Photometric Studies for Hotels

Introduction

Today, designers and architects can easily see what a hotel project will look like in 3d, thanks to advancements in software technology. Besides, these 3D drawings allow designers to demonstrate to the client what the proposal will look like upon completion. Interestingly, this technology can also be used by lighting designers to analyze various options. This is where the issue of photometric studies comes in!

In essence, city officials usually require hoteliers to demonstrate the exterior lighting of a proposed hotel project will affect surrounding areas. Luckily, with photometric studies, it’s easy to adjust the positioning of light fixtures and the corresponding fixture intensity to meet the design goals.

But, what do photometric studies for hotels entail and what are their benefits? Read on to find out!

What are photometric studies for hotels?

A photometric study for hotels refers to a 3D simulation that shows how much light will be produced by the project’s lighting design. This allows lighting designers, engineers, and architects to digitally simulate exterior and interior lighting for hotels. Moreover, it allows the designer to replicate the color, intensity as well as position of any lighting design. More notably, the results of a photometric study show shadow/ light distribution and contrasts between dark and bright zones.

Originally, photometric calculations were done by hand, which was time-consuming and expensive. Fortunately, that’s not how photometric studies are prepared anymore. Instead, lighting designs use advanced modeling software, allowing them to visualize various lighting solutions in real space in no time.

A good example of advanced software for conducting photometric calculations for hotel buildings is AGi32. To use this software, you need to import hotel floor plans & elevations created by architects into the program first. Afterward, the software will replicate the color, position, and intensity of the hotel’s lighting design right away. At the same time, you can easily assign material surface properties like textured glass, reflectance, and color to show shadow and light distribution across the space. In addition, the photometric studies will assist you in fixture placement and selection. Not to forget that it comes in handy when calculating illuminance for various design situations.

Benefits of conducting photometric studies for hotels

• Improve energy efficiency

The first benefit of conducting a photometric analysis is that it’s a great way to improve energy efficiency. This is because it allows lighting designers and architects to determine the minimum light required in a project. More importantly, the designers can evaluate the lighting layouts and find the most energy-efficient alternative. Besides, the photometric analysis software adjusts the natural light based on the time of the day.

• Optimize selection of lighting fixtures

A photometric study for hotels allows designers to make changes to the hotel’s lighting design to meet the project’s lighting needs. Similarly, the designers can easily visualize the lighting effects within the space in 3D before installing or choosing the fixtures. Therefore, the selection, placement as well as corresponding fixture intensity can be adjusted accordingly to meet the overall design goals of the project.

• Safety

Conducting a photometric analysis for exterior lighting design of a hotel project improves safety. To be precise, the analysis identifies dark zones, allowing the designer to improve outdoor safety. This is particularly important for specific areas around or within the hotel building like indoor pools, walkways, and parking lots.

• Enhance guest experience

Performing a photometric analysis when creating a lighting design for hotels will improve the guest’s experience. Specifically, the analysis allows designers to identify the ideal light intensity, location, and fixture type to set the mood and ambiance of the space.

• Meet local regulations

As mentioned earlier city officials require hotel developers to show proposed exterior lighting for hotels projects. This step is important for pulling permits since it helps the city officials determine how your hotel’s exterior lighting will affect the neighboring properties. Fortunately, a photometric analysis makes it easy to meet these regulations. In addition, the analysis identifies excessive lighting on surrounding areas and adjacent properties, helping you make the necessary adjustments.

Final Word

The use of photometric studies in the hospitality industry is a great way to personalize the client’s experience. In that regard, the clients’ needs should be one of the most essential priorities in any lighting design for hotels.

If you want a photometric analysis for your upcoming hotel lighting project in California, Contact Innodez Design & Engineering. Our lighting designers will ensure that your hotel’s lighting design meets the city’s local requirements and have high energy efficiency. Also, they’ll propose new technologies in luminaires, light sources as well as lighting control systems. This will help to minimize the cost of your hotel’s lighting installations, without compromising on the lighting’s quality!