Lighting for Heritage Building: A Case Study of the Lighting Design Applied on St. George’s Church in George Town, Penang Island

Abstract

Light is one of the critical aspects of architecture, yet it is one of the understated elements in our daily lives. Light has a significant spot to form events, activities, and memories. Scientific studies have shown that appropriate and proper lighting does not only affect human health but daily human moods as well. Nowadays, lighting fixtures play essential roles in architecture and markets. A proper lighting fixture helps to highlight the structure, textures, and form of the shape of a building. However, the designers tend to focus more on the art aesthetics rather than the conservation ethics, such as the colorful design and the attractive lighting fixtures on the building, while the prime concern should be on realizing the impact of the lighting fixture toward the environment. The objectives of this study are to highlight the issues of the lighting system of the heritage building and suggest some recommendations to meet the requirements for the heritage building for better lighting design. The data for this research was collected using the quantitative method. Thus, as a result, it is found out that lighting design highlights the historical building, and therefore, attracts tourists, which benefit the economy. However, improper lighting installation leads to a negative impact on the society and human health.