What Is a Foot Candle? A Simple Guide to Commercial Lighting Basics

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Foot Candles But Were Afraid to Ask

Let’s start with the definition...

What is a “foot candle”? 

A foot-candle (or foot-candle, fc, lm/ft², or ft-c) is a measurement of light intensity. One foot-candle is defined as enough light to saturate a one-foot square with one lumen of light.

But what does that mean, exactly? Well rather than measuring the amount of light that leaves a light source (lumen output), foot-candle measurements focus on the amount of light that reaches a surface area.

For example, a foot-candle relates to the amount of light that is on the ground surface beneath a parking lot light as opposed to the output of the parking lot light.

Here are some typical foot-candle measurements for given light conditions:

• Unobstructed sunlight: 10,000 fc
• Overcast sunlight: 100 fc
• Visually intensive workspace: 200 fc
• Store environment: 5 fc
• Residential space (living): 5-40 fc
• Residential space (working): 70-90 fc

At this point, it should be noted that “foot-candles” as a unit of measurement are used most commonly in places that follow the United States customary units of measurement. In other parts of the world, such as Europe, the SI-derived measurement called “lux” is used. Lux is essentially the same as foot-candles, but it defines the area being lit as a one-meter square, rather than a one-foot square.

What is the Purpose of a Foot-Candle?

So, what is the use of a measurement like foot-candles? Basically, the idea of using foot-candles is to ensure that areas that require certain light levels are actually receiving those light levels. This can be very important for electrical construction as well.

Offices, manufacturing facilities, and workrooms need significantly higher foot-candle measurements in order to make work easier and less stressful on your eyes.

Hallways and lobbies, on the other hand, need lower foot-candle readings because the light doesn’t need to be bright enough for people hunched over reports and keyboards. Instead, the light level needs to be just bright enough to show off the decor (and bright enough to keep people from tripping over said decor), but not so bright as to feel harsh or sterile.

There are lots of organizations that have special lighting requirements, and foot-candles are the go-to measurement to make sure the right amount of light is actually touching the objects it needs to illuminate.

Museums need specific light levels to create the right ambiance and avoid damaging sensitive artifacts. Horticulture requires very accurate foot-candle readings in order to make sure all plants are bathed in the appropriate amount (and type) of light. Movie and video producers carry little meters with them to check foot-candles on subjects they’re going to shoot.

Any business or organization that has physical security requirements also need to be aware of the foot-candle readings in sensitive areas, and around cameras and doors.

Without light, we simply can’t live and work the way we need to. If you have special requirements for how much light needs to be hitting a given space, you’ll want to know how many foot-candles are shining on that space.

How to Measure Foot-Candle Readings

Measuring foot-candles falls under a broad branch of scientific inquiry called “photometry.” Photometry is the measurement of light as our eyes perceive it. This is different from “radiometry,” which is the measurement of all forms of radiant energy (including light) in absolute terms.

Photometry, the measurement of light as our eyes interpret it, is important for businesses and organizations of all kinds because you need to know what customers and staff are experiencing every time they work or shop in one of your buildings. 

Really, that’s what light is for your business: another tool. Like many tools, it can be used in different settings for different effects. As mentioned earlier, light in public areas should typically be lower and warmer, while work areas should receive lots of bright light. Foot-candle measurements are the thing you need to make sure your tool–light–is working properly.

The best tool for your photometric (and thus your foot-candle readings) is a sensitive light meter. Light meters are available from many manufacturers at many different price points. Some are as affordable as $20, some are pricier at $200 (or more). The right meter for you is one that is accurate and fast.

Most light meters will output their readings in foot-candles or “lux”(the SI-derived unit which is similar to foot-candles but measures a one-meter square rather than a one-foot square).

If you do get a light meter that renders its measurements in lux, and you really need them in foot-candles, just remember this number: 10.764. That’s the number to divide your lux by in order to get foot-candles. So, quick math will show us that 1 lux is equal to 0.092903 foot-candles.

How Many Lumens are in a Foot Candle?

A lumen is the amount of light given off by a light source, where a foot candle is the measure of lumens per square foot. One foot candle equals 1 lumen per square foot.

Foot Candles vs Lux?

Foot candles are the imperal measurement and Lux is the metric measurement of the same thing. Whereas foot candles are a measurement of lumens per square feet, lux are a measurement of lumens per square meter. 1 foot candle equals 10.76 lux. So if you are using a light meter that only reads in lux, you can divide your reading by 10.76 to convert it to foot candles.

Use these resources to improve your commercial lighting.

What to do with Foot-Candle Readings?

If you want to get serious about making your light levels work better for your organization, then it’s important to know about foot-candles and how they are measured.

If the foot candles in a space fall below IES recommended guidelines or are deemed not bright enough for the space, you need to increase the lumens in your fixture or replace the fixture with a new one with more lumens or more efficiency.

For example, the IES (Illuminating Engineer Society) recommended foot-candle reading for a parking garage is 10. If the lighted areas in your parking garage are reading 7 foot-candles, then you need more lumens to brighten the space. Depending on the replacement lamps you choose, the overall light level in the space can be increased by replacing the existing lamps 1 for 1.

If there are shadows or dark areas in your space this can often be improved by adding new led lighting or upgrading the fixtures to better distribute the light from each lamp. For example, in sports lighting such as Tennis Court lighting, shadows, or areas where lighting levels are much lower can cause problems for players during sporting events.

Using a light meter is the best way to measure the brightness and distribution of light in any space.

Foot Candles in Action: Lighting Strategies from Austin to Los Angeles

When planning a lighting upgrade, understanding foot candles is essential to getting the right brightness for your space. Businesses in Austin are increasingly using foot candle standards to guide energy-efficient lighting designs that meet both code requirements and comfort goals.

In Dallas, our commercial lighting experts help facility managers evaluate how many foot candles are needed in areas like offices, warehouses, and retail spaces. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, where sustainability and compliance go hand in hand, getting the lighting level right can also support local energy codes and LEED goals. No matter the city, understanding foot candles is the first step toward smarter, safer lighting.

Need Help with Foot-candle Readings?

Using light meters to test a given space, then adjusting the light appropriately, is the secret to reducing eye stress, fatigue, and headaches among your staff. It’s the secret to making your store floor look inviting and irresistible for customers. It’s the secret to using light to the best of your ability, and to your greatest advantage.

But do you want to do it yourself?

Your job is to run your business as well as you can, and that means your job never ends. There are so many things you can–and should–be doing besides fiddling with light meters and adjusting light temps and levels. For that matter, the job of everyone in your organization is to make things run better, more smoothly, and more efficiently. 

To get the most out of your facilities, you need experts. If you don’t have any lighting experts on your team already, give FSG a call. We know you and your employees really don’t have the time to run your own tests and adjust your own settings. That’s why FSG makes it easy to get help.

Call us at (512) 886-1253 or contact us here and tell us about the lighting challenges at your business. If you need your lights to be brighter (or dimmer), or if you just aren’t sure what’s appropriate in a given setting (like a restaurant), talk to us today. We’re here to help make your business or organization better at what it does. And if all you need right now is some lighting supplies, you can visit FSG Storefront to shop online.