Performing Indoor Photometrics Calculations

Design Master Photometrics is meant to be used for outdoor lighting calculations. If you want to use the software to perform indoor photometrics, it is possible, albeit with some limitations. The steps you can take and the limitations are described below.

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Following the recommendations below will offer the most accurate results, but can also significantly increase the calculation time. Visit Calculations Taking Too Long for more information.

Create Walls Using Solids

You can create walls for your rooms using the Solids commands. These can be used to calculate light reflections from the walls and prevent light from spilling out across rooms.

When defining walls, set a Reflectance value for the percentage of light reflected by the wall.

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The Insert Solid: Shape and Insert Solid: Rectangle commands create closed solids inside which photometrics will not be calculated. These commands should not be used to trace the boundary of the room itself. Instead, use them to trace the shape of the walls in between rooms, or create open solids using the Insert Solid: Line command. Visit Illuminance Values Inside Building Outlines for more information.

Enable Reflections

To get the most accurate results, the calculations must account for light reflected from solids created by the Solids commands onto the floor or calculation surface. To enable reflections, run the Calculate command and set Reflections ▾ to Single.

Ceiling Reflections

Reflections are only calculated for vertical surfaces such as walls. Reflections from horizontal surfaces such as ceilings cannot be calculated.