Quality lighting design has the power to transform how we experience spaces, seamlessly enhancing architecture and shaping our daily lives. More than just illumination, light influences mood, functionality, and perception. Often referred to as the intersection of art and science, lighting design merges creative expression with advancing technology. Yet, true success goes beyond aesthetics and innovation; effective lighting also relies on reliable design programs and integrated safety standards. (By: IESSA)
Let’s kick off and examine some of the more popular lighting design programmes and why safety and regulatory standards remain paramount, above all, in design.
Popular lighting-design programmes
- Relux Desktop: Free software. A cutting-edge software for simulating artificial and natural light sources, with expansive simulation functionality for various interior lighting-related projects.
- DIALux evo: Free software. Globally favoured for its holistic capability to plan, calculate, and visualise both indoor and outdoor lighting; it supports standards-compliant calculations and realistic renderings using real luminaires and BIM integration
- AGi32: Paid software. A powerhouse for photometric analysis and lighting-level calculations, excelling in environments with complex layouts. It offers glare metrics, energy use, and adheres to international lighting standards
- Vectorworks Spotlight, Capture, Lightwright: Paid software. Favoured in event, stage, and entertainment lighting, these programmes offer integrated design, documentation, visualisation, asset management, and robust collaboration features.
- WYSIWYG: A multi-award-winning, industry-leading software that offers an all-in-one lighting design solution with seamlessly integrated CAD, plots, data, visualisation, and virtual show control. It boasts the largest CAD library available today to design your entire show.
- Virtual Lighting Designer: Paid software. Online 3D lighting design software for residential and commercial interior lighting design, featuring a vast library of fixtures and real-time rendering.
- Radiance: A free and open-source simulation suite noted for advanced ray-tracing and global illumination calculations. Recognised in the architectural community for high-fidelity lighting simulations.
Safety & regulatory standards
Important codes that guide lighting design include the International Building Code (IBC), International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), and locally, the National Building Regulations (NBR), the South African National Standards (SANS) and the Occupational Health & Safety Act (OHS). While each varies in scope, they all establish core requirements such as lighting power density (LPD) limits, emergency and egress lighting levels, and minimum control strategies. These codes are updated on a regular cycle (typically every three years) to reflect advances in technology, efficiency, and safety.
A designer’s first step is to confirm which parts of the code applies, which depends on both the project’s start date and the standards enforced by the local authority at the time. In some regions, stricter codes apply; so, it is critical to identify this before commencing any design work. Staying current with these evolving requirements is essential for compliance, safety, and performance.
Incorporating safety standards isn’t optional; it’s essential:
- DIALux evo ensures lighting designs adhere to both national and international compliance criteria during planning
- For interior lighting, SANS10114-1 or the Occupational Health & Safety Act, Act 85 of 1993, which details the designed minimum lighting requirements for occupational spaces.
- Designers must also reference broader safety standards, like SANS 60598 and SANS 10114-2, ensuring proper emergency lighting and signage compliance.
- For road and street lighting design, SANS 10098-1, -2 provide design requirements for roads and streets and other roadway complexes. ARP035 is still widely used by municipalities and parastatals in determining the lifecycle costs of street lighting installations on public roads and streets.
- For lighting installations, SANS 10142-1, provides a foundational framework, particularly sections focused on fixed electrical installations, which includes the lighting installations, protection, earthing, and other essential safety protocols.
- The Green-Star rating, developed by the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) and its partners, is a voluntary environmental certification system for buildings, interior fit-outs, and communities in South Africa and other African nations. It provides a framework to measure and recognise sustainable design, construction, and operation, with the number of stars indicating performance levels from "Good practice" (3-Star) to "World leadership" (6-Star). Projects are assessed through an online platform with the help of a qualified Accredited Professional, culminating in an independent panel's assessment and certification.
Why this matters for lighting professionals
By leveraging tools like Relux, DIALux evo or AGi32, lighting professionals can craft visually compelling, technically accurate designs that meet regulatory requirements, streamlining project approvals and enhancing occupant safety. Awareness of emergency lighting standards and electrical safety codes ensures designs not only impress but protect.
“At IESSA, we aim to empower both existing and prospective members by shining a light on effective lighting-design software and the essential safety standards integral to responsible design.” – IESSA
