Overview
ISO 11064-6:2005 - Ergonomic design of control centres: Environmental requirements for control centres provides ergonomic requirements and recommendations for the environmental design, upgrading or refurbishment of control rooms and functional areas within control suites. It addresses the key environmental factors that affect operator health, safety and performance: thermal environment (temperate regions), air quality, lighting, acoustics, vibration, and interior design/aesthetics. The standard is applicable to all types of control centres (process industry, transport and dispatching systems, emergency services) and-while aimed at non‑mobile installations-many principles apply to mobile control centres (ships, locomotives, aircraft). It does not cover electromagnetic field effects.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Thermal environment: design must consider operator activity, clothing, equipment heat dissipation, solar gain and building characteristics; HVAC must provide appropriate air temperature, humidity and velocity. (Suggested values are referenced in Annex A.)
- Air quality: ventilation and pollutant control should be designed to maintain operator comfort and cognitive performance.
- Lighting environment: illumination levels, luminance balance, glare control and reflectance are specified to support visual tasks and display readability.
- Acoustic environment: noise levels, reverberation and sound sources (including HVAC and IT equipment) are addressed to minimise distraction and communication problems.
- Vibration: measures to avoid disruptive structural or equipment vibration are recommended.
- Aesthetics & interior design: layout, colour, finishes and ergonomics of furnishings support operator well‑being and task demands.
- General ergonomic principles: the standard promotes operator‑centred design, adjustability (lighting/temperature), holistic consideration of interacting environmental factors, mitigation of shift‑work effects, future flexibility and an iterative multi‑disciplinary design process.
Practical applications and users
ISO 11064-6 is intended for:
- Control room architects and interior designers
- Human factors/ergonomics specialists
- HVAC and lighting engineers
- Acousticians and vibration consultants
- Control centre project managers and operators (process plants, transport control, emergency dispatch)
Use cases include new control room design, refurbishment/upgrade of existing control suites, performance optimisation for shift work, and coordination of building services with operator‑centred requirements.
Related standards
Key normative references and related guidance include:
- ISO 9241‑6 (VDT work environment guidance)
- ISO/CIE 8995 (lighting of indoor workplaces)
- ISO 7779 (measurement of airborne noise from IT equipment)
- ISO 13731 (thermal environment vocabulary)
- IEC 60651 (sound level meters)
ISO 11064-6 helps organisations align control room environmental design with ergonomics best practice to protect operator health, maintain safety and improve operational performance.
Open preview (PDF)Ergonomic design of control centres — Part 6: Environmental requirements for control centres