with darker finishes will be perceived as dimmer than one with lighter finishes;
hence, darker finishes require more light (and more energy) to be acceptable. It
also appears that often the design of the horizontal illuminance in large courtroom
spaces has not taken into account the colors of the selected finishes and is
therefore under-designed. The relationships between natural and artificial
lighting, color of finishes, and energy use is complicated. Development of
appropriate educational tools to assist the design teams and the court should be
considered to more fully help them understand this interplay of factors.
5. In general, the experience of lighting designers for courtrooms is of the highest
quality. However, given the special nature of courtrooms, the courts may wish to
consider providing special training and assistance (as noted above), as well as
verifying the proposed lighting design through a peer review including analysis of
the proposed design to increase the chances of a successful lighting design.
6. Courtroom lighting and energy use can be improved through the use of lighting
zones, allowing for more light at the bench and courtroom well and diminishing
the amount of light in those areas where the same intensity is not required, such as
the jury box and spectator areas.
7. Daylighting can be used successfully in a courtroom (and is useful in reducing
energy usage) if provisions are made to control sunlight. However, an analysis of
the cost benefit of daylighting be should be carefully evaluated, as controls can be
elaborate and expensive.
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