The Lighting of Schools.

Progress, Volume IV, Issue 2, 1 December 1908, Page 60

The Lighting of Schools.

The author quotes with approval the Building Regulations (1907) issued by the Board of Education for new schools under their control, but he points out that their want of precision with regard to lighting angles, visible sky, &c, is an eloquent testimony to the need of more exact knowledge of the extent to which such factors aft'ect illumination. The regulations are even more eloquently silent as to artificial lighting. They require detailed plans and specifications of new schools to be submitted for the approval of the Board of Education, including particulars of such items as sanitary arrangements, ventilation, boundary walls,

desks, fireplaces, &c but artificial lighting is not even mentioned. With regard to the artificial lighting of buildings generally (continues Mr. Waldram), an architect applies at most only such simple rules as so much candle-power per square of floor space, without regard to the height of lights, the character of the reflection, or whether the globes are to be frosted, tinted, or clear. For the disposition of the lights he would probably rely upon the advice of the electrical or gasfitting firm whose tender is accepted. One would have to search diligently to find in England an architect measuring in candlefeet, and recording for future reference a degree of artificial illumination which he had found to be both sufficient and pleasing for any given situation. Yet the measurement of illumination by, say, a Trotter

illumination photometer or "illuminometer" is simply a direct reading on the dial of an instrument of about the same size, weight, and cost as a hand camera.