IES RP-1-12

For many people, the office is the environment where they spend the majority of their waking adult lives. The expectation is that the time spent in the office will be useful and productive, and that the physical environment will be healthy.

The design of the office greatly influences how well the space meets the needs of the workers and their organization. Lighting is a critical element of the design that may enhance or degrade the work experience and affect the well-being of the workers. Beyond supporting worker performance, lighting may also affect the bottom line of the organization by making the best use possible of materials and electricity.

This recommended practice has been substantially reorganized and reworked from earlier editions to address these issues in the changing office environment. By maintaining a focus on lighting quality and human visual performance, and using the available technology, lighting practitioners can light the workplace more effectively. Their careful attention to the details, and willingness to work with and educate other members of the design team (architects, engineers, interior designers, owners and users), will ensure the best possible use of available resources in design solutions that are cost effective, environmentally sustainable, and that yield higher workplace satisfaction and consequently enhanced organizational productivity.