Most workshops require a certain amount of light to be safe and efficient. It’s important to understand how many lumens per square foot of space you need to properly illuminate your workshop. In this article, we look at the basic lighting requirements, how to calculate lumens per square foot, recommended illumination levels, and lighting options for your workshop.
Lighting Requirements
When lighting a workshop, it’s important to understand the amount of lumens, or light, that is required. Lumens measure the brightness of a light source, and the amount of lumens needed for a particular space depends on the task. Generally, more complex tasks require more lumens, while simpler tasks require fewer lumens.
Calculating Lumens per Square Foot
To calculate the amount of lumens per square foot of space, you need to figure out the total amount of lumens required for the space. This number can be determined by adding up the lumens needed for each task. Once you have the total amount of lumens needed, divide that number by the square footage of the space. This will give you the lumens per square foot needed for the space.
Recommended Illumination Levels
The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) provides lighting guidelines for different types of spaces. For workshops, the IESNA recommends an average illumination of 50-100 footcandles. To convert this to lumens per square foot, multiply the footcandle number by 10.7. This will give you the lumens per square foot needed for the space.
Lighting Options
Once you know the amount of lumens per square foot needed for your workshop, you can choose the right lighting option. There are a few different options to choose from, such as LED lighting, fluorescent lighting, and incandescent lighting. LED lighting is the most energy-efficient option, while fluorescent lighting is the most affordable. Incandescent lighting is the least energy-efficient option, but is still a viable choice for some applications.
No matter which type of lighting you choose, it’s important to make sure that the lumens per square foot of space is sufficient for the tasks you’ll be doing. Having the right amount of lumens per square foot will help you work more safely and efficiently. With the right lighting, you can make sure that your workshop is properly illuminated.
