ABSTRACT
The lamp is the heart of every lighting xture but a complete luminaire usu-ally includes most of the following: reectors for directing the light, optics for diffusing the light, an aperture (with or without a lens), the housing for lamp alignment and protection, ballast, if required, and connection to a power source. There is a great variety of luminaires and choices are made depending on the lamp to be used, but also with aesthetic criteria. Figures 7.1 and 7.2 show two typical luminaires found in most house and ofce ceilings, respectively. For incandescent lamps, with the exception of spot halogen lamps, all luminaires have a decorative design and character. Various types of reectors are used in the design of luminaires, such as at, elliptical, parabolic, spherical, and a combination of these.
