Basic Lighting for Rural Facilities

Environmental Conditions

• Consider appropriate light fixtures in areas that might be subject to explosive vapors, hot materials, or impacts.
• Consider temperature and climate
  • Some standard fluorescent lights do not operate well in extreme temperatures
  • For cold areas, consider lights that have 0º ballasts

 

Safety

• Increase light levels near task areas to ease worker stress, reduce errors, and increase safety
• Consider dangerous tasks including:
  • Grinding
  • Cutting or using sharps
  • Using chemicals
  • Using equipment with moving parts
  • Welding, soldering, or braising
  • Using heavy equipment
  • Working with animals and animal products

 

Maintenance

• Group relamping, which is the strategic replacement of bulbs on a regular schedule, may be used in high ceilings to reduce maintenance and outage costs
• Inspect light fixtures that might be subject to fumes, insects, dirt, moisture, and corrosion
• Clean light fixtures and bulbs on a regular schedule

 

Controls

• Avoid using a single wall switch or breaker circuit to control large areas of light; instead, use multiple controls
• save energy and lighting equipment life by installing occupancy sensors, timers, dimmers, and photocells
• Consider daylight harnessing, which turns electric lights off when photocells sense adequate daylight levels

 

Daylighting

• Use windows and skylights where possible
• Carefully locate skylights to create uniformity

 

Choose from Common Light Fixtures for Rural Facilities:

 

Vapor Tight

 

Protective guard prevents damage from impacts, insects, moisture, and dust

 

 

 

 

Supplementary Task Light

 

Provides additional light for difficult visual tasks; can be permanent or portable 

 

 

 

 

Explosion Proof

 

Protects from hazardous gases, vapors, or dust

 

 

 

 

Low Bay

 

Appropriate for 25' or lower ceiling heights

 

 

 

 

 

High Bay

 

Appropriate for 25' or higher ceiling heights

 

 

 

 

 

Wall Pack

 

Useful for general illumination or security lighting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paulette Herbert, Ph.D.

Professor

Design, Housing, & Merchandising

 

Hihyun Kang, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Design, Housing, & Merchandising

 

Gina Peek, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Extension Specialist

Housing & Consumer

 

Robert Scott Frazier, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Extension Engineer

Energy Management