While good lighting can save money, improve the look and feel of your business, and even improve sales, there are some added productivity benefits also. Let’s dive into the science of lighting and employee productivity.
What Does the Data Say About Lighting and Productivity?
The Lighting Research Center at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is at the forefront of producing research on light and its effects on health. Marian Figueiro, Ph.D., the director of the LRC and led a three-year study at five different General Services Administration buildings in the US.
The study found when light exposures are properly applied it can increase alertness and improves productivity.
The best lighting recommendation for health is daylight, but offices do not always have access to natural light.
Not to worry, that situation can be remedied with LED lighting and a daylight color temperature.
Picking the Right LED Lighting
Let’s talk about color temperature and lighting. Color temperature is a unit of measure expressed in kelvins (K)
- At the lower end of the scale, from 2000K to 3000K, the light produced is called “warm white” and ranges from orange to yellow-white in appearance.
- Color temperatures between 3100K and 4500K are referred to as “cool white” or “bright white.” Light bulbs within this range will emit a more neutral white light and may even have a slightly blue tint.
- Above 4500K brings us into the “daylight” color temperature of light. Light bulbs with color temperatures of 4500K and above will give off a blue-white light that mimics daylight.
Unlike fluorescent lighting, with LED lighting your employees will not be subjected to glare, heat from the lighting, lighting flicker, and annoying sounds from defected circuits. Office workers spend most of their time indoors. Why not provide a better comfort level for your employees?
Extra Lighting Benefits
LED lighting not only brings the advantage of healthier employees. From an environmental perspective, LEDs do not contain mercury and therefore have a smaller impact on the environment. Quality LED’s typically last three or four times longer than other choices and they use at least three or four times less electricity. The energy savings are significant, and they also have the advantage of saving maintenance costs.
Energy Select can guide you to the perfect lighting for your office. Our attention to detail to improve your office lighting is customized to your situation. We have an expert team of advisors that will visit your site and can guide you through the process of the Small Business Solutions program offered by SMECO. We are the chosen contractor for St. Mary’s and Calvert counties.
To qualify you must have a commercial meter and use 60kw/month or less. This program offers a rebate of up to 80% on your lighting retrofit. If you are over the 60/kW/month, there are smaller rebates but the payoff is usually within 5 years so it is still a good investment.
After reviewing the information presented, consider giving your employees an edge over the competition with lighting conducive to improved performance.
Works Cited:
- https://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/lightHealth/pdf/GSA_Office_alertness.pdf
- https://www.lrc.rpi.edu/resources/newsroom/pdf/2016-2017/GSA_OfficeLighting_8511.pdf
- https://www.lrc.rpi.edu/aboutUs/index.asp
- https://energyselectllc.com/LED-Lighting
- https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/study-environmental-benefits-leds-greater-cfls
- https://www.opensourcedworkplace.com/news/complete-guide-to-office-lighting-best-practices
- http://www.westinghouselighting.com/
- https://www.smeco.coop/save-energy-and-money/business-solutions/small-business-solutions