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Many offices are lit using a grid of ceiling-mounted fixtures. In open-plan offices, these fixtures light the entire office, not each cubicle. In general, two major problems arise from this arrangement: glare and inadequate light on task surfaces. Occupants can experience glare from distant light fixtures, which would be blocked from view by full-height walls. Occupants can also suffer from too little light or too little uniformity because the partitions (partial-height screens) can shadow task surfaces. These problems may result in visual discomfort, visual disability, or injury.
Open-plan office lighting should be designed for each cubicle, not only for the space as a whole.
Quality Lighting
The purpose of a lighting system is to place light and shadow where they are needed. High quality lighting involves much more than just visibility.
If a lighting system does not respond to all of these design aspects it will be unsatisfactory. Every interior space is unique, and every lighting system should be tailored to the space, owner, and occupants.
Human Needs: Visibility is the primary need, but light has many other physical, psychological, and physiological effects that are just as important to health and well-being. Interior lighting design, whether using electric lighting systems or daylighting, must respond to all of these needs.
Architecture: High-quality lighting responds to its space. Our understanding of a space and the appearance of it can be diminished if the lighting conflicts with the architectural structure.
Economics: The cost of a lighting system is always important to building professionals. Any lighting designer must stay within budget, considers budget, the initial cost of a lighting installation, the running and maintenance costs, and energy-efficiency. Cost has to be considered in relation to employee needs. Lighting systems that provide too much or too little light are wasteful.
Environment: The environmental effects of a lighting system are important to the protection of the planet and our energy resources. Lighting power density and energy consumption are regulated by codes: principally ASHRAE/IES 90.1 and the Canadian National Model Energy Code for Buildings. It is our responsibility to meet these codes. Disposal of used lighting systems is also an environmental concern. Systems requiring frequent replacement create a lot of garbage. Any methods to reduce waste and increase recycling or reuse should be considered. When lighting components are discarded, proper disposal is important: older systems may contain hazardous materials that require special treatment.
COPE addresses lighting design from the perspective of human needs, but the other issues are just as important to good lighting quality. More information on architecture, lighting technologies, economics, and the environment are available from the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (www.iesna.org). Consulting a lighting designer is also a good way to get quality lighting in open-plan offices.
