Brooke Martin
Foot candles are a unit of measurement for light intensity, or illuminance. They are a fundamental unit of measurement in industrial lighting design, and one foot-candle is equal to one lumen per square foot. This measurement quantifies the intensity of light in a given area, which is essential for creating safe and efficient work environments. The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) provides guidelines for optimal foot candle levels in various settings, and this measurement can be used to determine the best lighting for a particular application.
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What You'll Learn
Foot-candles are a unit of measurement for light intensity
The foot-candle measurement focuses on the amount of light that reaches a surface area. It is used to ensure that spaces have sufficient light for work, reducing eye strain and enhancing productivity. For example, offices, manufacturing facilities, and workrooms require higher foot-candle measurements to improve visibility and reduce stress on the eyes.
Foot-candles can be converted to lux, the SI-derived unit of light intensity, by multiplying the foot-candles value by 10.764 or dividing the lux value by the same number. Lux measures light intensity over a square meter, which is more commonly used in Europe and other parts of the world.
To measure foot-candles, a sensitive light meter is placed on the illuminated surface. This process, known as photometry, focuses on how the human eye perceives light, differentiating it from radiometry, which measures all forms of radiant energy.
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One foot-candle equals one lumen per square foot
A foot-candle, also known as fc, ft-c, or lm/ft2, is a measurement of light intensity. One foot-candle equals one lumen per square foot. This is a British measurement. Using the metric system, a lumen is measured by a square meter or a lux. Thus, a foot-candle is equivalent to approximately 10 lux or 10.76 lux.
The concept of foot-candles originated from the candle-making industry, which provided a consistent, steady, clean, and efficient way to measure light. A foot-candle measures the light that reaches a surface, while lumens measure the quantity of light produced by a fixture. For example, a foot-candle relates to the amount of light on the ground surface beneath a parking lot light, rather than the output of the light itself.
To illustrate the concept of a foot-candle, imagine placing a candle at a distance of one foot from a wall with a square drawn on it, measuring one square foot. One lumen per square foot will illuminate this surface. This is the definition of a foot-candle.
Foot-candles are used to ensure that areas requiring certain light levels are receiving those levels. This is important for electrical construction and lighting design. For example, offices, manufacturing facilities, and workrooms need higher foot-candle measurements to make work easier on the eyes, while hallways and lobbies require lower foot-candle readings for ambient lighting.
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Foot-candles are used to gauge light
Foot-candles are used to measure light intensity or illuminance. One foot-candle is the illuminance produced by a standard candle placed one foot away from the subject. In other words, it is a measurement of the illumination that one candela candle provides on a surface one foot away from the light source.
Foot-candles are used to ensure that areas requiring certain light levels are receiving those levels. For example, offices, manufacturing facilities, and workrooms need higher foot-candle measurements to make work easier on the eyes. Foot-candles are also used in museums and galleries to ensure lighting levels are carefully controlled to conserve light-sensitive objects such as prints, photographs, and paintings. Horticulturists also use foot-candles to measure the optimum light intensity for various plants since light intensity is the primary factor in photosynthesis.
In cinematography, incident light meters are used to measure the number of foot-candles present, which are then used to calculate the intensity of motion picture lights. This allows cinematographers to set up proper lighting-contrast ratios when filming. Filmmakers use foot-candles to determine the right light fixtures and work out the right distance to provide the desired light intensity.
Foot-candles are an imperial unit of measurement, commonly used in places that follow United States customary units of measurement. In other parts of the world, such as Europe, the SI-derived unit "lux" is used. Lux defines the area being lit as a one-meter square, while foot-candles define it as a one-foot square. One foot-candle is equal to approximately 10 lux or 10.57 lux (co: 10.76 lux to be more precise).
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Foot-candle levels can be measured using a light meter
The Spectra light meter is one such meter that can measure in foot-candles. To use the Spectra light meter, set it to Foot Candles (FC) by pressing the button. You can also meter in lux, but for the purpose of measuring foot-candles, the meter should be set to foot candles.
Filmmakers and electrical professionals alike use light meters to measure foot-candles. Filmmakers use light meters to gauge light and experiment with what light works best for a particular shot. Electrical professionals use light meters to ensure that lighting meets the required standards, such as for general office lighting or lighting for ATMs.
The foot-candle is a British measurement. One foot-candle equals one lumen per square foot. Lumens are a measure of the brightness of a light in metric measurement. One lumen equals the amount of light energy reflecting from the surface of a sphere one meter in diameter surrounding a candle. A low-light source, such as a nightlight, might measure 12 lumens, while a 100-watt light bulb measures 1200 lumens. By converting lumens (one square meter worth of illumination) to foot-candles (the illumination one foot away from the source), you are measuring the same thing.
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Foot-candles are important for creating safe and efficient workspaces
Foot-candles are a measurement of light intensity over a square foot. They are predominantly used in the United States, while other parts of the world, such as Europe, use the SI-derived unit "lux" to measure light intensity over a square meter.
In addition, foot-candles can help to reduce eye strain and fatigue among employees. Higher foot-candle measurements in offices, manufacturing facilities, and workrooms can make tasks easier on the eyes, while lower foot-candle readings in hallways and lobbies can create a more comfortable and inviting atmosphere.
By adhering to recommended foot-candle levels, businesses can create well-lit environments that enhance employee safety, efficiency, and overall well-being. For instance, in Austin, businesses are using foot-candle standards to guide energy-efficient lighting designs that meet code requirements and comfort goals.
Overall, understanding and applying foot-candles in workspace design is crucial for creating safe, productive, and comfortable environments for employees and customers alike.
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Frequently asked questions
A foot candle is a unit of measurement for light intensity, or illuminance. One foot candle is the illuminance produced by a standard candle that is one foot away from the subject.
One foot-candle equals one lumen per square foot. Therefore, to convert lumens to foot candles, you multiply the number of lumens by 10.76.
You can use a light meter to measure foot candles. Set the meter to foot candles (FC) and measure the light in the desired area.
The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) provides guidelines for optimal foot candle levels in various settings. General warehouse areas typically require 10-30 foot candles, while detailed assembly work might need 50-100 foot candles. A packaging area might require 30-50 foot candles, and a quality control station could need 100-200 foot candles.
