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Design Factors and Retail Space Types
The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America defines three retail space types based on level of activity, each with its own typical lighting requirements and recommended best practices.
The design factors for each space type do not include themed environments, which can break many rules of thumb and open a broad palette of lamp and fixture choices, such as LED, neon, fiber-optic and dynamic color changing. The most important consideration for themed environments is for the lighting to tell the story of the space, helping the customer feel as if he has been removed from his world and transported into another place (and possibly time)—all enhancing mood and arousing interest in the available merchandise.
All retail lighting systems should be controlled using a scheduling system. Department stores can include time-based dimming and switching based on time of day and its operating hours; the lighting in smaller stores can be switched using an electronic time clock or dimmed. Additional dimming controls add a dynamic lighting element to the retail environment.
In new construction or renovations, large retail spaces (and others) can benefit greatly from daylighting, which can reduce energy consumption while increasing customer interest in merchandise in those areas of the store enjoying natural daylight. Wal-Mart’s Eco-Mart store saw sales become “significantly higher” on the half of the store lighted by skylights versus the half lighted by electric lighting (The Wall Street Journal, 1995).
High Activity Spaces
Examples
Discount department stores, supermarkets, “big box” retail
Sales Assistance
Minimal
Products
Easily recognizable, viewed, evaluated and decided upon
Goals
Come into the store, easily see, find and buy products
Recommended Light Level
Circulation areas: 30 fc
Merchandise: 100 fc
Feature displays: 500 fc
Uniformity
General lighting system typically provides very uniform brightness ratios and light levels
Color
Lamps should have CRI of 70+
Lighting System
In areas with high mounting heights (18 ft. and above), typically fluorescent fixtures for general illumination and to provide high brightness at the ceiling plane. Some applications, such as “discount warehouses,” can be lighted with metal halide. In spaces with lower ceiling heights, recessed fluorescent lensed or parabolic-louvered troffers are typically used to minimize glare. Daylighting, T5 lamps, ceramic metal halide and dimming controls should be considered and used when appropriate to maximize energy savings and performance.
Medium Activity Spaces
Examples
General department stores, large bookstores
Sales Assistance
Mixture of self-service and clerk assistance
Products
Easily recognizable, viewed, evaluated and decided upon
Goals
Provide pleasing, comfortable environment, stay longer to make product decisions, provide a place where people would want to shop, not just find and buy; it is often desirable to have display areas for key merchandise
Recommended Light Level
Circulation areas: 20 fc
Merchandise: 75 fc
Feature displays: 300 fc
Uniformity
General lighting system typically provides uniform brightness ratios and light levels, with accent lighting at key merchandising areas providing higher light levels; brightness ratio should not exceed 5:1
Color
Lamps should have a CRI of 80+; as fluorescent light will likely be mixed with halogen, a warmer color temperature for fluorescent sources is preferable. Ceramic metal halide lamps should be considered for accent lighting.
Lighting System
The lighting system is typically layered with fluorescent for general illumination and incandescent/halogen for display lighting.
General Lighting:
The ambient lighting is typically provided by recessed fluorescent fixtures. Recessed indirect or deep-cell paranoic troffers are frequent choices for this application. Some surface brightness can help give the store a brighter appearance. Designers should be cautious with small-celled parabolic louvers, as these can reduce the brightness of the fixture to such an extent that it produces a “cavelike” effect; the space itself may actually appear closed to outside observers.
Display Lighting:
In medium-activity environments, the location of key merchandise displays is usually fixed. As the eye tends to shift naturally towards the brightest object in the field of view, displays should be lighted at 4-5 times the light level as the general illumination to arouse attention and interest. To maximize drama, choose directional fixtures with beam spreads designed to highlight the merchandise while minimizing stray light. The beam spread desirable will depend on the size of the display object/area and the distance between the lamp and the object/area. See Figure 1 for typical beam spreads for directional light sources. The fixtures can be decorative to provide a sense of décor and can be aimable to accommodate dynamic changes to display merchandise. They may be line voltage or low voltage and may be mounted on a track for flexible movement to light changing merchandising requirements.
Low Activity Spaces
Examples
Clothing boutiques, jewelry stores
Sales Assistance
High; access to inspect some merchandise may require help from a sales assistant
Products
High-quality products, expensive
Goals
Stay as long as possible, talk to a sales assistant, inspect products and purchase; the customer should feel they are special; the atmosphere is more intimate between customers and sales assistants and merchandise; the lighting should communicate that these products are higher quality, cost more, and that the customer receives special attention in this space.
Recommended Light Level
Circulation areas: 10 fc
Merchandise: 30 fc
Feature displays: 150 fc
Uniformity
Most are non-uniform environments with low ambient light levels and emphasis on accent lighting of the merchandise; brightness ratios generally should not exceed 5:1
Color
Typical applications should have CRI of 85+; warmer color temperatures are usually preferred
Lighting System
Halogen lamps are typically used in low-activity merchandise spaces for both general and display lighting (downlights and track lights). PAR lamps and low-voltage halogen MR lamps are common. Point sources provide sparkle. Fiber-optic lighting is sometimes used for displays, particularly desirable if the object is sensitive to ultraviolet and heat radiation from the light source. Ceramic metal halide lamps, providing good color and energy efficiency, are growing dramatically in use. The fixtures are usually decorative to match the décor of the space. Compact fluorescent lamps in decorative wall sconces may be used along with compact fluorescent wall washers. Fluorescent fixtures, if used, should feature louvers to soften light distribution and should include energy-efficient lamps and ballasts.
Introduction to Retail Lighting
Design Factors and Retail Space Types
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