Reading a Lighting Simulation Report

Do you need help understanding a lighting simulation report? We’re about to decode the various components of a lighting simulation report so you can be as informed as possible when you make your lighting purchase!

The Arani Lighting Simulation Report

Each Arani lighting simulation report comes with the following parts that we’ll break down as we go through them.

1) A cover page containing a brief project outline and the project name

2) A summary of the lighting fixtures used in the simulation, including the specific model number (SKU), and the number of lighting fixtures used in each room in the simulation

3) Technical lighting fixture information, such as the luminaire light distribution in polar axes (like the example below). This light distribution in polar axes chart contains 3-dimensional lighting information, but is displayed on a 2-dimensional plane, and is intended primarily for programs to interpret, or for lighting professionals to get a rough idea of the light distribution.

4) A point by point simulation of lighting distribution based on the height and position of each luminaire. An example is shown below.

- A: This point by point summary of light shows the size and shape of the room, and how many footcandles are present at the working plane at each point. Each contour line is associated with a number in the summary, and that number represents the number of footcandles present.

- B: The information here summarizes the minimum, maximum, and average footcandles at various surfaces of interest, such as the floor, the ceiling, the walls, and the working plane, as specified on the left column.

- C: The information here summarizes the specified working plane, and the type and number of luminaires used in the simulation.

5) Photometric results, which includes the total Luminous flux (an industry term for the total amount of light), total load (an industry term for total power used), and direct light (light coming directly from the luminaire), indirect light (light reflected from a surface), and average light on each wall, floor, ceiling and work plane.

6) 3D & false colour renderings, which show the lighting distribution in footcandles more visually based on the colour key. This view allows you to see any points of interest that are too bright or too dark, and how you may expect the light to appear visually after the installation of your new luminaires.

A Final Word

In conclusion, a lighting simulation report helps lighting professionals, contractors, project managers, and buyers understand whether a proposed solution will give the desired outcome before installation. While there is plenty of information available on lighting simulation reports, it’s always better to contact a lighting professional with experience, as they may suggest more appropriate or more cost-effective solutions for your project. To contact us, please click here.