IES Recommended Lighting Levels
Foot Candle Recommendations
Airplane Manufacturing / Drilling, riveting, screw fastening
Industry
Airplane Manufacturing
Application
Drilling, riveting, screw fastening
Foot Candles
75-100
Recommended
High Bay
Automotive Manufacturing / Body & chassis assembly
Industry
Automotive Manufacturing
Application
Body & chassis assembly
Foot Candles
100
Recommended
High Bay
Automotive Manufacturing / Final Assembly, finishing, inspecting
Industry
Automotive Manufacturing
Application
Final Assembly, finishing, inspecting
Foot Candles
200
Recommended
High Bay
Banks / Teller Stations, Posting & Keypunch
Industry
Banks
Application
Teller Stations, Posting & Keypunch
Foot Candles
50-150
Recommended
Flat Panel, Troffer
Clothing Manufacturer / Receiving, storing, shipping, winding, measuring
Industry
Clothing Manufacturer
Application
Receiving, storing, shipping, winding, measuring
Foot Candles
20-50
Recommended
Flat Panel, Troffer
Clothing Manufacturer / Pattern making, trimming
Industry
Clothing Manufacturer
Application
Pattern making, trimming
Foot Candles
50-100
Recommended
Flat Panel, Troffer
Clothing Manufacturer / Shops, Marking
Industry
Clothing Manufacturer
Application
Shops, Marking
Foot Candles
50-200
Recommended
Flat Panel, Troffer, High Bay
Clothing Manufacturer / Cutting, Pressing
Industry
Clothing Manufacturer
Application
Cutting, Pressing
Foot Candles
100-500
Recommended
Flat Panel, Troffer, High Bay
Clothing Manufacturer / Sewing, Inspection
Industry
Clothing Manufacturer
Application
Sewing, Inspection
Foot Candles
200-500
Recommended
Flat Panel, Troffer, High Bay
Electrical Equipment Manufacturing / Impregnating
Industry
Electrical Equipment Manufacturing
Application
Impregnating
Foot Candles
20-50
Recommended
High Bay
Electrical Equipment Manufacturing / Insulating coil winding, testing
Industry
Electrical Equipment Manufacturing
Application
Insulating coil winding, testing
Foot Candles
50-100
Recommended
High Bay
Gymnasiums / General Exercise & Recreation
Industry
Gymnasiums
Application
General Exercise & Recreation
Foot Candles
30
Recommended
Flat Panel, High Bay
Hotels / Lobby: Reading and working areas
Industry
Hotels
Application
Lobby: Reading and working areas
Foot Candles
20-50
Recommended
Recessed, Flat Panel
Library / Study & Notes, Cataloging
Industry
Hospitals
Application
Study & Notes, Cataloging
Foot Candles
20-100
Recommended
Troffer, Flat Panel
Machine Shops / Medium Bench, Rough Grinding, Buffing
Industry
Machine Shops
Application
Medium Bench, Rough Grinding, Buffing
Foot Candles
50-100
Recommended
High Bay
Materials Handling / Wrapping, Packing, Labeling
Industry
Materials Handling
Application
Wrapping, Packing, Labeling
Foot Candles
20-50
Recommended
High Bay
Offices / General and Private Offices
Industry
Offices
Application
General and Private Offices
Foot Candles
30-50
Recommended
Flat Panel, Troffer
Offices / Lobbies, Lounges, & Reception Areas
Industry
Offices
Application
Lobbies, Lounges, & Reception Areas
Foot Candles
5-20
Recommended
Flat Panel, Troffer
Offices / Off-set printing & duplicating areas
Industry
Offices
Application
Off-set printing & duplicating areas
Foot Candles
20-50
Recommended
Flat Panel, Troffer, High Bay
Paper Manufacturing / Paper machine reel, Inspection
Industry
Paper Manufacturing
Application
Paper machine reel, Inspection
Foot Candles
100-200
Recommended
UFO
Textile Mills / Cotton Picking, Carding, Roving, Spinning
Industry
Textile Mills
Application
Cotton Picking, Carding, Roving, Spinning
Foot Candles
50
Recommended
High Bay
What is the Illuminating Engineering Society?
The IES is a community of lighting professionals with a mission to improve life through quality of light. Established in 1906, the Illuminating Engineering Society is the recognized technical and educational authority on illumination in nearly 60 countries. Through their American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited process, they publish and maintain the Lighting Library®, with over 100 standards written by subject matter experts in their technical committees. Today, the organization has over 8,000 members worldwide, including lighting designers, engineers, architects, educators, and researchers. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the IES and its impact on the lighting industry.
The IES is a non-profit organization that aims to promote the art and science of lighting. The organization is dedicated to advancing the knowledge of lighting and providing its members with the resources they need to design, build, and install lighting systems. The IES is also responsible for developing lighting standards, guidelines, and recommended practices. These documents are used by lighting professionals to ensure that their work meets the highest standards of quality and safety.
What does the IES Do?
The IES provides a wide range of resources and services to its members. One of the most important resources is its library of lighting-related documents. This library includes standards, recommended practices, and design guides, as well as research papers and technical reports. These documents are essential for anyone working in the lighting industry, as they provide guidance on everything from the design of lighting systems to the testing of lighting products.
The IES also offers a variety of educational programs and events. These programs include webinars, seminars, and conferences, which provide members with the opportunity to learn about the latest developments in lighting technology and design. The IES also offers certification programs for lighting professionals. These programs are designed to ensure that professionals have the knowledge and skills they need to design and install high-quality lighting systems.
The IES Mission
One of the key missions of the IES is to promote the development of energy-efficient and sustainable lighting solutions. This is achieved through the creation of standards, guidelines, and recommendations that help designers and engineers create lighting systems that are both effective and environmentally friendly.
One of the most important contributions of the IES to the field of lighting design is the publication of the Illuminating Engineering Society Handbook. This comprehensive resource is considered the definitive guide to lighting design and is used by professionals around the world. The Handbook covers topics such as lighting terminology, lighting design principles, lighting calculations, and lighting system maintenance.
In addition to the Handbook, the IES also publishes a number of other resources designed to help professionals stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in the field of lighting design. These resources include the IES Lighting Library, which contains a wealth of information on lighting science, technology, and design, and the IES Standards Library, which includes the latest industry standards and guidelines.