A Luminance-Based Lighting Design Method: A Framework for Lighting Design and Review of Luminance Measures

Imaging photometers and ray-tracing software packages have made it possible to capture and model high-resolution and accurate luminance maps. However, luminance map measurement is rarely seen in professional practice, despite its ability to evaluate visual parameters accurately and directly, such as contrast, visual, size, and target brightness. Two barriers to the uptake of luminance measurement and associated design measures include (1) lack of knowledge of the range of measures available, and (2) difficulty in assessing whether a luminance-based lighting design method is a sufficient and justifiable replacement for the current illuminance-based practice. This paper reviews current practice and presents alternative luminance design measures and human needs for lighting to construct a framework for designing and comparing lighting design methods. It concludes by presenting a new luminance-based lighting method in the context of this framework to show that it is more accurate and comprehensive than current practice and can be enabled by emerging low-cost and increasingly accessible luminance measurement technologies. The overall outcomes provide the metrics and framework to bring more complete and effective luminance-based lighting design into practice.