Lumen is a measurement used to indicate the amount of visible light emitted by a lamp or other light source. The symbol for lumen is lm. This is extremely important information for choosing the right lighting. This way you know which lamp provides the right amount of light in your business premises.

Lumen comes from the Latin word 'Lumen', which means light. The lumen measurement is named after the light because this measurement indicates the amount of light emitted by a light source. Before you buy new lighting, it is important to know exactly what Lumen is.

We offer advice and information about lighting and lumen. In this blog you will learn more about Lumen, the difference between lumen and watt, how many lumens you need and how we can help you choose theright lighting.

Is there a difference between Lumen and Watt?

Lumen (lm) and watt (W) are two different measures to determine the light output of a light source. A light source with a high wattage normally produces more lumens, which means that there is a higher light output. To understand the relationship between watt and lumen, it is important to know what a lumen watt ratio is. The lumen watt ratio indicates how many lumens are produced per watt.

For example, an LED panel has a consumption of 28 watts and a lumen watt ratio of 140 lumens per watt, then the lamp has a light output of 3920 lumens (28 watts x 140 lm per watt = 3920 lumens).

Light bulbs used to be expressed in watts, but since they are no longer allowed to be sold, we have to look at the number of lumens. It takes some getting used to, of course, which is why the number of watts is still always included (Consumentenbond, 2022)

How many lumens do I need?

The number of lumens you need depends on various factors. For example, the shape of the room, the height of the ceiling, the colours in the room and the type of lamp influence the choice of the number of lumens you need.

For a well-lit room, it is important to have the right amount of lumens. In a living room sitting area, this is between 1500 and 3000 lumens. For a living room dining area, you can choose from 1000 to 2000 lumens. In the kitchen, this is between 2000 and 3500 lumens. And for an office, the average is around 10,000 lumens. This is an average guideline. The number of lumens depends on the size of the room. If you know this, you have the right amount of light for each room.

How do I calculate the exact number of lumens I need?

To calculate exactly how many lumens you need, you can use the following formula: Lux x square meters = lumens

The number of lux varies per activity you want to perform in the room. Below is an overview of the number of lux you need for a room per activity.

• Simple visual tasks, watching TV - 300 Lux
• Average visual tasks, reading documents - 500 Lux
• Demanding visual tasks, reading small text - 750 Lux
• Difficult visual tasks, Difficult office tasks - 1000 Lux
• Special Visual Tasks , Surgery - 1500 Lux

Here, 1 Lux represents the amount of light that falls one meter from the light source. This amount of light should be multiplied by the number of square meters of the room to calculate the total number of lumens. Knowing the lumens will help you choose the right lamp for your workplace.

Choosing the right lighting with Firefly

Firefly can help you choose the right lighting. Our experts can explain the different types of lighting available and advise you on which lighting best suits your business needs. Contact contact us for more information about Firefly lighting.