Corridors, Circulation & Stairwells
Hospitals are usually very large and complex. Internal transitory routes form the operational backbone of any hospital. Unfortunately the lighting requirement within these transitory corridors is often not recognised and they are treated purely as functional afterthoughts.
Lighting Requirements
It is essential to light these routes correctly and both the lighting design and luminaire choice must be optimised to reduce glare and visual disturbance experienced by trolley-borne patients due to alternating high and low brightness patterns, especially on the ceiling.
CIBSE: SLL Lighting Guide 2 – Hospitals and Health Care Buildings recommends that the installed lighting provides a uniform illumination level of 200 lux at floor level. The lighting design must, further, be capable of providing the distribution characteristics that meet CIBSE: SLL Lighting Guide 2 – Hospitals and Health Care Buildings performance and glare requirements. Dimming or switching systems should be included and be capable of operating at reduced levels i.e. 50 lux whilst still maintaining a (min/average) uniformity level of 50% or better. Such systems will also allow reductions in energy consumption at night or during periods of low occupancy. Incorporation of photocells will provide further energy savings in corridors with windows
| Location | Maintained Illuminance (lux) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital Street (floor) | 150 (day) 50 (night) |
Uniform illumination levels should be provided to avoid bright and dark patches to walls and floors. The installation should also be capable of operating at a reduced level (50 lux with 0.5 uniformity) at night for comfort and energy efficiency. |
| Corridors (floor) | 200 (day) 50 (night) |
Uniform illumination levels using low glare luminaires, positioned to avoid alternating brightness patterns being viewed by trolley-borne patients. The installation should also be capable of operating at a reduced level (50 lux with 0.5 uniformity) at night for comfort and energy efficiency. |
| Stairs (landings and treads) | 150 |
Extract from CIBSE: SLL Lighting Guide 2 - Hospitals and Health Care Buildings
The Radiance Corridor with its asymmetric distribution means that the corridor can be illuminated with off-centre luminaires, avoiding discomfort glare for patients being transported on trolleys.
In other areas, the recessed SkyDome, can be used and Kanby Evo can be used as a surface-mounted alternative.
The specialised corridor optic of the R4 provides an efficient solution because the spacing between the luminaires is increased, thereby reducing the number of luminaires needed.
The wall mounted Clara 360, Kast or Ovix provide good levels of illumination for stairwells.
Lighting Controls
Many corridors benefit from good daylight levels, so lighting controls such as SmartScan can make significant energy savings by reducing output when the daylight level is good. SmartScan may also be configured to provide a lower illumination level at night, as recommended in CIBSE: SLL Lighting Guide 2 - Hospitals and Health Care Buildings.
SmartScan
Integrated intelligent lighting control providing maximum energy savings for internal applications. Wireless communication between luminaires and web connectivity for luminaire energy usage and status reporting.
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