How-to Guides

Practical, expert-led guidance and insights for mastering Lighting Analysts software—from new features and version updates to real-world problem solving.

The Lighting Analysts How-to Guides provide focused, technical insights into AGi32, ElumTools, and other LAI software to help lighting professionals work more efficiently and accurately. This section covers new feature releases, version-specific updates, and essential workflows, along with clear explanations of how and why results are generated.

You’ll find step-by-step guidance for common lighting analysis tasks, troubleshooting tips for frequent errors, and proven workarounds for known limitations. Real-world examples highlight practical applications of key features, helping you optimize photometric calculations, ensure code compliance, and produce reliable, defensible lighting designs.

ElumTools

Masking Calculation Points

The latest version of ElumTools includes the ability to mask calculation points by category and by selecting individual model elements that may otherwise occlude light.

ElumTools

Calculation Point Family Management

Every time a calculation grid is added to the project, ElumTools places an instance of the ElumTools Calculation Points Family into the Revit model.

ElumTools

Mapping Material Reflectances by Revit Category

Perhaps one of the most time consuming aspects of preparing your Revit model for accurate lighting calculations is the process of mapping the “in-use” Revit materials to reasonable surface reflectances.

ElumTools

How important are surface reflectances?

The obvious answer to this question is “it depends on the application,” and every lighting professional can expound on the topic at length.

ElumTools

Select any IES file for a family within ElumTools

Did you know you can attach any IES photometric file to families of your own creation, or from any source?

ElumTools

Lighting Power Density using ElumTools

Since day one of ElumTools, Revit has coexisted and offered several powerful tools for electrical analysis, including Lighting Power Density reporting functionality. The latest releases of ElumTools include new functionality to make it easier to leverage Revit’s LPD tools as a natural part of the typical ElumTools workflow.

ElumTools

Luminaire Family Validation Made Easy

When a calculation is invoked, ElumTools automatically checks all Lighting Fixture families in the environment to determine whether the family has valid photometry applied.

ElumTools

What’s new in 2018.3 (2017.6 and 2016.10 too)

The latest generation of ElumTools is packed with new features, mostly geared to exterior lighting analysis, with some interior applications as well.

ElumTools

Why Can’t I Suppress the Rendering?

Often when using ElumTools, you won’t be interested in a rendering and will only need the point-by-point illuminance values, and perhaps the associated statistics (avg, max, min, ratios, etc.).

ElumTools

Layout Assistant as a “Quick Calc” tool

The Layout Assistant is an easy avenue to quickly estimate average illuminance levels and make adjustments to luminaire quantities as needed to meet your criteria.