The quality of indoor lighting is a sensitive issue in the dynamic environment of daily life. The lighting industry offers a wide range of products and solutions on the huge market. However, the existing European Union and Latvian lighting regulations and standards cover questions related to the visual effect of lighting on the performance of the visual task, but it is already proven, that visual effect of lighting also affects productivity and causes emotions. Standards and regulations used by construction and real estate industries prescribe lighting parameters which are becoming outdated with a development of the solid-state lighting technologies. The aim of the paper is to review the existing lighting planning theory and practice, selecting the parameters which might have most sensitive effect as prerequisites for improving the quality of life, and might be included in quality standards, handbooks and procurement procedures for the projects, over time in building standards, norms and regulations.