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High Performance Lighting Guide

Kitchen

Principles

These lighting designs for kitchens are intended to meet or exceed IESNA guidelines. These guidelines indicate 5 FC as an acceptable level for general room illumination, but in kitchen lighting, levels tend to be significantly higher because ambient lighting often plays a second role as task lighting. The principal task areas in kitchens are the counter areas, including sinks and appliances, and they require 30 FC or greater illumination to meet IESNA Guidelines. An important, secondary task area is the interior of cabinets, for which the guidelines recommend a vertical illumination level of 5 FC.

The kitchen designs are a bit more extensive than other rooms because builders typically install the lighting for kitchen task areas, such as counters, cabinets, and appliances. Thus, it is practical to develop designs that include light fixtures for task as well as ambient lighting. Most of the fixtures in the designs are “background fixtures” that have little or no aesthetic impact on the interior design, with the exception of pendants, which are included in the designs because they can play an important role in task lighting in areas without overhead cabinetry. A number of hardwired CFL pendant fixtures are available from manufacturers that use plug-in CFL lamps, not replacement CFL bulbs. Aesthetic considerations are critical in this selection and, in many cases this choice is left to the homeowner.

The direct lighting designs provide simple, efficient direct illumination. They accomplish this, however, at the expense of considerable glare. The high level flood of light throughout the room provides task lighting for counter tops, peninsulas or additional tables. Undercabinet lights assure good, shadow-free, counter task illumination.

The recessed lighting design, using recessed downlights with clear reflectors, provides a subdued and elegant pattern of lighting with excellent glare control. Position recessed downlights directly above the front edge of the counter top to provide good counter illumination and to put light into the interior of cabinets. Additional recessed downlights should be added to provide general room illumination. Undercabinet lights may be installed to assure good, shadow-free, counter task illumination. Pendants may be substituted for recessed downlights over peninsula counters, freestanding counters, or additional tables.

The indirect lighting design primarily involves cove and undercabinet lighting. When wall cabinets are mounted with 10 to 12 or more inches of space to the ceiling, this cove with simple strip fluorescent fixtures provides excellent ambient light that unobtrusively integrates into the design of the kitchen. This design requires the use of undercabinet lights to provide good counter task light levels. At locations without wall cabinets such as at the sink or at peninsulas, recessed downlights with clear reflectors provide good task and ambient light. Pendants may be substituted for these downlights with similar lighting effect. Light cove and valance details are shown under Specifications for Fixtures.

What approaches are recommended to apply HPL?

Direct Lighting

Kitchen (11 ft x 12 ft)
Fixture: Ceiling suface, 1x4, two 32 W T-8, plus undercabinet lights. Or, ceiling surface, two circular fixtures with two 18 W CFLs each, plus undercabinet lights. For larger kitchens, proportionally increase surface mounted lights, recessed downlights, and undercabinet lights.
Alternate: Ceiling surface 2x4, two 32W T-8, no undercabinet lights.
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Kitchen (11 ft x 12 ft)
Fixture: Recessed downlights with white reflectors, 26 W CFL, plus undercabinet lights. For larger kitchens, proportionally increase surface mounted lights, recessed downlights, and undercabinet lights.
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Kitchen (11 ft x 12 ft)
Fixtures: 26 W CFL recessed downlights, clear reflector at counter edge and peninsula center line, up to 5 ft on center, plus undercabinet lights (optional). Or, substitute 18 W or 26 W CFL pendants over peninsula or table. For larger kitchens increase counter edge and peninsula recessed downlights (or pendents) and undercabinet lights using the same spacing. Add 26 W CFL downlights at up to 6 ft on center for additional area lights.
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Kitchen (11 ft x 12 ft)
Fixture: Above cabinet cove with T-5 or T-8 strip lights, 26 W CFL recessed downlight, clear reflector above sink and peninsula or table, undercabinet lights. Or, substitute 18 W or 26 W CFL pendants above peninsula or table. For larger kitchens, proportionally increase cove strip lights and undercabinet lights. Add recessed downlights or pendents using the same spacing.
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