Lighting

A new lighting system is likely to make a huge impact on the internal appearance of your church, and will be a significant expense. The PCC therefore needs to take great care in designing the system. You should involve your church architect and you may also wish to engage a professional lighting consultant. The DAC also strongly recommends the installation of a trial fitting so that PCCs and other interested parties can see in advance how the light will appear in their building. Issues to examine include:
1) Will the system address all intended uses of the building (such as types of service, concerts, exhibitions, community activities) both now and in the future?
2) Does the type of light suit the building and intended uses of the building? Bear in mind that different light sources (tungsten / tungsten halogen / low voltage halogen / metal halide) generate different colours and intensities of light, and the difference from the old system could be profound.
3) Will the warm-up time for certain types of light suit the required uses?
4) Will the position of the lights allow for manageable bulb replacement and maintenance?
5) Will the type and location of the fittings allow for suitable light direction and coverage?

Detailed advice: Parishes should consult their Church Architect in the first instance. Advice on suitable lighting levels for different parts of the church is available from the DAC Office. For major re-lighting schemes, it is often helpful for parishes to seek in formal advice from the DAC before working up a fully detailed scheme - please contact the DAC Secretary in the first instance.