Brighter Spaces Energize Minds! 5 Tips for Choosing the Best Lighting for Your Commercial or Residential Space
Aug 17, 2020
Last Updated
August 17, 2020 at 11:09:46 p.m.
Everyone is becoming increasingly aware of how lighting affects a room. Think romantic candles in a restaurant that open up hearts (and wallets!) or bright lights that turn up the energy at the gym.
Lighting is critically important. It can make a big difference in how a room looks, feels and functions.
Besides being energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have many other benefits, especially when it comes to creating the right ambience for your space.
Case Study: The American Society of Interior Designers
Interior designers pay attention to all the specific details of a room, often ones not seen by the general public. Since lighting is a key component of a space, it is often configured into the overall formula for ideal interior design.
An interesting case in point is a research report recently published by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). The organization recently analyzed the effects of their move on employees at their new upgraded headquarters in Washington, D.C. and published the results of their findings.
Along with air quality and workplace design improvements, the study cited lighting upgrades as a primary factor in improving employee health, wellness, work performance and overall satisfaction.
Besides improving the health and productivity of their employees, the design upgrades also affected the organization’s bottom line through an increased return-on-investment (ROI). Preliminary calculations indicated that the company will recoup its investment in the first half of its 10-year lease agreement for all the upgrades, not just the lighting.
And on top of that, 25 per cent of employees attribute enhanced lighting at the new office space for their improved sleep quality!
3 Steps for Choosing The Best Lighting for Your Space
LEDs can provide a significant upgrade to any workplace, store or learning environment. Here are 3 steps you can start today to begin the process:
Step 1: Understand “Colour Temperature”
Colour temperature is an important concept to understand when choosing lighting. It is measured by the warmth or coolness of colours expressed by units called kelvins.
Lights that measure under 5000 K are considered to be “warm” while higher values over 5000 K are considered to be “cool”.
Step 2: Pick the Ideal Colour Temperature for Your Space
The right colour temperature for a room depends largely on its purpose. To illustrate this in an interesting way, consider the wrong choices, i.e. fluorescent strip lighting for a pub or romantic candles during a board meeting.
Clearly, color temperature makes a big difference! Bright high-temperature lights are ideal in offices, hospitals & grocery stores while lower temperature lights are better suited in social environments and residential spaces.
Step 3: Choose the Right Lighting Fixtures and Configuration
This final step requires expert consultation in order to dial in the right amount of light in the right areas of your space.
Some areas may have more natural light than others, and other areas (like social spots and lunchrooms) may not require very bright lights. Determining the right size and locations of your lighting can be tricky, often requiring expert advice that can make a big difference in the final result.
Radiance Energy Can Help You Choose Lights That Bring the Ideal Amount of Energy To Your Space
With over 20 years of management experience in working with clients, Radiance Energy can help you find solutions that will save money, increase property value and create the best lighting conditions for your commercial or residential space.
Schedule an audit today so we can provide you with recommendations for a brighter space, increased cost-savings and a greener future!
