Surface Reflectance Planning Table
Planning table for how ceiling, wall, floor and racking reflectance affects utilisation-factor assumptions.
Table PDFSurface Reflectance Planning Table
Download the table with the page URL and retrieval date for offline lighting checks.
| Surface condition | Lighting effect | Calculation note | Boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light ceiling and light walls | More light can return into the room. | A higher UF assumption may be plausible when distribution and geometry support it. | Photometry and room geometry still matter. |
| Dark walls or feature finishes | More light is absorbed near the room edge. | Check whether the UF assumption should be lower than a generic interior value. | Colour and finish choices can change apparent brightness. |
| Dark floor or low-reflectance work surface | Less reflected light returns to the assessed zone. | Keep the task plane, finish and measured points visible in the lighting note. | A room average can hide local contrast. |
| High shelving or racking | Vertical obstruction and shadows can dominate the result. | List shelf height, aisle width, vertical faces and luminaire rows separately. | Warehouse checks need more than an open-room average. |
| Exposed ceiling or services | Ceiling reflectance and obstruction can vary across the zone. | List ceiling finish, service runs, mounting height and luminaire position. | The UF assumption may need project evidence. |
| Bright display or retail surfaces | Vertical brightness may matter as much as horizontal illuminance. | List display faces, viewing direction, CCT and CRI/Ra beside the horizontal target. | Glare and vertical illuminance remain separate checks. |