The Guide to Human Centric Lighting: Enhancing Well-Being and Productivity through Intelligent Lighting Design

The Comprehensive Guide to Human Centric Lighting: Enhancing Well-Being and Productivity through Intelligent Lighting Design

Human Centric Lighting (HCL) is a lighting design approach that focuses on enhancing human well-being, health, and performance by considering the physiological, psychological, and emotional effects of light. With advances in LED technology, tunable white LED lighting solutions have made it possible to emulate natural light indoors, creating a more comfortable and productive environment for living, working, and leisure. This comprehensive guide explores the principles of Human Centric Lighting, its implementation, and the benefits it brings to various environments, as well as essential factors to consider when designing an HCL system.

 

The Concept of Human Centric Lighting

At the core of Human Centric Lighting is the understanding that light has a significant impact on human biology, mood, and behavior. Natural light, with its dynamic changes in color temperature and intensity throughout the day, plays a crucial role in regulating our circadian rhythms and overall well-being. HCL aims to replicate these natural light patterns indoors using tunable white LED lighting solutions, which adjust their color temperature and intensity to create a lighting environment that supports human health and comfort.

Implementing Human Centric Lighting

To achieve an effective Human Centric Lighting design, a combination of warm white (2700K) and cool white (6500K) LED light sources is typically used. This creates tunable white lighting, which can be adjusted to produce various shades of white light with a color temperature ranging between 2700K and 6500K. This can be made to match the color temperature of daylight at a certain time during the day, for example:

With Casambi you can now set the color temperature at specific hours of the day

Several factors must be considered when designing an HCL system:

  • Spectrum: The light source should have a spectrum similar to natural daylight. Full-spectrum LEDs, such as Seoul SunLike, are recommended for the best results.

  • Color Rendering Index (CRI): High CRI values (CRI95+ being optimal, 80+ acceptable) are essential for accurate color representation under HCL.

  • Brightness: HCL should provide sufficient illumination for the intended task, which may be challenging when combining warm and cool white LEDs with adjustable brightness. There are two primary methods for achieving dynamic white light: interpolated or parallel light sources.
    • Interpolated light sources involve placing warm white and cool white LEDs in pairs, parallel lines, or clusters on the same strip or module. This approach results in a lower system cost but may have issues with brightness, reliability, and thermal management.

    • Using separate LED modules or strips for each color temperature offers higher brightness and reliability but may increase costs and may not be suitable for fixtures with limited space.

  • Ease of use: An HCL system should be user-friendly, offering different programs and manual programming options. Compatibility with widely used Internet of Things (IoT) standards, such as Casambi is essential for system upgrades and servicing.

Standard LED strips with CRI80+ have a smooth enough spectrum for most Human Centric projects but for the best results a full spectrum LED strips such as those with Seoul SunLike CRI98+ are recommeded.

Benefits of Human Centric Lighting in Various Environments

Residential Applications: HCL allows homeowners to create customized lighting scenes that support relaxation, focus, or entertainment with a simple touch. This can improve overall well-being and sleep quality by aligning artificial lighting with the body's natural circadian rhythms.

Work Environments: In offices and conference rooms, HCL can mimic midday sunlight to stimulate productivity and concentration. It has been shown to reduce fatigue, errors, and improve error detection, making the workplace more efficient and pleasant.

Educational Institutions: HCL in schools can increase alertness and focus, supporting better academic performance and overall well-being for students.

Healthcare Facilities: In hospitals, psychiatric wards, and nursing homes, HCL has been shown to improve patient care, reduce recovery times, and support staff well-being.

Conclusion

Human Centric Lighting is a revolutionary approach to lighting design that prioritizes the well-being, health, and performance of individuals in their living, working, and leisure environments. By replicating the natural light patterns of daylight using tunable white LED lighting solutions, HCL provides a comfortable and supportive atmosphere that promotes productivity, relaxation, and overall wellness.

As our understanding of the impact of light on human biology and behavior continues to grow, it is essential for architects, designers, and building owners to embrace Human Centric Lighting as a key component of modern, sustainable, and people-focused design. By considering the critical factors of spectrum, CRI, brightness, and ease of use, we can create innovative HCL systems that not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of our spaces but also contribute significantly to the quality of life for those who inhabit them.

Moving forward, advances in LED technology, IoT integration, and lighting control systems will undoubtedly continue to drive the evolution of Human Centric Lighting. As designers, it is our responsibility to stay informed about these developments and incorporate them into our projects, ensuring that our built environments support the health, well-being, and success of their occupants for years to come.

At Lumistrips you will find high performance LED strips and modules for Human Centric Lighting.

For Human Centric Lighting, you can choose our Tunable White LED strips and modules.

If you prefer using parallel LED strips or modules for each color temperature, we recommend our range of Sunlike products, with many variants to pick from.

 
  1. Lumibar-14-3098+ Toshiba-SSC LED Strip Sunlike CRI98 warm white 3000K 320lm 175mA 16V 12 LEDs 5.48" module (697lm/ft 6.4W/ft)
  2. Lumibar-14-3098+ Toshiba-SSC LED Strip Sunlike CRI98 pure white 4000K 378lm 175mA 16V 12 LEDs 5.48" module (823lm/ft 6.4W/ft)
  3. LumiBar-28-3098+ Toshiba-SSC LED Strip Sunlike CRI98 warm white 3000K 640lm 350mA 16V 24 LEDs 10.98" module (697lm/ft 6.4W/ft)
  4. LumiBar-28-3098+ Toshiba-SSC LED Strip Sunlike CRI98 pure white 4000K 756lm 350mA 16V 24 LEDs 10.98" module (823lm/ft 6.4W/ft)
  5. LumiBar-56-3098+ Toshiba-SSC LED Strip Sunlike CRI98 pure white 4000K 1513lm 700mA 16V 48 LEDs 21.98" module (823lm/ft 6.4W/ft)
  6. LumiBar-56-3098+ Toshiba-SSC LED Strip Sunlike CRI98 warm white 3000K 1280lm 700mA 16V 48 LEDs 21.98" module (697lm/ft 6.4W/ft)
    LumiBar-56-3098+ Toshiba-SSC LED Strip Sunlike CRI98 warm white 3000K 1280lm 700mA 16V 48 LEDs 21.98" module (697lm/ft 6.4W/ft)
    Overall Rating:
    100 % of 100
    £19.57
    Stock >100 pcs
  7. LumiBar-26-3098+ Toshiba-SSC LED Strip Sunlike CRI98 warm white 3000K 685lm 175mA 39.6V 26 LEDs 11.02in/28cm module (735lm/ft 7.6W/ft)
  8. LumiBar-26-3098+ Toshiba-SSC LED Strip Sunlike CRI98 pure white 4000K 675lm 175mA 39.6V 26 LEDs 11.02in/28cm module (762lm/ft 7.6W/ft)
  9. LumiBar-52-3098+ Toshiba-SSC LED Strip Sunlike CRI98 neutral white 5000K 1400lm 350mA 39.6V 52 LEDs 22.05in/56cm module (762lm/ft 7.6W/ft)
  10. LumiBar-52-3098+ Toshiba-SSC LED Strip Sunlike CRI98 warm white 3500K 1345lm 350mA 39.6V 52 LEDs 22.05in/56cm module (732lm/ft 7.6W/ft)
  11. LumiBar-52-3098+ Toshiba-SSC LED Strip Sunlike CRI98 warm white 3000K 1375lm 350mA 39.6V 52 LEDs 22.05in/56cm module (748lm/ft 7.6W/ft)
    LumiBar-52-3098+ Toshiba-SSC LED Strip Sunlike CRI98 warm white 3000K 1375lm 350mA 39.6V 52 LEDs 22.05in/56cm module (748lm/ft 7.6W/ft)
    Overall Rating:
    100 % of 100
    £22.46
    Low Stock, only 9 pcs.
  12. LumiBar-52-3098+ Toshiba-SSC LED Strip Sunlike CRI98 warm white 2700K 1325lm 350mA 39.6V 52 LEDs 22.05in/56cm module (721lm/ft 7.6W/ft)
  13. LumiBar-26-3098+ Toshiba-SSC LED Strip Sunlike CRI98 cold white 5700K 730lm 175mA 39.6V 26 LEDs 11.02in/28cm module (795lm/ft 7.6W/ft)
  14. LumiBar-52-3098+ Nichia LED Strip Optisolis CRI99 D65 cold white 6500K 28PPF 1480lm 350mA 37.5V 52 LEDs 22.05in/56cm module (806lm & 7.2W/ft)
  15. LumiBar-52-3098+ Toshiba-SSC LED Strip Sunlike CRI98 cold white 5700K 1390lm 350mA 37.5V 52 LEDs 22.05in/56cm module (757lm/ft 7.3W/ft)
  16. LumiBar-52-3098+ Nichia LED Strip Optisolis CRI99 D50 pure white 5000K 1504lm 28PPF 350mA 37.5V 52 LEDs 22.05in/56cm module (819lm & 7.2W/ft)
 
 

Share: