Study Probes Indirect Lighting Practices

By Staff -- Consulting-Specifying Engineer, 2/1/2004

Indirect lighting in offices is an increasingly popular practice these days due to benefits such as improved illumination and reduced glare on computer screens. Low ceiling heights and initial cost are considered the main disadvantages of the technology, but that hasn't stopped lighting designers, architects and engineers from specifying indirect lighting in a large number of office and other commercial projects. So says a new study, from ZING Communications, which was conducted in January and based on feedback from more than 400 specifiers.

The survey is the backbone of the 2004 Indirect Lighting Study, a report consisting of 104 pages of analysis, tables, graphs and verbatim responses from participants. The study is available for purchase at Lightsearch.com.

According to the study:

• More than 70% of specifiers indicated "improved illumination" was the most important reason for choosing indirect lighting. Reduced glare on computer screens (63.6%) was second.
• The most significant barriers to specifying indirect lighting fixtures, according to lighting designers surveyed, are low ceiling heights (78.4%), followed by initial cost (58.4%).
• The majority of specifiers (94.1%) perceive doing business with manufacturers of indirect fixtures to be "very positive" or "somewhat positive" in regards to product, service, price and value.
• Just over half of the respondents say they would choose T8 lamps as the light source.