LIVING EXAMPLES

An updated version of LG9, which focuses on lighting communal residential buildings, will shortly be published. Nigel Monaghan explains why revision was needed and examines the areas that will be covered

p The high-end Clarges Mayfair, lighting by StudioFractal: in private spaces,

residents can have the lighting system their budget and imagination can extend to

Standards, guidance, technology, knowledge and fashion relating to lighting are constantly evolving. The last edition of the guide was in 2013. Although very informative, like all the SLL lighting guides which are reviewed, the time has come for a refresh of LG9

Multi-occupancy or communal residential buildings can include rented or private low or high-rise apartments, student accommodation, social housing, NHS/ MoD accommodation, boarding schools, children’s homes, domestic violence refuges, substance-abuse recovery units and residential care homes of different types.

Budgets for the lighting spend will vary widely. Some buildings will be new build while others may be refurbishments of existing stock, some will be luxury and fully automated, others may be social housing upgrades. Regardless of the budget the intention should be to provide an attractive, safe, adequate, efficient and easily maintainable lighting system in places which numerous people call home.

Specifiers of lighting systems for these types of premises can range from architects, consultants and manufacturers to the FM team, wholesalers or contractors. There can be a range of knowledge, skills and experience, whether specifying the lighting for a complete building or simply arranging the replacement of a failed luminaire.

Now that almost all light sources are LED, where development has advanced rapidly in the past five years, sections on dimming and control have been expanded to cover recent technologies, such as Bluetooth LE.

We may not necessarily notice good functional lighting, but poor lighting will certainly be obvious. The aim of the guide is not to be prescriptive or to subdue design flair, but to help avoid poor lighting installations. We don’t want designers to

'The aim of the guide is not to be prescriptive or to subdue design flair, but to help avoid poor

lighting jump installations' straight to the horizontal illuminance recommendations but to consider the vertical surfaces and volumetric space. The guide has been written so that it can be read by anyone involved in the lighting of communal residential buildings.

AREAS COVERED

In private spaces such as apartments, residents can have the lighting system their budget and imagination can extend to. Ideally a choice of lighting scenes is desirable and some ways of achieving this where budgets don’t allow for a complex lighting control system are discussed. In the current climate, many people who would not normally do so find themselves working from home. Not everyone will be fortunate enough to have a dedicated office space, so they could be working at the dining table, or seated on the sofa. Typical lighting scenarios for home working are considered.

We walk through a typical building and consider the possible communal shared spaces of residential buildings: entrances, corridors, stairs, waiting areas, lift lobbies, staff offices, dining rooms, lounges, activity rooms, retail spaces, laundry rooms, shower/bath/wc rooms, staff changing rooms, kitchens/tea points, cleaners’ rooms, and plant spaces.

We delve deeper into a range of building types such as residential care homes, hospices or student accommodation, where the age group and abilities of residents is considered. In other words the same approach to lighting for all premises will not be suitable. We also consider elements of BS 8300, covering accessibility and inclusivity, for both internal and external spaces.

DAYLIGHT, WELLBEING AND SUSTAINABILITY

As you would expect from a lighting guide there are recommendations for maximising the use of any available daylight, but the guide also introduces sections on the current topic of lighting and wellbeing as applied to residential buildings. Likewise, issues such as energy efficiency, energy management, sustainability and the circular economy are considered.

EMERGENCY LIGHTING

We look at emergency lighting and remind designers about the fire safety/emergency lighting risk assessment and the duties of the responsible person and his/her obligation under UK law. There are many press reports of landlords facing heavy fines or prison for not meeting their obligations and responsibilities for providing emergency lighting protection for residents.

We also look at safety lighting in residential properties. If you expect residents to stay put in a worst-case scenario night-time emergency with a loss of power, are residents expected to remain in the dark in their own spaces? And, if not, what is a suitable level of illuminance that will allow residents to see?

EXTERNAL LIGHTING

Also addressed are the considerations for lighting external areas around communal residential buildings. These can be very varied. They could involve the approach road built by the new developer to be adopted by the local authority, the car parking spaces, the external pathways, or the entrance areas and signage. Any exterior E lighting involves wider considerations: avoiding light spill on to neighbouring properties and

p The guide examines a broad range of building types, including residential care

homes, as needs according to age and ability will require different lighting approaches

mitigating negative effects on nocturnal animal and bird life.

We again remind designers about the fire safety/emergency lighting risk assessment, and discuss what implications ‘outside to a place of safety’ could have.

The guide goes on to discuss colour and its possible effect on the lighting installation from both electric lighting and daylighting perspectives. The use of colour as decoration or as an area identifier or wayfinding guide, and the interest caused by lighting contrast in some spaces is considered, as well as the importance of consistent colour temperature of light sources.

MAINTENANCE

Any lighting installation is only as good as its maintenance regime. The light output of all luminaires will drop over time, caused by a reduction in the output of the light source itself and an increase in environmental pollutants to the exterior surfaces of the luminaire. While not all projects are large enough to need to include CDM requirements, this does not mean that these should be ignored. Luminaires positioned such that they require costly-to-hire specialist access equipment for maintenance or replacement, or that could potentially put the installer at unnecessary risk, should be avoided.

LIGHTING CONTROLS

‘Think lighting, think lighting controls’ should be an automatic consideration for specifiers, whether working on new build, or upgrading or retrofitting. The guide examines suitable control recommendations for typical spaces in residential buildings, as well as highlighting the internal control recommendations of initiatives such as ‘secured by design’.

'The guide also introduces sections on the current topic of lighting and wellbeing as applied to residential buildings'

The corridor in a student residence has a full lighting control system designed to maximise available daylight

LUMINAIRE TYPES AND TECHNIQUES

While not being prescriptive, the guide gives examples of successful tried and tested lighting techniques that can be used or combined in the majority of installations, both internally and externally, giving the positives and negatives of each lighting technique. The quality of light sources is also considered, including all the relevant electrical and technical attributes, so the specifier can compare like-for-like products.

GUIDANCE

We finish with a list of relevant current legislation, guidance, standards, building regulations and technical handbooks for England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, and other publications affecting communal multi-occupancy residential buildings, allowing the reader to further investigate relevant guidance that may affect their proposals.

CONCLUSION

The intention is to have a document available to help and inform, giving recommendations and food for thought for anyone involved in specifying lighting systems for communal residential buildings. This will help create successful outcomes, and reduce the chance of poor results, for all involved in the lighting installation – and particularly for the residents themselves who are the ones who will live with it every day.

Lighting Guide 9 – Lighting for Communal Residential buildings is scheduled to be published this spring. Nigel Monaghan, FSLL, is the author, with help from Benedict Cadbury, FSLL