At the forefront of healthy lighting environments

“When the sun rises in the morning, we wake up and become alert, and when it sets in the evening, our bodies signal that we should start to relax. But these days we don’t always follow that pattern. Over the last 150 years, in step with industrialisation, artificial light has made it possible for us to work even after the sun has set,” says Mandus Rudholm.

Mandus is a sales representative at Proton Lighting and recognises a growing interest in creating good lighting environments in, among others, healthcare and industry – because light affects both the body and the mind, as well as ergonomics and performance.

“Light is very frequently a real occupational health and safety concern. Improper lighting can, for example, lead to squinting, glare and tension. Light is also an interesting issue for leadership since good lighting is conducive to healthier employees who perform better,” says Mandus.

4,000 K (kelvin) is the most common light at a workplace, but some luminaires from Proton provide up to 6,500 K, which is perceived as extremely bright and cool.

“This can be compared to a sunny winter’s day outdoors when the sky is bright blue, and the light can reach up to 10,000 K outside. When it comes to working, we are more productive and focused in cooler light,” says Mandus.

Yet sometimes we have different needs, such as in a meeting where a more relaxed atmosphere is beneficial. Mandus dims the lights in the room and we experience a comfortable 2,700 K.

“This is roughly the same light as at sunrise and sunset. In this type of light we are more sociable and it’s easier to resolve conflicts,” says Mandus.

The range offered by Proton Lighting in the Tunable White segment is expanding rapidly, and enables lighting to be adjusted – through various settings – to follow the daylight outside.

“This will continue to grow and I imagine that schools stand a lot to gain by using Tunable White. Allowing teachers to adjust the light in the classroom based on what pupils will be doing would make a big difference in, for instance, promoting concentration or resolving conflicts,” says Mandus.

Another important consideration when it comes to light quality is the degree of colour rendering. For example, you don’t want a nasty surprise when you leave a clothing store and see that your new shirt has a totally different shade of colour in the daylight than in the fitting room. In the manufacturing industry, the correct colour temperature is necessary in order to assess colours during production. And, in healthcare, the right colour rendering may even be of vital importance.

“If colour rendering is poor, you cannot see red properly, which means that a doctor may not be able to assess wounds and infections accurately.

According to Mandus, Proton Lighting makes a difference in all the aforementioned situations, since the company is at the forefront when it comes to daylight compensation, various controls, dimming, and colour rendering.

“Our mission is to help customers produce the right light quality, and I really feel that we provide excellent products,” says Mandus.