Lighting Glossary

1. General Lighting Concepts

Ambient Lighting
General illumination providing overall visibility and creating the foundation for lighting a space.

Accent Lighting
Highlights design features, artwork, or architectural elements.

Task Lighting
Focused lighting to assist with specific activities like reading or working.

Uplighting
Lighting directed upwards to emphasize ceilings or architectural features.

Downlighting
Fixtures directed downward to focus on specific areas.

Color Temperature
Describes the warmth or coolness of light, measured in Kelvins (K).

Lumen
A measure of the total visible light emitted by a source.

Lux
Measures illuminance, or how much light hits a surface.

Uniformity Ratio
Indicates how evenly light is distributed across a space.

CRI (Color Rendering Index)
Rates a light source's ability to reveal colors accurately (scale 0–100).

Efficacy
Measures energy efficiency in lumens per watt (lm/W).

Beam Angle
Defines the spread of light emitted from a fixture.

IP Rating (Ingress Protection)
Indicates dust and water resistance (e.g., IP65 for outdoor use).

LED Driver
Regulates power to LED fixtures for consistent performance.

Retrofit Lighting
Upgrading existing fixtures to modern, energy-efficient solutions.

Dimmable Lighting
Fixtures that allow brightness adjustments for energy savings or mood setting.

Smart Lighting
App or automation-controlled lighting systems offering advanced features.

Warm Dim Technology
LED technology mimicking incandescent dimming effects.

Tunable White
Allows adjustment of color temperature between warm and cool light.

RGB Lighting
Uses red, green, and blue LEDs to create dynamic or decorative lighting effects.

Energy Star
Certification for lighting products meeting strict energy efficiency standards.

Lifespan
The estimated operational life of a lighting product, often measured in hours.

Glare
Uncomfortable brightness caused by excessive light or poorly placed fixtures.

Photometric Data
Provides performance details like beam spread, lux levels, and efficiency.