The architecture of light: architectural lighting design concepts and techniques. A textbook of procedures and practices for the architect, interior designer and lighting designer pdfdrive com

Does the cut sheet provide a distribution diagram?
How would we describe the light distribution shape? Spot, flood, accent, wash, spread, glow, diffuse?
The luminaire in Figure 21.1 will have the properties of the MR-16 lamp we put into it. MR-16 lamps come in all different beam spreads and candela distributions. Because the lamp defines the light output properties, we can probably learn more about this luminaire’s light performance from the lamp manufacturer’s literature than we can from the luminaire cut sheet.
Regardless of how thorough or lacking the literature that is available,
remember the basics that will get us most of the way towards the right product:
How is this luminaire installed (Recessed, surface, wall mount etc.)?
What type of lamp / source does this luminaire use?
Does this luminaire require a remote driver, transformer or ballast? What are the dimensions of the luminaire?
If a designer can successfully answer the preceding questions when faced with a luminaire cut sheet, then he/she has a very good chance of selecting appropriate lighting equipment. Just simply knowing that the information is somewhere on the cut sheet gives us greater hope and confidence when we are poring over luminaire catalogs and websites.

Chapter 22 Selecting Luminaires: A Basic Family

Every lighting project is entirely unique, and over the course of a design career, one may find oneself becoming more proficient and familiar with certain types of environments. Time and time, again, project situations call for the same styles and types of lighting equipment. For this reason, we will look at a family of the “workhorse” luminaires that commonly appear on luminaire schedules for residential, high-design commercial and hospitality projects. Obviously, lighting design projects span a broad spectrum. There are designers who will never have need for any of the products mentioned here. But these tools seem to be versatile enough to be useful as a foundation for everyone. Technologies; sources, efficacies and code requirements are constantly changing, so be sure to stay up to date with advancements within these basic families. When in doubt, hop online or call your local manufacturer’s representative for up to date information. And remember: It is always advisable to see a working sample of a luminaire prior to specifying it on a project.