The following table represents average maintained luminance levels found in various
school applications across the country. Values are based on typical industry practices and
IESNA guidelines. Factors such as speed and accuracy, age and contrast may lower or
increase the necessary luminance. Consult the IESNA Lighting Handbook for details.
Application
Foot-candles
Lux
50 fc
500 lx
Assembly
10 fc
100 lx
Social Activities
5 fc
50 lx
30-50 fc
300-500 lx
Grooming
30 fc
300 lx
Lavatory
15 fc
150 lx
Dining Area
30 fc
300 lx
Kitchen
50 fc
500 lx
Handwritten tasks
50 fc
500 lx
Printed Tasks
50 fc
500 lx
Chalk/white boards
50 fc
500 lx
Keyboards
30 fc
300 lx
Monitors
3 fc
30 lx
Administrative Offices
Most reading tasks
Auditorium
Reading
Bathrooms
Cafeterias
Classroom
Computer Lab
Reading printed material
50 fc
500 lx
75 fc
750 lx
General exercising and recreation
30 fc
300 lx
Basketball – college and pro
100 fc
1000 lx
Basketball – high school
75 fc
750 lx
30 fc
300 lx
15-30 fc
150-300 lx
30 fc
300 lx
50 fc
500 lx
10 fc
100 lx
30 fc
300 lx
50 fc
500 lx
50 fc
500 lx
Stairwells
15 fc
150 lx
Study Halls
50 fc
500 lx
Drafting Room
Exterior (see table below)
Gymnasium
Hallway
Horizontal
Vertical
Library
Stack lighting, audiovisual, cataloging and
circulation desks
Open study areas
Locker Room
Maintenance Room
Maintenance & wiring areas, gauge
reading
Medical Offices
Medical exam area
Science Lab
Sports (see tables below)
Technology Labs
Rough Bench or machine work
30 fc
300 lx
Medium bench or machine work, rough
grinding, medium buffing and polishing
50 fc
500 lx
Woodworking--rough sawing and bench
work
30 fc
300 lx
Woodworking --fine bench and machine
work, fine sanding and finishing
75 fc
750 lx
30 fc
300 lx
300 - 1,000 fc
3,000 - 10,000 lx
Welding -- orientation
Welding --precision manual arc-welding
Exterior Lighting
Footcandles
Lux
Active Entrances-pedestrian or vehicle
5 fc
50 lx
Inactive Entrances - normally locked
3 fc
30 lx
Vital locations or structures (security)
5 fc
50 lx
Building surroundings
1 fc
10 lx
High Activity
3.6 fc
36 lx
Medium Activity
2.4 fc
24 lx
Low Activity
0.8 fc
8 lx
High Activity
2 fc
20 lx
Medium Activity
1 fc
10 lx
0.5 fc
5 lx
Building Exterior-Site areas adjacent to
Parking Areas
Roadways - Non-dedicated and Private
Low Activity
Signs
Bright surroundings, light surfaces
30 fc
500 lx
Bright surroundings, dark surfaces
50 fc
1000 lx
Dark surroundings, light surfaces
10 fc
200 lx
Dark surroundings, dark surfaces
30 fc
500 lx
10 fc
100 lx
Bedford or buff limestone, smooth buff face brick,
concrete, aluminum
15 fc
150 lx
Smooth or medium gray brick, common tan or dark
field gray brick
20 fc
200 lx
35 fc
350 lx
Buildings (Suburban)
Terra Cotta, light marble, plaster
Brownstone, stained shingles, other dark surfaces
Sports Lighting
Class of Play and Facilities
Class
Facility
College
I
II
X
X
High Schools
X
Elementary Schools
Class I - Facilities with spectator capacity over 5000
Class II - Facilities for spectators of 5000 or less
Class III - No special provision for spectators
Class IV - Social and recreational, i.e. noncompetitive
III
IV
X
X
X
Illuminance Criteria for Football & Soccer
Class
of
Play
Horizontal
Footcandles (Lux)
Vertical
Footcandles (Lux)
Uniformity
(Max. to Min.)
I
100 fc (1000 lx)
80 fc (800 lx)
1.5
II
50 fc (500 lx)
40 fc (400 lx)
2.0
III
30 fc (300 lx)
2.5
IV
20 fc (200 lx)
3.0
Illuminance Criteria for Tennis
Class
of
Play
Horizontal
Footcandles (Lux)
Average
Uniformity
(Maximum to Minimum)
Minimum
Within Lines
Within PPA*
I
125 fc (1250)
100 fc (1000)
1.2
1.5
II
60 fc (600 lx)
40 fc (400 lx)
1.5
1.7
III
40 fc (400 lx)
30 fc (300 lx )
1.7
2.0
IV
30 fc (300 lx)
20 fc (200 lx)
2.0
2.5
* Within the principal playing area which
is 48 x 96 for a single court (36 x 78).
Illuminance Criteria for Baseball and Softball Fields
Class
of
Play
Horizontal
Footcandles
(Lux)
Infield
Outfield
Vertical
Footcandles
(Lux)
Infield
Outfield
Horizontal
Uniformity
(Max. to Min.)
Infield
Outfield
Vertical
Uniformity
(Max. to Min.)
Infield
Outfield
I
150 fc
(1500lx)
100 fc
(1000lx)
100 fc
(1000lx)
70 fc
(700lx)
1.5
1.5
1.5
2.0
II
100 fc
(1000lx)
70 fc
(700lx)
70 fc
(700lx)
50 fc
(500lx)
1.5
1.7
1.7
2.5
III
50 fc
(500lx)
50 fc
(500lx)
40 fc
(400lx)
25 fc
(250lx)
2.0
2.5
IV
30 fc
(300lx)
20 fc
(200lx)
25 fc
(250lx)
15 fc
(150lx)
3.0
3.5