Hospital · Lighting
Lighting in hospital: what the SRI measures
For lighting, the SRI does not measure the lamp but the control: does the light switch off when nobody is there, and does it dim with daylight. This is often the cheapest domain to score points in.
In short
- 1This page shows how the Smart Readiness Indicator assesses the lighting domain in hospitals.
- 2Hospitals always exceed the 290 kW threshold for building automation and are expected to face a mandatory SRI assessment.
- 3The lighting domain accounts for 2 of the 3 weighting points for this building type and is often the most cost-effective domain to improve.
Weight of this domain for this building type
Which services count
| Service | Lowest level | Highest level | Advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occupancy control for indoor lighting L-1a · A · 4 levels | Manual on/off switch | Automatic detection (manual on / dimmed or auto off) | level 2 or higher |
| Control artificial lighting power based on daylight levels L-2 · 5 levels | Manual (central) | Automatic dimming including scene-based light control (during time intervals, dynamic and adapted lighting scenes are set, for example, in terms of illuminance level, different correlated colour temperature (CCT) and the possibility to change the light distribution within the space according to e.g. design, human needs, visual tasks) | – |
Worked example
If everything in this domain is at level 0, the domain contributes nothing. At the highest level for all services, the indicative total score for this building type rises by about 4 percentage points (from 33 to 37 percent, with all other domains at level 1).
What does the Smart Readiness Indicator measure in lighting?
The Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) does not assess the type of lamp in the lighting domain, but rather the control systems around it. What matters is whether light responds automatically to occupancy and daylight, or whether a user must operate everything manually.
For hospitals, this domain carries significant weight: 2 of the 3 possible points in the weighting. This is because hospitals typically already have an extensive building management system (BMS), the central system that controls and monitors building installations.
Which smart-ready services belong to this domain?
The methodology identifies two relevant smart-ready services, or functions that make a building more intelligent. The first is L-1a, occupancy control for indoor lighting. This ranges from a manual switch, functionality level 0, to automatic detection where the light dims or switches off by itself, level 3.
The second service is L-2, control of artificial lighting power based on daylight level. Functionality levels range from fully manual operation, level 0, to automatic dimming with scene-controlled lighting, level 4. At this highest level, the system automatically adjusts light intensity, colour temperature and distribution, for example based on time of day or the task in the space.
Why is this relevant for hospitals?
Hospitals are the most installation-intensive buildings that exist, with strict requirements for air handling. Lighting receives relatively little attention as a result, yet this is often where quick gains can be achieved.
Because emergency power and energy storage are already standard in hospitals, and the building size makes energy flexibility a realistic option, a higher level of lighting control fits well with existing infrastructure.
What does the score mean in practice?
The SRI calculates a score for each domain based on functionality levels, impact criteria and weighting factors. The final score falls into one of seven classes, ranging from below 20 percent to 90 to 100 percent.
For the lighting domain, automatic occupancy detection and daylight control are relatively straightforward to install compared with, for example, heating installations. This makes the domain a logical starting point for improvement in hospitals.
What this means for you
- Owner
- As owner of a hospital building, it is worthwhile to have the existing lighting control assessed against the functionality levels of L-1a and L-2. Because this domain carries heavy weighting and is relatively inexpensive to improve, it often offers the best return per euro invested.
- Tenant
- As a user of the building, you will mainly notice that lights automatically switch on and off and adjust with daylight, without you having to operate switches yourself. This means less unnecessary lighting in corridors and spaces that are temporarily unoccupied.
- Advisor
- When assessing, pay careful attention to the distinction between automatic switching and automatic dimming in L-2, as this difference determines whether a space scores at level 2, 3 or 4. Also verify that occupancy detection in L-1a actually switches off automatically, rather than simply sending a signal that a user must confirm.
Next step
Want to know where your building stands?