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by fluorescent lamps, and the same proportion was also found in those buildings erected between
1916 and 1939. However, in the buildings erected since 1939 the proportion lit by
fluorescent lamps is much higher at 85%.
Far too many offices and shops use the plain fluorescent light batten without
any regard to the needs of the persons occupying or entering the premises, and the decoration
of ceilings, wallsand floors is often at variance with the typeof fluorescent lamp used.
Unassisted natural light for the greater part of the day was the source of illumination
in only a few (mostly small) offices and shops. In the few large, newly-erected blocks
of offices in which there are large areas of glazing the inner wall of the offices is often
within the range of natural light penetration, and artificial light is not needed during the
late spring, summer and early autumn. Light readings of 250 lumens per square foot have
been recorded near the windows of such offices.
However, the number of offices in which light is distributed evenly over the
whole area of each office room is very small, and in the premises inspected to date it represents
less than 1% of the total.
The selling areas of the majority of shops (73%) are illuminated by fluorescent
lighting, but the number of well-designed systems seen during the period was less than five
in number. As these were branch shops of large food traders it may be expected that more
shops will have improved lighting systems. Food shops have much brighter illumination in
the selling areas than other shops.
The lighting of ancillary rooms to offices and shops often depends on the use of
those rooms. For instance, the lighting of staff rooms in office buildings is generally consistent
with the lighting of the offices themselves, but the same cannot be said of shops,
where the standard of lighting of staff rooms is much inferior to that of the selling areas.
A similar observation can be made about W.C.'s and wash-places in offices and shops.
68% of stockrooms and packing departments in both office and shop buildings
were lit by fluorescent lamps, and a major fault is the inefficient distribution of lamps in relation
to shelves,bins and dunnage.
The areas of shops in which the processes of slicing, mincing, and chopping
were carried on were, in general, badly lit in relation to the selling areas.
Some of the larger organisations have installed machine accounting, and the
machine rooms are usually very well lit, readings of more than 40 lumens per sq.ft. being
common.
(2) Examples of unsatisfactory lighting.
Offices
The offices in which there was consistently inferior lighting were those of solicitors,
charitable organisations, builders' offices, and some estate agents. It was in the first
two types of premises that lighting of individual work points was byunshaded filament lamps
suspended by cables connected to bayonet-type adaptors. In contrast, in a house of great
historical interest (now used asoffices by a national organisation) it was said that the lighting
had been specially designed, but readings of only 7-10 lumens per sq.ft. could be obtained
on the working planes of the desks.
Shops
Antique shops, gift shops, leather goods shops, men's outfitters, footwear shops,
and about half the tobacco and confectionery shops had inferior lighting.
(3) Specific Standards of Lighting, in lumens per sq.ft. which have been recommended
in advice to occupiers.
The code of the Illuminating Engineering Society has been quoted in both verbal
advice and correspondence on the lighting of registered premises. It is usually found that
discussion is necessary on the location of lighting points, interior decoration, and the colour