The column where you get to put your lighting questions to the head of the Ovia lighting business, Mike Collins, and his team of technical experts.
UGR is the metric for defining the level of discomfort glare for interior applications. Discomfort glare is a feeling of visual discomfort from a light source, the level of which is influenced by factors such as:
– The brightness of a luminaire (lumen output)
– The mounting height of luminaires
– The number of luminaires in an area/room/workspace
– The décor of an area/room (room reflectance)
The best way of avoiding discomfort glare is to provide a luminaire with anti-glare properties. The anti-glare properties can range from controlling the direction of light emission to diffusing the emission of light, and will have the glare performance calculated when testing the luminaire.
The values of UGR range from 13 to 30. The lower the UGR value the less discomfort there will be. Guidance is given on the maximum UGR values acceptable for certain applications. For instance, the maximum UGR advised for offices is UGR<19. This guidance can be found in either BSEN12464-1 or the SLL Code for Lighting.
The overall UGR value can be determined when using lighting design software such as Relux. This is simply done by combining the glare performance of the luminaire with the room characteristics. The calculation is carried out from an observer position such as a desk/workspace.
We’ve seen a lot of demand for our range of Inceptor Slate TP(a) Backlit Panels recently. With a low, <19 UGR diffuser, they’re suitable for a range of installations and working environments, featuring a pre-wired push-fit 3-Pole Flow connector to ensure quick and easy installation.
Thanks to Jason Wood at AJ Electrical Services for this month’s query. A special edition Ovia travel mug is on its way to him!
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