the numbers: Novalux offers a lighting design service. This calculation enables us to determine how many luminaires are needed, where to position them, with which optics and at what luminous flux, before purchasing anything.
The benefits are tangible:
- Quality of the final result. Illuminance levels, uniformity and glare control are verified in advance, rather than estimated by eye.
- No energy wastage. An oversized system consumes more energy and often needs to be scaled down using dimming or partial shutdowns. An undersized system forces you to add light points after installation, doubling the costs.
- No post-installation repair costs. Modifying an already installed system means dismantling, repositioning, rewiring and, often, replacing luminaires that are no longer needed. The lighting design calculation avoids all of this.
- Consistency with the intended use. An office, a corridor, a classroom, a production department or a warehouse have different visual requirements and must be treated accordingly.
Compliance with standards for different environments
Lighting design calculations are not merely good practice: they serve to demonstrate compliance with relevant standards. For indoor workplaces, the main reference is UNI EN 12464-1, which sets values for average maintained illuminance (Em), glare limits (UGR), uniformity (Uo) and colour rendering (Ra) for each type of activity. For example, for an office involving work at a computer workstation, 500 lux is required with a UGR not exceeding 19, whilst for corridors the reference level is lower. For roads and outdoor areas, the UNI EN 13201 series applies; for outdoor work, UNI EN 12464-2 applies.
Compliance with these thresholds means being able to document the design choice, which is no minor matter in the event of inspections, acceptance testing or disputes.
What can lighting design software do today?
Modern lighting design software goes far beyond simply adding up lumens.
It enables you to:
- Assess glare (UGR) based on the actual position of occupants and their line of sight;
- Verify uniformity on the work surface and in the surrounding areas;
- Take into account walls, ceilings and floors, with their actual reflectance values, which significantly influence the final result;
- analyse the area around the work surface, as standards require that light should not be concentrated solely on the desk but should also be distributed evenly in the peripheral areas;
- simulate different scenarios (with or without natural light, using different optics or layouts) before making a decision.
In practice, the designer can compare alternatives in a matter of minutes, rather than discovering problems only after installation.
Quality, compliance, energy efficiency
The value of dialogue with the client
There is also an aspect that goes beyond the technical. You do not need a photorealistic rendering, nor a striking image retouched in post-production, to convey the result. All that is needed is a consistent representation of the light levels and calculated distributions, showing how the space will look once the lights are switched on.
This changes the relationship with the end user. Anyone receiving a proposal backed by calculations knows that every choice (spacing, optics, colour temperature, luminaire positioning) is the result of a precise study and serves a specific purpose: visual comfort, prevention of eye strain and improved performance for those working in that environment. The discussion thus shifts from the price of an individual luminaire to the overall quality of the space, where the designer has a real competitive advantage.
Novalux lighting design
Lighting design is a small investment compared to the cost of a poorly designed system. It guarantees quality, compliance, energy efficiency and adherence to budget, and enables you to present the client with a well-reasoned solution. Before purchasing even a single luminaire, it is worth carrying out a lighting design.