From Volume 2 Issue 4 of Connected.
Whether you are aware of it or not, the color of our lighting, or color temperature, has a substantial biological impact on your physical and mental well-being. Variations in color temperature can affect perception, concentration, creativity, mood, health and so much more.
To give an example of the psychological impact that lighting has, imagine a cozy area — maybe it is a comfortable couch or your favorite reading nook. The area is illuminated by a single lamp. What is the color of the light coming from the lamp? Most would respond that the light was warm toned and there is a reason for it.
Each color temperature variation has a different biological impact and purpose depending on its location. According to Psychology Today, natural and warm temperature lighting with lower Kelvin ranges creates a more cozy and relaxing atmosphere while promoting a higher level of creativity. Cool temperature lighting with higher Kelvin ranges is better for stimulating focus and feeling alert or active. A warm color temperature is typically between 2000 to 3500 Kelvin (K) and appears to have a yellow or orange hue. Cool color temperatures range from 4200 to 6500K and look more bluish in color. Neutral color temperatures range from 3500 to 4200K and balance between the two temperatures, appearing white in color.
Effective lighting is a delicate balance of design, functionality, energy efficiency and safety while trying to achieve the desired psychological effect for its purpose and environment. Residential homes, hotels, bars, restaurants and retail spaces typically use warmer temperature lighting to make the environment feel more comfortable and relaxing. Factories, warehouses, stadiums and even healthcare facilities utilize white or cooler lighting temperatures to ensure the highest level of visibility, clarity and safety.
Color temperature plays a crucial role and there are negative psychological and physical impacts if the temperature does not fit the environment. A restaurant or hotel room with too cool of lighting temperatures can make the space feel sterile and unwelcoming. A warehouse fitted with too warm of lighting temperature reduces alertness in workers and poses high levels of safety concerns due to decreased visibility. Although there are no specific requirements for color temperature, there are guidelines for the level of brightness dependent on the facility and area. BFW reports that lighting brightness standards can even vary from room to room. Patient rooms within a hospital have an illumination standard, or lx, of 50-100, much lower than required in an operating room that ranges from 20,000-40,000.
The unique lighting needs and requirements for a facility is based on the functionality of an area. Prior to recent advancements in the industry, lighting versatility was provided by hosting several different applications with variations in color temperature and brightness. This would significantly increase user cost due to equipment needed, energy consumption and maintenance required to utilize multiple applications. Now, lighting companies have been in the process of manufacturing a single lighting application that can provide flexible, on-demand changes to color temperature and brightness. With their newest product line of indoor field-adjustable lighting, RAB® offers applications with extreme versatility in sizing, mounting, color temperature, brightness and energy consumption.
Kirby Risk Lighting Manager Kip Anderson comments, “RAB’s Field Adjustable Light is a single fixture that can take the place of nine. It can be used in almost any area of a facility and can be changed on the spot to fit the customer’s needs. Take the RBAY 17 for example. It is extremely versatile with the ability to change wattage, color temperature and save energy all with a click of a button.”