Quality of Interior Lighting Based on Luminance

Several investigations on the influence of light upon human reactions with regard to perception and comfort of seeing have been made during past years; from the results of these studies, together with some new results and presentations, an attempt is made to analyse the problem of lighting quality in terms of luminance levels, luminance limits and luminance ratios. Brief consideration of related work in different countries leads to a common basis of similar results. In general visual performance and visual comfort depend on the luminance distribution in the visual field; the lighting engineer will therefore have to deal with the construction of an optimum luminance pattern as an integral part of environmental engineering.