The general lighting design approach is a common strategy used to provide a fairly uniform amount of light throughout a room. This approach usually results in a regular pattern of light fixtures that produces very even light levels, slightly higher than the average value in the center of the room, and slightly lower in the outer corners of the room.

Industry standards currently allow for 500 lux maintained for general office and clerical tasks. Classrooms and general lecture halls also are included in this category.

It is important for designers to keep in mind that other factors should weighed as part of the design process: contextual data such as the age and physical abilities of the occupants of the space; reflectivity of the walls, ceiling, floor and furniture; and the amount of daylight that is available.

Today's business climate stresses the importance of energy efficiency. Most laboratory lighting systems can be designed to have less than 1.0 watt/sq.ft. of electric load, with specific task areas sometimes requiring luminance that could have an energy requirement of up to 4.0 watts/sq.ft. Utilizing a combination of low ambient and high task area lighting can minimize the energy load.

Certain design issues should be considered for research laboratories. The design plan must account for the fact that the same space may require a number of varied lighting systems to accommodate computer VDT's, general ambient task lighting, and high-contrast, high-lux-level lighting for drafting or close-up, fine detail projects. In addition, laboratory environments tend to be reconfigured on a regular basis, so the lighting designer must attempt to predict and understand long-term needs.

While all these issues and considerations seem a bit overwhelming, technology has provided the tools that reduce this formidable task to one of manageable dimensions.