Minimum Lighting Requirements
Existing legislation and standards outline minimum lighting requirements for people who are sighted, but don’t provide definitive lighting levels for people impacted by blindness. In general, provide illumination that is 25 to 50 percent higher than the standard illumination levels specified for rooms and spaces by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America. This recommendation is in line with other current guidelines such as the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped.
In addition, use the following lighting levels for specific locations:
| Location | Lighting Level (in Lux) |
|---|---|
| Halls | 200 |
| Inquiry/reception stations | 500 |
| Circulation areas: corridors, elevators, stairs | 200 |
| Lounges | 200 to 300 |
| Kitchen and food preparation areas | 200 to 300 |
| Offices, general lighting | 500 |
| Computer workstations | 300 to 500 |
Note that some people will find enhanced illumination levels overly bright and may experience some blindness due to the brightness. Lighting designers should allow users to control lighting intensity wherever possible.