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There is more to light than enabling us to see. Artificial lighting in the built environment has a profound effect on a person's physiological and psychological health. Light affects our mood and has an impact on our biology.
At the outset of a lighting design, the amount of light needed to complete a visual task is established and this typically drives the scheme. But although it is important to establish lighting conditions for good visual acuity, once that level is set, there is very little room for manoeuvre or to address perceptual qualities that are more subtle and variable.
This two-year project, supported by the charitable trust of lighting manufacturer Megaman, set out to investigate why levels of artificial light in commercial interiors such as offices, shops and showrooms are increasing, and look at the impact of high levels of light on the people who have to work under them.
Standards for lighting in an office are derived from a mechanical interpretation of productivity that is directly linked to the brightness of light. There is a belief that the more light an office has, the faster a task can be completed with accuracy. In retail, lighting is based on the psychology of sales, with the eye being attracted to the brightest points in any visual field.
As a result, many commercial environments are over-lit. Qualities of light that can better support the wellbeing and health of employees are typically not addressed - and an excessive level of artificial light not only puts stress on workers but also on the environment through greater energy consumption.
"Quality of light that can better support the wellbeing and health of employees is typically not addressed ... "
The research identified two trends in architectural lighting: a sustainable approach, where the amount of light is reduced through technological interventions; and a wellbeing approach, where light levels are raised to stimulate alertness. The project has occupied a space between these conflicting strategies by working with light at a qualitative rather than quantitative level and suggesting alternative methods for architectural lighting.
The study has explored cultural, physiological and behavioural perceptions of light: variables such as hue, colour, direction and movement, the physical and temporal properties of light with particular reference to the person who will be experiencing its effect; and the technology of lighting. Research methods have included working collaboratively with user groups such as office workers, conducting lighting experiments and consulting with lighting designers, architects and experts in neurology and chronobiology.
A key outcome of the study is a publication entitled Light Volumes Dark Matters, which critically reflects on the application of artificial light in buildings. The work is not a new set of rules or guidelines but a manifesto intended to challenge the engineering-led approach of existing codes and make the argument for a more sustainable and inclusive lighting agenda. It encourages designers and architects to rethink the way in which they deliver lighting in the workplace and give space for the serious consideration of the people who will be living with their decisions.
