Office lighting: Technical opportunities for a healthier working environment

Humans need daylight. Having evolved in daylight for millions of years, the phenomenon of spending large amounts of time working indoors beneath artificial light is, in evolutionary terms, very recent. This sudden transition comes with compromise: it’s scientifically proven that daylight and healthy artificial light sources directly affect our health and sense of wellbeing. Our physiology is heavily affected by daily and seasonal changes in the visible light spectrum.

Exposure to light sources outside of the natural light spectrum increases risk of ‘civilization diseases’ (cancer, diabetes, obesity and infectious disease). In the face of such enormous and critical challenges, the lighting industry is abuzz with terms like human-centric lighting (HCL) – lighting that benefits peoples’ physical and emotional health. How can designers use modern tools and scientific understanding to best promote our health and wellbeing in the modern workplace?