Humans evolved to the rhythms of the natural light-dark cycle of day and night. And until around 200 years ago, we spent 90% of our waking hours outside, enjoying natural light. With most of us now spending up to 87% of our lives indoors under constant artificial illumination, scientists have discovered that inappropriate or low-quality lighting can have a severe impact on our health and well-being. Effects include increased risk for obesity, depression, sleep disorders, diabetes and more.
Human-centric approaches to LED design.
As LED lighting and control systems become more affordable, a vast and expanding array of available modern light options are making creating a healthier space easier than ever. By utilizing tunable white light technology to manage brightness, colour temperature and direction of radiance, human-centric lighting (HCL) is bridging the divide between natural and artificial lighting.
A growing global market expected to reach $3.91B by 2024, HCL is undoubtedly the next step in LED design and control. Industry-leading brands like Elite, Acuity and Stanpro have already shifted from product-focused to human-centric approaches, creating diverse portfolios of CCT and lumen selectable solutions for every application. HCL design takes into account circadian rhythms, productivity, energy savings, emotional well-being and functional light quality.
Using the right colour temperature.
Educational and institutional facilities are looking for ways to take advantage of the increased human concentration, focus and productivity that better illumination provides. In schools, HCL can both calm students and keep them alert, depending on the time of day. Hospitals meanwhile use cooler (3,500-5000K) CCTs in staff and examination areas to keep medical personnel alert, while warmer CCTs (2,000-3,000K)in patients’ rooms promote comfort, rest and recovery.
Using the correct colour temperature can make offices feel more natural while improving productivity and retention. A study by the University College of London showed circadian lighting played a role in improving productivity by up to 20%, making employees 38% calmer and 10% more focused.
Even retail spaces are using CCT lighting to match colour temperature with products, as cooler lights enhance the overall lustre of glassware and gems, and warmer colour temperatures can accentuate produce and flowers.
More choice, more options, more control.
When installing or retrofitting HCL systems, it’s important to consider the future and flexibility of the system. It should allow for simple scalability and configuration, as well as ease of use for users, as features that aren’t intuitive could actually be a deterrent.
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