Overview
ISO/CIE 8995-1:2025 - Light and lighting - Lighting of work places - Part 1: Indoor is the updated international standard that specifies lighting requirements for indoor workplaces to meet human needs for visual comfort, performance, and safety. Prepared jointly by ISO and the CIE, it covers both the quantity and quality of illumination, applicable to daylight, electric lighting, or mixed systems. The standard focuses on practical, integrative lighting solutions but does not prescribe aesthetic or atmospheric design choices and is not applicable to emergency lighting (see ISO 30061 for that).
Key topics and technical requirements
The standard addresses a comprehensive set of technical topics relevant to indoor workplace lighting design and verification:
- Lighting design criteria - luminance distribution, surface reflectance, and illuminance on tasks, surrounds, and backgrounds.
- Illuminance requirements - recommended scales and uniformity for task areas and overall spaces (quantity of light).
- Glare control - limiting luminaire luminance, discomfort glare assessment (including UGR/tabular methods), and veiling reflections.
- Non-visual / biological effects - ipRGC-influenced responses and Melanopic Equivalent Daylight Illuminance considerations for human circadian stimulation.
- Colour aspects - colour appearance of light sources and minimum colour rendering expectations for accurate task performance.
- Temporal light modulation (TLM) - measures to limit flicker and adverse temporal effects.
- Lighting for Display Screen Equipment (DSE) - special luminance limits and recommendations for screens and workstations.
- Practical design considerations - maintenance factors, energy performance, daylight integration, room brightness, adjustability, and verification procedures.
- Verification and commissioning - measurement tolerances, UGR verification, colour checks, maintenance schedules, and system tests.
- Informative annexes include UGR implementation guidance, visual and non‑visual effects of light exposure, design examples, and commissioning best practices.
Practical applications and who uses this standard
ISO/CIE 8995-1:2025 is intended for professionals and stakeholders involved in built environments:
- Lighting designers and specifiers
- Architects and interior designers
- Electrical and mechanical engineers
- Facility and building managers
- Occupational health & safety professionals
- Product manufacturers and luminaires vendors
It is applied to offices, educational facilities, healthcare interiors, retail environments, manufacturing indoor areas, corridors and associated spaces, and any indoor workplace where visual tasks, comfort, and safety matter.
Related standards
- ISO 30061 (emergency lighting)
- Other parts of the ISO/CIE 8995 series (additional guidance for specific environments)
- Relevant IEC and local building codes on lighting and electrical safety
Keywords: ISO/CIE 8995-1:2025, indoor workplace lighting standard, illuminance requirements, glare control, melanopic lux, lighting design, visual comfort, colour rendering, temporal light modulation.