Glare checks start with the observer
A glare check is most useful when it begins with the person viewing the space, not with a loose brightness comment. The note should name where the observer stood or sat, what they were looking toward, which bright source was visible, and which surface or task was affected.
The glare glossary gives the plain term. The UGR glossary and What is UGR explain why discomfort glare has a technical background, but this page is a planning note. It does not calculate UGR and does not turn a field note into a formal workplace outcome. Keep the note beside measured-light evidence from how to measure lux levels and the lux meter reading table.
| Check focus | What to write | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Observer position | Desk seat, counter side, corridor approach, display viewing point or doorway. | Glare can change from one eye position to another. |
| Viewing direction | Toward screen, shelf face, task bench, wall display, sign or path. | A bright source outside the normal view may be less relevant than one in the task view. |
| Bright source | Visible luminaire, window patch, reflected image, glossy surface or high contrast edge. | The note needs the object causing the discomfort concern. |
| Affected surface | Screen, page, bench, face, display wall, mirror, shelf label or floor path. | The glare concern should stay tied to the task or surface. |
| Lighting condition | Scene, dimmed state, daylight condition and active group. | Controls and daylight can create or remove the glare condition. |
Brightness evidence is not a comfort result
Lux readings are evidence about light arriving on a surface. They do not, on their own, describe discomfort glare. A high desk reading may still be comfortable if the bright source is hidden from view. A moderate reading may still feel harsh if a glossy screen or polished surface reflects a visible source into the observer's eye line.
The lumens to lux calculator can estimate average illuminance for a defined area. The lux to lumens calculator can estimate output for a target. A glare note adds the observer and bright-source evidence that those calculations do not hold.
| Evidence type | Good fit | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Average lux estimate | Early check of area, lumens, UF and MF. | Does not describe visible bright points or reflected glare. |
| Single measured point | Complaint point, task surface or display face. | Does not describe all observer positions. |
| Short point set | Desk row, counter line, corridor approach or display wall band. | Does not prove visual comfort across every scene. |
| Bright-source note | Visible fitting, window patch or reflected image from a named position. | Needs a task or surface context to be meaningful. |
| Before and after pair | Same observer and same condition repeated after a change. | Does not cover unrelated times, scenes or layouts. |
Match glare questions to the user job
Glare searches often sound broad: a room is too bright, a fitting feels harsh, a screen reflects light, or a mirror shows a bright line. The useful note identifies the observer, the affected surface and the condition before it selects the supporting page.
| Search phrase or field note | Glare job to note | Best supporting page |
|---|---|---|
| Downlights feel harsh over a sofa or bed | Seated or lying eye line, visible aperture and dimming state. | How many downlights do I need? for set-out context. |
| Screen reflection at a desk | Seated observer, screen angle, window or fitting image and daylight state. | open-plan desk guide or home office lighting. |
| Mirror or glossy wall shows a bright line | Mirror face, observer position, reflected source and cleaning or normal scene. | bathroom mirror guide or fitting-room mirror guide. |
| Display case or shelf has reflections | Display face, viewing side, beam aim and reflected source. | retail display lighting guide. |
| Corridor fitting visible on approach | Approach direction, door or sign face, fitting row and night mode. | apartment corridor guide. |
| Window-side daylight is uncomfortable | Observer view, window patch, blind state and affected surface. | Daylight shading and blinds reading notes. |
Name the observer position before judging the scene
Glare is viewed from a position. For a desk, the note might be "seated at screen position, looking north-east". For a corridor, it might be "approach from lift lobby toward apartment number". For a display wall, it might be "standing at normal viewing distance, looking across glossy face".
Keep the observer note short enough that it can sit beside a drawing, point schedule or measurement table. Where several positions matter, label them O1, O2 and O3 and keep the same labels in later checks.
| Observer field | Example note | Related page |
|---|---|---|
| Eye position | Seated desk eye line, counter customer side, corridor approach or standing display view. | Task-plane lighting calculations |
| View direction | Toward screen, bench, display wall, sign, shelf face or path. | Vertical illuminance |
| Distance | Approximate viewing distance to bright source or affected surface. | Beam angle calculator |
| Height context | Seated, standing, child-height, high sign or low shelf condition. | Workplane height |
| Repeat label | O1 desk, O2 doorway, O3 corridor turn or O4 display view. | Lux meter grid point layouts |
Point, observer, source and condition labels
A glare note is most useful when it can be repeated. Keep the point label, observer label, source description and condition together. If the daylight state, dimming state, observer position or affected surface changes, write a new line.
| Label | What it notes | Example wording |
|---|---|---|
| Point | The affected surface or location. | Desk D1, mirror M1, corridor C2, display V1 or bench P3. |
| Observer | Eye position and viewing direction. | Seated at desk facing screen; standing at counter looking to shelf face. |
| Source | Direct or reflected bright area. | Visible downlight aperture, window patch, reflected pendant or glossy counter image. |
| Condition | Active group, dimming state, daylight state and task. | Evening scene, blinds open, screen work, cleaning state or sensor-triggered mode. |
| Evidence | Measured plane, photo note, drawing mark-up or repeated observation. | Same point and same condition compared after a layout change. |
This label structure keeps glare apart from a simple lux value. A surface can be bright enough for the task while still showing a source in the observer's view.
Bright source and surface context
A bright source can be a luminaire, a window, a reflected image or a high contrast surface. The note should say whether the source is directly visible or reflected through glass, a screen, a polished counter, a mirror, a glossy wall or a display case.
Surface context matters because glare is often a contrast issue. Dark walls around a small bright fitting can feel harsher than a broader luminous surface. A glossy bench can reflect a source that is not obvious from another side. The surface reflectance planning table keeps finish assumptions beside the lighting note.
| Bright-source condition | Surface context to note | Related check |
|---|---|---|
| Direct luminaire view | Mounting height, diffuser visibility and observer direction. | Ceiling height and beam spread |
| Window or skylight patch | Daylight state, blind condition and view direction. | Daylight factor vs daylight lux |
| Screen reflection | Screen angle, seated position and background brightness. | Office lighting guide |
| Glossy counter or wall | Finish, angle of reflected image and task surface. | Surface reflectance planning |
| Display case or mirror | Reflected source, normal viewing side and face-height condition. | retail display lighting guide |
Control state and daylight condition
Glare can appear only in one scene. A full-output cleaning setting, bright daytime window, evening dimmed state or sensor fallback can create a different view from the normal task condition. The lighting control table keeps scene, zone and operating state beside the glare note.
| State field | What to write | Reading risk if missing |
|---|---|---|
| Active group | Which lighting zone or row was on. | The glare source may not be active in the normal scene. |
| Dimming state | Minimum, normal, full-output or named scene. | A harsh full-output check may not represent the task condition. |
| Daylight state | Night, overcast, direct sun, blinds open or blinds adjusted. | Window glare and contrast may be misread. |
| Task state | Screen work, display viewing, cleaning, movement or close task. | The observer may not be looking in the same direction later. |
| Repeat condition | Same observer, same scene, same daylight note and same point labels. | Before and after comparison becomes weak. |
Keep UGR context with field notes
UGR is a technical discomfort-glare concept. A public field note can collect useful context for discussion, but it should not claim a UGR result without the required lighting data, room context and calculation method. Keep the page language narrow: observer position, bright source, room surface context, measured-light evidence and project boundary.
The What is UGR article is the better page for the concept. This guide is for the supporting note that sits beside measurements, calculations and observations.
| UGR-related context | Note in this guide | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Observer view | Named eye position and viewing direction. | Not a calculated UGR value. |
| Bright area | Visible or reflected source and its location in the view. | Not a luminaire data file. |
| Background | Wall, ceiling, task surface and display finish context. | Not a full room model. |
| Measured light | Lux readings on the task or vertical face. | Not a discomfort-glare calculation. |
| Outcome wording | Comfort concern, repeat check or design note. | Not formal workplace sign-off. |
Glare follow-up topics
Keep this guide focused on the observer and bright-source note. Once that note is clear, continue the broader lighting question with the page that carries the room, task plane, surface finish, colour quality, controls or measured-light comparison.
| Decision area | What stays in this guide | When the question widens |
|---|---|---|
| Observer and source | Eye position, view direction, visible or reflected source and affected surface. | Task-plane lighting calculations when the affected surface also has a lux target. |
| Measured evidence | Same point, same plane, same scene and daylight note. | lux meter reading table or lux meter grid table. |
| Surface finish | Gloss, mirror, glass, dark finish or high-contrast background. | Surface reflectance planning. |
| Beam and set-out | Source position, beam direction, mounting height and view angle. | Beam angle calculator and ceiling height and beam spread. |
| Control state | Active lighting zone, dimming level, sensor state and daylight condition. | lighting control table. |
| UGR concept | Observer and bright-area context only. | What is UGR for the concept boundary. |
Display-wall applications
The same glare note shape can support many Australian spaces. Keep exact performance criteria, workplace notes and specialist reviews apart from the public note. This page only helps the note say what was observed.
| Area | Glare question | Companion page |
|---|---|---|
| Office desk | Does a luminaire, window or screen reflection affect the seated task view? | Office lighting guide |
| Retail display | Does glass, a shelf face or a mirror show a reflected bright source? | retail display lighting guide |
| Hospitality table | Does a pendant, wall light or mirror affect seated faces or menus? | Hospitality lighting page |
| Apartment corridor | Does a visible fitting or glossy sign affect the normal approach view? | Apartment common-area lighting |
| Home living area | Does a downlight or window reflect on a screen, artwork or glossy table? | Living room lighting |
| Warehouse bench | Does a high-bay or task light create a harsh view at the bench or label face? | Warehouse lighting guide |
Compact glare note
A compact glare check can be written in a table, drawing note or measurement sheet. The important part is that the observer, bright source and condition stay together.
| Worksheet item | Glare detail |
|---|---|
| Observer | Position label, seated or standing height, and normal viewing direction. |
| Affected surface | Screen, bench, shelf face, sign, display wall, mirror, face plane or floor path. |
| Bright source | Direct luminaire, daylight patch, reflected image or high contrast surface. |
| Surface context | Matte, glossy, dark, light, glass, mirror, screen or textured finish. |
| Measured evidence | Point label, plane, lux value and daylight condition from the same scene. |
| Control state | Zone, scene, dimming level and active group. |
| Boundary | Planning note only; exact targets and formal outcomes stay with project criteria. |
Boundary for glare notes
This page captures glare observations for Australian lighting planning. It is not a visual-comfort approval, UGR calculation, workplace certification, emergency-lighting review, road-lighting review or sports-lighting review. Treat the glare note as supporting evidence beside the relevant calculator, measured-light note and project notes.
| Boundary question | Keep in this note | Keep distinct |
|---|---|---|
| Workplace or school outcome | Observer, surface, source, condition and supporting measurement. | Formal outcome decisions and specialist criteria. |
| Healthcare, clinic or aged-care setting | Ordinary observer and source evidence only. | Clinical suitability or specialist task decisions. |
| Emergency or public circulation path | Glare observation under the ordinary lighting scene. | Emergency-lighting and public-circulation notes. |
| Road, car park or sports field | Observer/source note only when it belongs to the published page context. | Category selection and specialist lighting design. |
| Electrical or installation issue | Visible source position only where it explains the glare view. | Wiring, mounting approval and installation decisions. |