Understanding Light
Light Affects Everyone
Of all the technological advances over the past century, nothing has completely altered our lives as much as electric lighting. Day and night, indoors and out, at home, in the work place, in stadiums, parks, hospitals and schools, on highways and at airports, lighting is fundamental to our modern lifestyle.
Quantity and Quality
Until fairly recently the technology of lighting was straightforward. Electric light was produced by incandescent lamps with very little concern for the quality or visual appearance of that light. Instead, light was considered primarily in terms of its quantity. The goal was simply to deliver adequate, properly directed light to perform the tasks associated with an environment. Sufficient light quantity is still a major requirement of any installation. Today, however, it is understood that the quality of that light can both enhance people's ability to perform tasks and influence their emotional state.
Ongoing Technological Innovation
Today's technology has vastly increased the number of lighting options. The ability to precisely control the quality as well as the quantity of light has led to the availability of light sources that can exert subtle but pervasive effects on the appearance of an environment. Advances in our understanding of the psychological impact that light and color have on a wide range of human emotions and activities have made the intelligent use of these options increasingly important to the success of any lighting installation.
Meeting the Information Needs of Lighting Professionals
People in the lighting industry who select lighting sources and fixtures often lack the complete technical knowledge needed to make fully informed decisions about their use. Consulting engineers and electrical contractors understand the mechanics of electrical system design but may be unaware of the psychological importance of color and the impact that lighting can have on it. Architects and interior designers may have only limited information about how the latest lighting technology can achieve desired effects.
Color Characteristics
How important is color rendition to the application? In stores and showrooms it affects the appearance of the goods being sold and can help attract customers. In many industrial applications it is completely insignificant. What about color temperature? It needs to be matched with the type of activity. In offices, schools and other work environments, higher color temperature, i.e. cool light sources, are indicated. Stores, supermarkets and showrooms frequently call for intermediate color temperatures. Restaurants, specialty shops, lobbies and private offices often look their best with warm lighting of a relatively low color temperature.