UGR GLARE FACTOR
Everything you need to know
The international unified UGR method (Unifi ed Glare Rating) seeks the uniform evaluation of discomfort glare by lighting systems, natural light and light sources by reflecting surfaces at the workplace. The European standard EN 12464 describes the UGR limits to be observed for certain visual tasks in different work areas. When calculating the UGR value, both direct glare and indirect or reflected glare must be considered. Direct glare arises from natural and artificial light sources; however, indirect glare is the reflection of light on e.g., monitors, large walls, ceilings, glass surfaces, furniture etc. and, therefore, also contributes to the glare sensation.
A distinction is made between physiological glare and psychological glare. The latter is purely subjective, which means that some people may feel dazzled even though the luminance is uniform. Physiological glare, on the other hand, can be calculated. One method for this is the "Unified Glare Rating", or "UGR" for short, which was developed to standardise the assessment of glare worldwide. The calculation results in a value scale of 10 - 30. Put simply, the smaller the value, the lower the glare. In the workplace directive DIN EN 12464-1:2011-08, different UGR values are specified for different places of use and reading tasks.
VIDEO:
UGR- Glare factor explained easily
Direct and indirect lighting
Direct glare arising from non-glare-free lighting and unobstructed sunlight strain vision and lead to fatigue. As a result, concentration lapses and the risk of making mistakes Increase. For physical work, this leads to increased risk of accidents. For this reason, we must use lights with appropriate glare ratio, install sunshades on windows, and redesign the workspace arrangement appropriately. Indirect lighting, matt fixtures with low light reflection, workspace division adapted to light sources, and the elimination of specular surfaces avoid burdensome reflected glare. Thus, concentration is maintained for longer periods, which leads to higher productivity.
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