scope:

This document contains design guidelines for living spaces. Living spaces can be either work places or nonwork places and include areas of mixed or overlapping use.

The biological effects this document seeks to achieve relate to daylight, artificial lighting or a mixture of the two.

NOTE 1 When designing biologically effective Illumination, daylight should be used as much as possible and given preference. However, because sufficient daylight is not always available, artificial lighting installations can act as a full or partial substitute. The design guidelines given in this document supplement the visual requirements outlined in other standards.

NOTE 2 Visual design requirements are specified in DIN EN 12464-1 and, for work places, in ASR A3.4*). The requirements outlined in ASR A3.4 are binding for work places in Germany. This document provides general recommendations for possible implementations and also describes specific applications.

NOTE 3 Specific design recommendations are made for structures such as homes for the elderly and nursing homes (homes for senior citizens), training establishments, health care premises, offices and control rooms.

This document does not specify any requirements regarding the use of light to bring about an intentional shift in the circadian phase and only contains general design tips for work places where shift work takes place.

Basic research into the biological effects of light already offers a reliable fund of knowledge. However, there is a considerable need for more practical implementation trials and optimization. The examples given in this document provide practical information about successful implementation tests and experience gained in trials that have been conducted to date. The figures and examples given in this document are based on both published literature and interviews conducted with relevant (international) scientists and, consequently, reflect the current state of the art.

This document contains no information on medical treatment involving light because this does not fall within the scope of the technical and structural designs covered by this document.

*) Translator's note. Erroneously „ASR 3.4" in original German text.