know your ugr
Maybe you've heard UGR mentioned while working on a WELL Building project? Wondering how to find these ratings? We've compiled a brief summary of the basics of UGR and why it matters.
What is UGR?
UGR is an acronym for Unified Glare Rating. UGR is an indicator of how much glare luminaires impact a particular location in a room. In short, will this luminaire negatively affect a person in this location?
Why Does UGR Matter?
Good lighting design provides lighting that is appropriate for the tasks in the space, on budget and well implemented. A design with discomfort glare can lead to eye strain, inability to concentrate, headaches all contributing to reduced productivity. Advocates of biophilic design take this one step further and state that an environment designed with the health and well-being of the people in the space is beneficial on two levels. Human centric design lowers stress and increases productivity. Most importantly people feel better in the space.
How is UGR used with WELL Certification?
Feature L04 of the WELL Certification process is Glare Control, Part 2 is Manage Glare from Electric Lighting “Reducing glare improves the visual experience of the occupants in the space”1
The requirement notes that luminaires (except in industrial applications) have a UGR rating of 16 or less. One strategy to consider meeting this requirement is to provide the UGR ratings found with luminaire manufacturers.
Where can I find UGR ratings for luminiares?
Zumtobel provides UGR ratings for luminaires (typically those used in office, education or healthcare applications) on our specification sheets. We have over 10 products with UGR < 16 ratings and over 40 products with UGR < 19 ratings.
1Standard | WELL V2 | Light | Feature 04
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