In the classrooms, different activities can be developed, each of them requires a suitable space so that they can be developed normally, for example, computer rooms, laboratories, gyms, libraries … We talk both about lighting and architectural design, already be it schools, institutes or faculties.

You have to take into account what lighting refers to The treatment of natural light is essential in educational establishments, so their structures take into account the orientation of the facades, as well as the arrangement and size of windows and other light inputs. But not always that artificial light can favor the students, this is where the distribution and design of artificial light becomes important.

 

UNE-EN 12464.1 lighting in schools and institutes

 

The regulations ensure both students and teachers a pleasant and stimulating environment, which encourages learning, avoids visual effort and reduces fatigue.

 

 

To achieve this,different parameters are established:

 

Glare control

We will use the UGR metric to measure the glare of both a luminaire, such as that existing in a space and that received by the person who is in it. This must be equal to or less than 19 on a scale from 10 (no glare) to 30. For example, the value 19 is not required in hallways, stairs, or warehouses.

 

The color of lighting in schools, classrooms or institutes

Chromatic reproduction of color, it must be taken into account according to the activity to be developed, for example in a drawing and painting workshop, the chromatic value should be above 80 in a table from 0 to 100, since there must be a perfect reproduction of the colors. This value is given by the light source, currently most of the LEDs that are marketed are at 80 or above 80. The value 80 is considered very good CRI and the value 90 excellent CRI.

 

Uniformity

This concept refers to the balance between the lighting of each of the spaces, that is, a classroom or room with significant differences in lighting, would penalize the tables of some students for lack of light and at the same time others for excess.

The quotient between Emin and Emax gives us the uniformity of a space, in the case of a classroom this quotient must always be less than or equal to 0.60. But in drawing workshops or plastic classrooms the value is more demanding, standing at 0.70.

 

Types of Illuminance according to the activity

  • 300 lx.: tutoring classrooms, music practices, sports rooms, computer practices.
  • 500 lx.: reading rooms, preparation rooms and workshops, demonstration tables.
  • 750 lx.: Art classrooms in art schools, technical drawing classrooms.
  • Circulation areas, corridors, halls, stairs, illuminances are between 100 and 200 lx.

 

Types of luminaires for educational classrooms

These solutions can be considered standard solutions that serve as a reference for regular spaces from the formal point of view. But when the configuration of the classroom, either due to the height or heights of the ceiling or its geometry, is not a perfect square or rectangle, other lighting must be designed and planned according to the demands of the spaces and structures.

Regarding the luminaires, in these centers it is common to find removable modulated ceilings of: 1200x300mm., 600x600mm with a height of between 2.40-2.80m. To make sure that we comply with all the standards, we can use recessed luminaires of the same module (600 × 600) and with powers between 25 and 30W that have luminous fluxes less than or equal to 2,700 lumens with a distance between luminaires of 2.4 × 1, 8m that will allow us to obtain illuminances less than or equal to 500lx., uniformities less than or equal to 0.60 and a local UGR of less than or equal to 19.

If we want to use recessed downlights with a similar power, the result should vary little, it will be necessary to verify the other parameters such as uniformity and glare, always relying on a calculation program and regulations that verify the desired parameters.

When it comes to circulation areas such as corridors, it must be less than or equal to 2m., Installing recessed downlights with powers around 13W and a luminous flux less than or equal to 1300 lm. With a distance of 2.4m., We thus obtain approximately 100lx, which is what the regulations require of us.

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