Until recently, lighting was viewed as a mere necessity; a design component that plays an essential role in our ability to perceive our environment and the space we occupy. While this is true, it is now widely understood that the quality of lighting can also affect our health and safety, impact our mood and even influence the way we behave within certain spaces. Quality lighting systems can enrich the quality of our lives, but retro-fitting presents many difficulties so the lighting scheme must be envisioned, designed and implemented during the earliest phases of building design. This is the challenge and the role of the lighting designer!

Lighting design is ordinarily a highly technical and specialised subject, combining electrical knowledge and engineering with design skills. However, this is the first course of its kind to offer training specifically for interior lighting design, and it will teach you how to identify, recreate and then manipulate the effects of lighting in a positive manner so that you can design successful lighting schemes for clients again and again. Lighting design is an exciting and challenging field and if you love diversity and enjoy the opportunity to be creative then this might be just what you’re looking for.

Good lighting designers are problem solvers, determining where light is needed and designing it with economy and creative flair. Successful completion of this course will enable you to do the same, and the following pages present.
 

Maximum Completion Time:

6 months.   In the event that you are unable to complete your home study course within the specified timescale, you can request a time extension of 3 months (Terms & Conditions & Fees Apply)

1) Understanding Light - Light is not what we see but what we see by, yet this abstract and intangible design component clearly has a significant influence on our perception of our environment and whether or not our visual experience is pleasant or not. How is it that something as ethereal as light can impact us so significantly and more importantly perhaps, how can it be adjusted and manipulated to enhance our experiences so that we can reap the benefits? The answer lies in a basic understanding of what exactly light is and how we perceive it.  Ordinarily lighting theory can be a highly technical and complex subject, but in this course the essentials are explained in everyday language with clear examples to illustrate the relevant points for you as a Lighting Designer. Anyone who wishes to design successful lighting schemes must understand these fundamentals and the knowledge you will gain on this course will give you the vocabulary and confidence to communicate professionally with clients and justify your design solutions in a manner that is informed and persuasive. Topics covered include the following:

• Daylighting Techniques – working with and enhancing natural light
• Whole Building Design – co-ordinating lighting design with other building systems
• Adaptation Levels – understanding the way the human eye adapts to different light levels
• Glare – how it occurs and how to avoid it
• Colour & Light – understanding the connection between colour and light and how different types of light affect colour interpretation
• Selecting Lamps – the various types of bulbs, their lighting types, and recommendations on how to use them
• Successful Lighting Schemes – identifying the differences between good and bad lighting designs

2) Lighting Effects & How to Achieve Them - Lighting can be skilfully used to make a space appear smaller or larger, and it can highlight decorative details and draw attention away from unwanted areas. While different bulbs can drastically affect the way colour appears, the type of fittings will also determine how light is dispersed within a room and whether the result is a warm glow or an uncomfortable glare. In short, effective lighting can create a variety of moods and atmospheres that can be immediately changed with the flick of a switch, and in this context it’s easy to understand how a lighting scheme can make or break an interior design. This course will teach you about the various types of lighting effects and how to mix and match them to suit each client’s unique requirements. You will learn:

• Categories of Lighting – discover the different types of lighting effects and how to achieve and adapt them.
• Lighting Fixtures – understand how fixtures disperse light and how to use them practically in your lighting designs.
• Flexible Lighting Design – how to develop lighting designs that adapt with the users’ needs and mood.
• Planning Lighting Effectively – assessing the characteristics of a space so that you can design a lighting scheme that is effective and appropriate for long-term client satisfaction.

3) Lamps & Control Systems - A proper lighting design will take into account how the occupants of a building will live and function within a space, and all the components of that design will be carefully selected to create a lighting system that is as pleasing to operate as it would be to live in. Designing a lighting system for ease of use is not rocket science, it simply requires knowledge of the types of switches and control systems available, along with careful consideration as to how your clients will interact with their environment. Once you learn about the essential components of a lighting system, then you can combine them to create unique lighting systems to cater for your clients individual requirements. This course will teach you.

• Control Mechanisms – learn about the variety of switches and trigger mechanisms and how to use them appropriately.
• Assessing Client Requirements – use our simple questionnaire to determine your clients’ needs and preferences.
• Attention to Detail – learn how a little forethought can result in seemingly small differences that result in referrals & recommendations.
• Selecting Hardware & Finishes – selection and placement of components from an aesthetic perspective.

4) Designing a Lighting System - successful lighting designers are confident in their designs and they avoid expensive mistakes because they take the time to identify what their client requires and then develop a design accordingly. Before a lighting designer proposes a lighting scheme they will take into account technical aspects of the required light source along with the clients brief. A lighting designer will consider the fundamentals of the users needs in a commercial vs. domestic situation. They will also be concerned with presenting the best aesthetically pleasing design solution while encompassing the required lux levels for comfort within the interior for the required tasks all the while maintaining awareness of environmental and economic impacts.

• Define User Needs – A selection strategy or combination of strategies to determine how a space will be used
• Determine Economic Considerations – Considering the economic impact of the selection of light source
• Environmental Considerations – Financial and ecological costs of electrical usage
• Commercial v’s Domestic Lighting – Analysis of commercial vs. domestic lighting
• Calculating Illumination levels – Calculating illumination levels
• Developing a Maintenance Schedule – Maintenance is vital to lighting efficiency, forward planning for maintenance schedules

4)  Communicating Your Design - Once you have mastered the new knowledge and skills taught throughout this course, you will undoubtedly develop your ability to design fabulous new lighting schemes and effects. However, like any good idea, a fantastic lighting design is of no use if it simply remains inside your head; your design ideas must be communicated clearly and accurately to a variety of different people if you want your design to be implemented in the way that you envision. The final step to creating a successful lighting design is to produce a set of clear instructions so that the design can be implemented according to your vision. Essentially specifications are simply a set of instructions that precisely indicate what you want installed and where they should be positioned, yet to be truly effective, they must appeal to an architect’s sense of professionalism and technical accuracy, yet still be simple enough for the contractor on-site to clearly understand your intentions. Topics covered include:

• Architectural Drawings – interpreting & working with architectural plans and elevations.
• Reflected Ceiling Plans – a shortcut to creating professional working drawings.
• Wiring & Switching Plans – what you need to know and what you should avoid.
• Specifications – the easy way to create clear instructions so your lighting designs are implemented accurately.
• Professional Presentation – how to create client briefs that sell your ideas and your professionalism.