Before the rise of modern BIM-integrated tools like DIALux evo, DIALux 3.14 served as a cornerstone of professional lighting design. Released in the early 2000s, this version solidified the software's reputation for providing high-accuracy calculations for indoor and outdoor environments. Even decades later, it remains a point of reference for veteran designers who value its lean resource requirements and straightforward room-based workflow. What is DIALux 3.14?
DIALux 3.14 is a legacy version of the DIALux lighting design software. Developed by DIAL GmbH, it was designed to help engineers and architects calculate light levels (illuminance), uniformity, and glare. At its peak, it was the go-to tool for verifying that lighting layouts met specific EN 12464 standards for workplace safety.
Unlike modern versions that model entire buildings at once, DIALux 3.14 focuses on individual room planning. This "room-by-room" approach made it incredibly fast to use for simple rectangular spaces, which is why some academic studies still cite it for simulating classroom illuminance. Key Features & Capabilities
While it lacks the sophisticated 3D rendering of today's software, DIALux 3.14 offered robust technical features: Dialux 3.14
Point-to-Point Calculations: Precise illuminance values on workplanes, walls, and ceilings.
Luminaire Integration: Supported the import of Eulumdat (.ldt) and IES photometric files from major manufacturers.
Basic Ray Tracing: A built-in "POV-Ray" engine allowed users to generate simple 3D visualizations of light distribution. Before the rise of modern BIM-integrated tools like
Emergency Lighting: Included dedicated tools for calculating escape routes and anti-panic lighting.
Outdoor Areas: Basic support for parking lots and simple floodlighting projects.
It seems irrational to use a 15-year-old software, yet there is a thriving community of holdouts. Here is why: Units and standards set correctly
To understand Dialux 3.14, one must look at the lineage of the software. DIAL GmbH, based in Lüdenscheid, Germany (the heart of German lighting manufacturing), initially released DIALux as a free alternative to expensive commercial software like Relux.
Dialux 3.14 was the last of the "classic" interface designs. It featured a traditional menu bar, toolbars, and a calculation engine that was deterministic and transparent. Unlike the modern evo version (which uses a physically correct but sometimes unpredictable global illumination model), 3.14 used a slower but highly predictable radiosity and photon mapping hybrid.