What Is UGR in Lighting? A Complete Guide

UGR, or Unified Glare Rating, is a key measure used to determine discomfort caused by glare in interior lighting. But what does this mean for you?

Whether you’re designing a workspace, upgrading your home office, or choosing lighting for a public area, understanding UGR in lighting ensures comfort, productivity, and safety.

It helps with compliance, boosts customer satisfaction, and drives sales growth. This guide shows you how to choose, buy, and stock UGR-approved lighting for your business success.

What Is UGR? Understanding the Basics & Industry Standards

UGR is an international measure. It measures how much glare from artificial lights bothers people. This affects how we design and brighten different light fixtures.

If you know the right UGR, you can pick the best lighting for any business, whether inside or outside.

The following examples can be used to find the UGR level:

Here are examples to determine UGR levels:

• UGR ≤ 16: Laboratory testing or high-precision rooms
• UGR ≤ 19: Offices, schools, and hospitals
• UGR ≤ 22: Factories and warehouses

These UGR values ensure visual comfort and regulatory approval.

Differing UGR Value In Various World Regions

• China: GB/T light standards regulate UGR requirements in all industries.
• Europe: EN 12464-1 defines lighting standards for workplaces using Unitised Group Rating (UGR).
• United States: The IES sets guidelines for glare control in offices and commercial spaces.

Why You Should Care About UGR in Lighting

Understanding the Unified Glare Rating (UGR) is crucial because it immediately impacts your environment and bottom line:

• Elevate Your Visual Comfort: Low-glare lighting is essential for reducing eye fatigue and headaches, allowing you to work or reside in your space comfortably for extended periods.
• Sustain Focus and Productivity: When lighting discomfort is eliminated, you and your team can maintain concentration and focus on critical tasks, directly improving overall output.
• Meet Regulatory Mandates: Focusing on UGR ensures your installation complies with demanding quality standards, such as EN 12464-1, IES, or GB/T, giving you full confidence in your setup.
• Enhance the User Experience: Quality, glare-free illumination is immediately noticeable. You will find that customers, employees, and visitors perceive the entire space more positively.

How UGR Works Across Different Spaces

Different spaces require different UGR levels, and choosing the right fixture type ensures maximum performance across all applications.

In Offices and classrooms

Visual comfort in offices, classrooms, and healthcare settings affects well-being and productivity. Lighting with a UGR of 19 or lower is ideal for classrooms for visual tasks. Good lighting affects students’ psychology.

Recessed ceiling mounts and LED panel lights with diffusers offer even lighting and low glare. They are perfect for daily use in spaces where good visibility is important.

Recessed ceiling mount lighting and LED panel lights with diffusers offer broad, even lighting with little glare—perfect for daily use in visually challenging environments.

In Laboratories and factories

High-use areas, such as inspection rooms, need better glare control. Aim for UGR values of 16 or lower.

Optics-enhanced anti-glare illumination equipment carefully optimized for such applications provides focused light without visual discomfort, enabling improved task completion and concentration.

On the other hand, factories and industrial warehouses prefer sight and safety over the necessity of precise glare control. Here, a UGR value of 22 is sufficient in most situations.

Industrial LED high bay lighting and floodlights use wide reflectors. They give the right brightness while keeping UGR levels acceptable

Factors That Influence UGR Performance

Not all lights labeled “UGR-compliant” are equal. Here’s what you should check:

• Color Temperature: Neutral white light (4000K–5000K) enhances comfort and focus.
• Beam Angle: Wider beams with even distribution reduce direct glare.
• Diffuser Type: Prismatic or frosted diffusers soften harsh light.
• Reflector Design: Proper reflectors cut stray reflections and improve UGR rating.

How to Reduce UGR: 10 Practical Tips for You

If you want to lower the Unified Glare Rating in your space and create a comfortable environment, consider implementing these 10 effective strategies:

Luminaire Selection & Optics

• Prioritize Indirect Lighting: Use uplights or fixtures that bounce light off the ceiling and walls. This technique immediately minimizes direct glare from the light source hitting your eyes.
• Utilize Diffused LED Panels: Install LED panel lights that feature diffusers or micro-prismatic covers to ensure softer, uniform light distribution across the room.
• Apply Frosted or Prismatic Covers: Equip your fixtures with frosted or prismatic lens covers. This is a simple way to soften and effectively control the intensity of the light output.
• Choose Narrow Beam Angles: Select luminaires designed with focused, narrow beam angles, especially for task-specific areas, directing the light precisely where you need it most.
• Use Adjustable Optics: Opt for luminaires that have adjustable optics. This gives you the flexibility to precisely focus and redirect the light to minimize any potential spillover glare.

Installation & Environment

• Position Lights Above Eye Level: Strategically place light sources higher than the direct line of sight. Positioning them above eye level immediately helps to reduce the likelihood of direct glare.
• Optimize Mounting Height: Adjust the fixture’s mounting height to specifically suit the room’s usage and the current layout of furniture or workstations.
• Ensure Even Light Spacing: Design your lighting layout for consistent output and even spacing throughout the area. This prevents high-contrast hot spots that are a common cause of glare.
• Avoid Highly Reflective Surfaces: Minimize the use of glossy, highly reflective materials on walls, floors, and desktops in your space, as these significantly increase reflected glare.
• Select Appropriate Color Temperature: For high-focus or office workspaces, choose neutral or cooler color temperatures (CCT). You will often find these are perceived as less harsh and glaring than intense warm light.

By carefully following these steps, you can significantly mitigate glare and easily achieve a comfortable, high-quality lighting environment tailored for any space.

How to Verify High-Quality UGR Lighting

When investing in new lighting, you need to ensure you are getting authentic, high-performance UGR fixtures. Here are the critical steps to verify quality:

Review Photometric Documentation

Start by requesting and reviewing the third-party photometric data from the manufacturer. Reliable companies will always provide this essential proof of the product’s UGR rating and performance.

Check for Standards Compliance

Make sure the product explicitly adheres to relevant lighting quality standards. Look for valid certifications against international standards like EN 12464-1, IES, or GB/T.

Examine Physical Performance

Don’t just trust the data. You should also inspect the physical attributes, such as the actual beam angles, the quality of the diffusers, and the stability of the color temperature (CCT).

Beware of Unsubstantiated Claims

Always ensure that the quoted UGR values are transparent, consistent, and directly supported by the manufacturer’s test reports. If the data is vague or unavailable, treat the claim with skepticism.

How Companies Gained from UGR-Compliant Lighting

Here are some case studies to help you see how UGR impacts the environment.

Office Lighting Supplier

A German brand changed office lighting to UGR ≤19 LED panel lights. They did this because customers wanted glare-free office lighting.

Six months later, the company achieved a 40% increase in B2B sales. This was due to interest from architects, corporate buyers, and facility managers in EN 12464-1 compliant products.

Warehouse Distributor

A local distributor landed a big contract supplying high-bay warehouse lighting for logistics facilities. The customer required UGR ≤22 compliance for workplace safety.

The distributor won the contract by providing tested and certified UGR fixtures. Their success gave them prestige for future public sector bids. It also opened growth opportunities in a tough market.

Conclusion

UGR Lighting makes commercial and industrial spaces comfortable and safe. It also reduces glare and complies with regulations. This not only satisfies customer needs but also provides long-term value.

Upgrade Your Lighting Solutions Today!

At Risuncorp, we offer a full range of UGR-compliant lighting solutions for commercial, educational, and industrial spaces. Our products meet international standards and help you achieve comfort, safety, and compliance.

Contact our team today for a free consultation and let us help you design a lighting plan that meets your needs while keeping glare under control.