Default Lighting Illuminance

Modified on Fri, 7 Jun at 11:27 AM

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Lighting Controls


The 2021 (England) & 2022 (Scotland and Wales) NCMs now offer a range of lighting illuminance for each activity (though in some cases the minimum and maximum values are identical). By default the minimum (also referred to as 'Standard') value is used. For over 50% of the NCM activities the 2021 minimum value does not match the previous default value and thus lighting consumption in Actual and Reference Buildings may be significantly different to earlier assessments. 


Note you can check the Minimum and Maximum Illuminance for a specific activity by setting the specification to 'Design':


Note if the Design illuminance field is not set (ie left as zero), the standard (minimum) illuminance is used. You can set an illuminance outside these limits but if that is below the standard illuminance the lighting will be 'upgraded' to an equivalent efficiency based on an illuminance equal to the standard value.


The following tables list the current and previous default values. Increased and Decreased values are highlighted:


Offices / Workshop businesses


Activity20212013
Car Park75100
Office300400
Changing100100
Circulation100100
FoodPrep500500
Plant200200
Toilet200200
WkshpSS300300
EatDrink200150
Reception300200
Gym300150
Store10050



Retail and Financial/Professional services

 
Activity20212013
DS_Sales300600
DS_SalesChill300600
DS_SalesElectric300600
RW_Sales300600
RW_SalesChill300600
RW_SalesElectric300600
Sales300600
SalesChill300600
SalesElectric300600
Car Park75100
Office300400
Circulation100100
Display5050
FoodPrep500500
Laundry300300
Plant200200
Toilet200200
EatDrink200150
Store10050



Hospitals and Care Homes

 

Activity20212013
Diagnostic501000
Reception200500
OpTheatre5001000
PostMortem5001000
AEConsRm300500
Lecture200300
Store100150
Wards100150
Laund300400
Bed100125
Bed24x7100125
Offices300350
Changing100100
Circulation100100
CirculationPub100100
ClassRm300300
Hydrotherapy300300
IndProcess300300
Physiotherapy300300
Toilet200200
Lab500400
Plant200150
Bath200125
EatDrink200125
FoodPrep500300



Storage or Distribution

 

Activity20212013
24x7WareStore100300
WareStore100300
Reception100200
24x7Office300400
Office300400
Changing100100
Circulation100100
FoodPrep500500
Plant200200
Toilet200200
EatDrink200150
Store10050



Hotels

 

Activity20212013
Office300400
Changing100100
Circulation100100
DrySptHall300300
Ensuite Bedroom100100
FoodPrep500500
Hall300300
Laund300300
Plant200200
Swim300300
Toilet200200
Bedroom10080
Bath200150
EatDrink200150
Reception300200
FitGym300150
Store10050



Community/Day Centre

 

Activity20212013
Reception100200
WkshpSS300500
Lecture200300
Offices300400
Changing100100
Circulation100100
DrySptHall300300
FoodPrep500500
Plant200200
Toilet200200
EatDrink200150
Store10050



Primary Health Care

 

Activity20212013
Offices300445
Circulation100100
Plant200200
Reception200200
Toilet200200
Store10050



Non Residential Schools

 

Activity20212013
Toilet100200
Lab500800
Offices300400
Changing100100
Circulation100100
DrySptHall300300
FoodPrep500500
HighDensIT300300
Lecture300300
Plant200200
Swim300300
WkshpSS500500
Teaching300280
EatDrink200150
Reception300200
Store10050



Residential schools

 

Activity20212013
Toilet100200
Lab500800
Offices300400
Bedroom100125
Changing100100
Circulation100100
DrySptHall300300
FoodPrep500500
HighDensIT300300
Laund300300
Lecture300300
Plant200200
Swim300300
WkshpSS500500
Teaching300280
Residents common rooms200150
EatDrink200150
Reception300200
Bathroom200125
Store10050



Restaurant and Cafes/Drinking Establishments and Hot Food takeaways

 

Activity20212013
Stage300750
Office300400
Circulation100100
FoodPrep500500
Plant200200
Toilet200200
EatDrink200150
Store10050



Libraries Museums and Galleries

 

Activity20212013
Reception100200
WkshpSS300500
Lab500800
Lecture200300
Offices300400
Circulation100100
FoodPrep500500
Plant200200
Toilet200200
EatDrink200150
Store10050



General Assembly and Leisure plus Night Clubs and Theatres

 

Activity20212013
Stage300750
CirculationPub100200
Reception100200
Sales300600
WkshpSS300500
Auditoria200300
Lecture200300
Office300400
Changing100100
Circulation100100
DrySptHall300300
FoodPrep500500
Laund300300
Plant200200
Swim300300
Toilet200200
EatDrink200150
IceRink300200
FitGym300150
FitStud300150
Store10050



Industrial

 

Activity20212013
WareStore100300
Reception100200
IndProcess200300
Office300400
Circulation100100
FoodPrep500500
Plant200200
Toilet200200
EatDrink200150
Lab500300
Store10050



Car Parks 24 hrs

 

Activity20212013
Car Park75100
Office300400
Circulation100100
Plant200200
Toilet200200



Universities and colleges

 

Activity20212013
Toilet100200
Lab500800
Offices300400
Changing100100
Circulation100100
DrySptHall300300
FoodPrep500500
Class Room300300
HighDensIT300300
Laund300300
Lecture300300
Plant200200
Swim300300
Tea200200
WkshpSS500500
Bed10080
Bath200150
Communal Area200150
EatDrink200150
Reception300200
FitGym300150
Store10050



Emergency services

 

Activity20212013
Reception100200
Office300400
Cell100100
Changing100100
Circulation100100
DrySptHall300300
FoodPrep500500
Plant200200
Toilet200200
Bed10080
Bath200150
EatDrink200150
FitGym300150
Store10050



Residential spaces

 

Activity20212013
DomDining50150
DomLounge50150
DomKitchen150300
DomBath150150
DomBed100100
DomCirculation100100
DomCommonAreas100100
DomToilet100100



Passenger terminals

 

Activity20212013
Office300400
Circulation100100
FoodPrep500500
Plant200200
Reception200200
Toilet200200
WaitRm200200
EatDrink200150
Store10050



Secure Residential Institutions

 

Activity20212013
Reception100200
WkshpSS300500
Lecture200300
Offices300400
Cell100100
Changing100100
Circulation100100
ClassRm300300
DrySptHall300300
FoodPrep500500
Laund300300
Plant200200
Toilet200200
Bath200150
EatDrink200150
FitGym300150
Store10050



Crown and County Courts

 

Activity20212013
Reception100200
Lecture200300
Offices300400
Cell100100
Circulation100100
FoodPrep500500
Plant200200
Toilet200200
EatDrink200150
Store10050



Stand alone utility block

 

Activity20212013
Changing (all types)100100



Miscellaneous 24hr activities

 

Activity20212013
24x7Office300400
Circulation100100
Toilet200200
DataCentre500500
Heavy Plant Room100100
ServerRoom100100



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