Dynamic Lighting for Better Working Environment
Indoor lighting has become a more important aspect of modern office spaces. Large parts of the world, and especially in Nordic countries, can spend as much as 80-90% of their day indoors. Our circadian rhythms and hormones are affected by the light we surround ourselves with. Indoor lighting is an important aspect of our well-being. There are many opinions on the best indoor lighting solution, if any, and they are divided. This Danish lighting manufacturer provides more insight. Louis PoulsenThey set out to test the effects on artificial lighting conditions in their Copenhagen head office.
The historic building that houses it is protected by its historic status Louis PoulsenThe team could not increase daylight access by completing renovations in the office. This created a greater need for artificial lighting to create a comfortable indoor environment. The experiment was conducted over a period of four months, from November 2019 to February 2020. It demonstrated how dynamic lighting works in practice, and not just theoretically.
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Louis Poulsen tested different combinations of light intensities and color temperatures to determine how dynamic lighting and a kelvin-adjustable light system affected indoor work conditions. The kelvin-adjustable general lighting provided a color temperature range of 2,700 to 5,700K (Kelvin), mimicking natural daylight from morning to night. Additional lighting was provided by desk lamps with a fixed Cc between 2700 K & 3000 K.
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Four different light sequences were designed to test the system. They could run for up to three weeks each. The first “Daylight Sequence” was designed to follow the natural intensity of daylight throughout the day. It started at 40% in the morning, and then increased to 100% by noon. The color temperature changed from completely hot (2700K), to cold (5700K), around 2pm. The second “Energizer” sequence tested if employees could feel more awakened and energized by small, high-intensity sequences. The third “Static Intensity” sequence provided warm lighting throughout the morning and afternoon, and very cold lighting around noon. It maintained 100% intensity throughout the day. The final “Dynamic intensity” sequence maintained a color temperature at 4000 K and a shifting intensity of between 40% to 100%.
Employee feedback showed that sequences where both intensity and color temperature were altered fared better than the other lighting options. Employees indicated a preference to use color temperatures between 2700K and 4200K with maximum intensity of 80%. However, employees complained of headaches and tired eyes when the intensity was kept constant and only the temperature changed.
Additionally, employees complained of discomfort with color temperatures above 4200K and high intensity of 2700K light. Employees who took part in this survey reported that they use their desk lamps, especially in the mornings and in the afternoons. This suggests that desk lamps are particularly important for employees in work environments where the lighting system cannot be controlled individually. Individual desk lamps can be a great way to give employees a sense of ownership and control over the working environment, especially in large offices.
The experiment was not designed to reach a scientific conclusion. It simply attempted to put theory into practice and create a dialogue about dynamic lighting. Despite the complex subject matter, the results of this study strongly suggest that dynamic lighting can improve the working environment in office spaces. It is clear that dynamic lighting can help to overcome many of the lighting challenges faced in open-plan offices today.
