Lighting, Health, Productivity

Millward Brown, Chicago, Illinois, USA - www.hok.com 

There are numbers of light used in the working areas depending on the function of the space. Access to natural, view and daylight are some of the features that are incorporated when the building was designed. However, not every space can receive natural lighting. Artificial lighting is taking in place.

Are you having headache? 

Do you feel your productivity have been affected by light?

Artificial light contents not only visible light but also ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR). Depending on level of the UV and IR lamps or light fixtures have, this could be harmful for the skin and the eyes. Office space are created to help the company grow, adapt, improve, and innovate. The most important is to support performance.

Performance = Ability x Motivation x Opportunity 

Light affect the color, and variability of of the environment. Colors will promote desired behaviors and feelings depends on psychological reactions. The following are some of the examples how light affect the working performance.

• Brighter colors are associated with higher focus and task accuracy. 
• Blue is calming and cooling, promoting metal control and clear, creative thinking. 
• Pink lessens feeling of irritation, aggression, loneliness, discouragement and burden. 
• Red enhances feelings of strength and energy; it is associated with vitality and ambition. 
• Yellow makes people feel clear-headed and alert, allowing for clear thinking for decision making. 
• Orange helps ease emotions and boost self-esteem. it creates enthusiasm for life. 

Sony Mobile, Atlanta, Georgia, USA - www.hok.com

Not all the colors above are used as lamps or light fixture colors, but the mixture uses of different colors in the workplace will increase the design technique. This not only help users to identify circulation but also to change character of space. 

Light features affect environment

Some people are sensitive of lights, especially the energy-saving lamps (mainly compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and light emitting diodes (LEDs) that had been brought to replace incandescent light fixtures. The energy-saving lamps had made the symptoms worse and played a role in a wide range of diseases. 

However, LEDs had improved the color range to decrease the symptoms or disease. To increased the performance with the usage of light designer will need to combine the lighting levels with appropriate colors. This will also increase the level of the interest and will result of improve the work productivity. 

Reference:
Certified Products. n.d. Energy Star. Retreated from www.energystar.gov.
Health Effects of Artificial Light. 2012. Health and Consumers. Retreated from www.ec.europa.eu.
Workplace Strategies that Enhance Performance, Health and Wellness. 2016. HOK. Retreated from www.hok.com.