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Lighting

This guide represents the requirements for lighting, control, and integration for an AV environment. The specifications should provide guidance on achieving the optimal viewing and audience comfort in the following scenarios.

Sufficient natural and artificial light in classrooms spaces enhances learning processes. Whenever possible locate classrooms in above ground spaces with direct natural light available.

Use cases:

  • General class discussion - Faculty and students participate in a full room discussion and need to view each participant
  • Group work – Students work in groups on faculty provided activity. Students and faculty need to be visible as well as writing surfaces.
  • Presentation with projection - Single presenter provides dialogue to a projected image. Audience needs to be seen for participation
  • Presentation with board work - Single presenter provides dialogue along with formal board work. Board, presenter, and audience need to be visible
  • Focused media presentation (no audience participation) – Media is being shown as the primary focus. Distractions should be minimized to provide best attention to material being presented.

User experience:

Users should be able to identify scenes through accurate labeling on the touch panel or printed labels on the wall. The order of presets should be intuitive so that the brightest settings are on the top and the dimmest settings are on the bottom. The order should reflect the most popular use case after brightness. Users should have the option to dim the lights manually and have control over the minimum of two zones (front of room and audience).

Example:

  • All on
    • Front of room on (100), audience (60), board lights (60)
  • Presentation mode
    • Front of room off (0), audience dimmed (60), board lights (0)
  • Group work mode
    • Front of room on (100), board lights on (100), audience  (75%)
  • Spare
    • example: Front of room off (0), audience dimmed (20)]
  • All off

Control Locations:

  • All controls should conform to ADA requirements
  • Physical controls should be available by the entrance of the room and by the presentation station. Physical controls by the door should provide at minimum, all on and all off. The physical controls by the presenter should provide all scene controls and manual dimming capabilities.
  • Touch panel controls should mimic physical controls in the room with the same labeling and order. If lighting control integration is not available on the touch panel, directions should be included to use the closest physical controls.

Learning spaces lighting design guidelines consist of: [consult with FOM engineering]

  • Lighting requirements
    • illuminance levels in context of surfaces
    • color temperature in context of surfaces
    • energy efficiency
    • natural lighting [where possible] and provisions for shades
  • Luminaire selection [fixtures/lamps]
  • Zone requirements per room type
    • ceiling lights
    • board lights
    • presentation wall lights
    • lectern lighting
    • emergency lights
  • Controls and integration [Appendix 3: sample controls description]
    • control system
    • location of controls
      • ADA compliance, relationship with other room controls
    • other integrated services
      • AV and shade control
  • Replacement cycle

Consider rebate programs where appropriate.

Consider additional needs for people with visual impairments or lighting specific needs for screens since many are now looking at their laptops/devices as part of class work.

[consult with Student Accessibility Services]

Appendix xx: Design guideline cross references