IES FOOTCANDLE RECOMMENDATIONS
Finding the ideal recommended footcandles for your building.
The lighting authority or IES Footcandle Recommendations for lighting are an important measurement to understand and can optimize productivity, morale and comfort. For example the recommended Footcandles in movie theaters are far fewer than in a bio lab.
Skylights are an integral source for free natural lighting, whether its commercial, industrial, residential or any other type of skylight. In states like California and its quest for “Net-Zero,” many new buildings have mandated minimum quantities of skylights (i.e. 2-3% of the total square footage in industrial space).
There is a lot at stake especially in commercial space to get the lighting dialed in. Too little light and the task being performed becomes more difficult thus lowering productivity. Excessive lighting may cause discomfort and energy waste due to overheating if the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient is right.
Footcandles are the most common units of measurement used by lighting professionals. It can be measured by using a light reader and standing directly under the source. The amount of recommended Footcandles depends heavily on the activity or purpose of the space.
IES FOOTCANDLE RECOMMENDATIONS
Assembly | Footcandles |
Rough easy seeing | 20-75 |
Rough difficult seeing | 75-100 |
Medium | 100-200 |
Fine | 200-500 |
Extra fine | 500-1000 |
Automobile Manufacturing | |
Final assembly, finishing, inspecting | 200 |
Body & chassis assembly | 100 |
Body parts manufacturing | 100 |
Frame assembly | 50 |
Clothing Manufacturer | |
Receiving, storing, shipping | 20-50 |
Pattern making, trimming | 50-100 |
Shops, marking | 50-200 |
Cutting, pressing | 100-500 |
Sewing, inspection | 200-500 |
Food Service Facilities | |
Dining areas | 5-20 |
Food displays | 30-100 |
Kitchen | 50-100 |
Gymnasiums | |
Assemblies | 10 |
General exercise and recreation | 30 |
Exhibition, matches | 50 |
Hotels | |
Lobby, general lighting | 10-20 |
Front desk | 50-100 |
Reading and working areas | 20-50 |
Machine Shops | |
Rough bench | 20-50 |
Medium bench, rough grinding | 50-100 |
Fine bench work | 200-500 |
Material Handling | Footcandles |
Loading trucks | 10-20 |
Picking stock, classifying | 20-50 |
Wrapping, packing, labeling | 20-50 |
Offices | |
Accounting | 50-100 |
Audio-visual areas | 20-50 |
Conference areas | 20-70 |
Corridors | 20 |
Drafting | 50-200 |
General and private offices | 50-100 |
Schools | |
Reading | 20-100 |
Typing | 20-100 |
Demonstrations | 100-200 |
Sheet Metal Work | |
General | 100 |
Tin plate inspection, scribing | 100-200 |
Stores | |
Merchandising, serviced | 30-100 |
Merchandising, self-serviced | 200 |
Warehousing, Storage | |
Rough bulky | 10-20 |
Medium | 20 |
Fine | 20-50 |
Welding | |
General | 20-50 |
Woodworking | |
Rough sawing, rough bench work | 20-50 |
Sizing, sanding, medium bench work | 20-50 |
Fine bench work, finishing | 50-100 |
Note: Footcandles over 200 require specialty lighting. |