2023 Panel Discussion: The Challenges of Assessing Glare

We know glare when we see it, yet struggle to quantify it. This workshop will use mock-ups and measurement equipment with a group discussion, ultimately leading to the conclusion of how to reliably assess glare.

This workshop will work through the metrics which predict glare, including beam and field angles, cut-off angles, then progressing to BUG ratings and UGR. We will demonstrate the use of luminance meters. We will also share the challenge of far-field photometry, which reduces the distribution to a point source, then scales it to a luminous box which assumes uniform lighting throughout. We will provide side by side demonstrations to explain concepts like BUG and UGR, then break the audience’s acceptance through examples that slide through the loopholes of IES file measurement. We’ll touch on some of the proposals being researched on HDR cameras and luminance meters to capture better info, especially when thinking of area lights with medium array boards. The takeaway should ultimately be that we know glare when we see it, it’s about context, and be wary of using only numbers at this point for some applications.

Basic understanding of lumens, candela, and footcandles is needed for this session. Understanding IES files is helpful, but will be covered during the workshop.

Learning Objectives

1. Understand the definitions of discomfort and disability glare, and their impact on the comfort and safety of occupants.
2. Understand the use of BUG ratings, cut-off classifications and how cut-off angles and quiet optics reduce source visibility.
3. Understand the use of UGR to evaluate glare in context, and the importance of contrast with the surrounding surfaces to ensure visual comfort and safety for occupants.
4. Understand the limits imposed by far-field photometry in capturing glare from a non-uniform lensed luminaire, and discuss the best practice to evaluate glare with mockups to support the documentation.

Shaun Fillion
Program Director, New York School of Interior Design

Shaun Fillion, LC Educator IALD, is an award-winning lighting designer and educator. Fillion is Program Director for the Masters of Professional Studies in Lighting Design program at the New York School of Interior Design (NYSID), as well as Director of Lighting Design at RAB Lighting.

Fillion has received Illumination awards, the IESNA Section Service Award and the Princess Grace Award. He has presented seminars at LightFair International, SXSW, LEDucation and the IES National Conference on topics including lighting and media, wireless technologies, and light pollution.

Fillion volunteers as chair of the IES Progress Committee, and serves as a member of the Libraries and Residential RP Committees. Fillion has served on the board of managers for the IES New York City Chapter, and as adviser to the Student Lighting Competition Committee. He is a certified instructor for AGi32.

AC Hickox
Vice President/Managing Principal, Domingo Gonzalez Associates

AC has over 30 years’ experience in lighting design and project management in both performing arts and architectural lighting design. Since the merger of ACH/LD with DGA in 1999, AC’s focus has been on large-scale, fast-track and/or complex efforts in transportation, security, exterior and theatre facility projects. She has served on the faculties of Teachers College-Columbia, University of Illinois at Urbana and the New York School of Interior Design, lectured at CCNY and is an authorized instructor of AGi32.

Dan Wang-Munson
Optical Engineer & Lab Director, RAB Lighting

Dan Wang-Munson is the Optics, Test and Compliance manager at RAB Lighting. She is the lead optical engineer with over ten years of optical design experience. She has designed optics for various types of LED products, some of which had received next generation luminaire, architectural SSL product innovation, Core77 design awards and other awards. She is also in charge of the testing and compliance team, managing all new and sustaining products testing, making sure the products perform, last and meet all compliance requirements. She has extensive knowledge in product design, product testing, products compliance as well as critical components in LED luminaires. She received a MS. in lighting from the Lighting Research Center in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2009 as well as a MS in optical engineering in China in 2003 and a BS in mechanical engineering in 1999. She received her LC in 2015 and has been granted over 10 patents in products design.

Aaron Smith
VP of Technology and R&D, Finelite

Aaron Smith is the VP of Technology and R&D at Finelite and an alumni of the Lighting Research Center. He supports the development of energy efficient, high quality, and sustainable lighting. He also supports Finelite’s new technology integration, new product development, and research efforts.