Lighting plays an important role in schools in many different ways. It can directly affect how well students see and learn; it’s also a significant consumer of a district’s energy. Since schools are ranked—and often financially penalized or rewarded—depending on academic performance and graduation rates, money saved through the installation of a new lighting system is also money available for initiatives that have a direct impact on student performance.
Here are some reasons you should focus in lighting your project in the right way:
Better Light Quality & Output
Many students already have visual problems such as focusing, eye tracking, visual acuity, perception, etc. A lighting upgrade will aid students in properly seeing all areas of the classroom (and the rest of the school). Additionally, an upgrade using LED lighting can effectively reduce glare and flicker, which not only have a negative impact on students, but on teachers as well.This is another case where an LED lighting upgrade would be a benefit since the LEDs will not flicker when fully dimmed.
Healthier Circadian Rhythm
When discussing the benefits of a lighting upgrade, another important topic is circadian rhythm. Our circadian rhythm is an internal, biological clock that helps our bodies determine when to wake up, when to go to sleep, and even when to concentrate and when to relax. When discussing the benefits of a lighting upgrade, another important topic is circadian rhythm. Our circadian rhythm is an internal, biological clock that helps our bodies determine when to wake up, when to go to sleep, and even when to concentrate and when to relax. If your school uses a lighting system that doesn’t align with our natural circadian rhythm, the sleep-wake cycle of both students and staff can get disrupted. This can have a negative effect on the ability to concentrate and may result in additional lateness and absences. On average, students today already sleep approximately two hours less than they did in the past. This is due to reduced exposure to natural daylight, and other factors, like using electronic devices before bedtime. Both of which influence our circadian rhythm. It goes without saying: students who don’t get enough sleep are not able to perform to their full potential in the classroom.
Improvements in Mood and Behavior
Utilizing your lighting system properly can increase focus, aid in concentration and relaxation, and improve the overall mood and behavior in students. Color temperature, for example, can play a huge role in the health of students. Cooler (or bluer) color temperatures (4100K-5000K) in the morning can help students wake up and become more alert, helping with their mental cognition and their ability to learn and understand material. A study completed by the Universities of Mississippi and Texas, respectively, shows that cool color temperatures can improve the behavior of students who are hyperactive or have learning disabilities. This study, carried out at two schools in Germany, investigated the effects of light on student performance. The research found that students working under artificial LED lighting designed to simulate daylight showed improved concentration and classroom performance, with some students even reporting being able to tell the difference in their mood and concentration.
Better Test Scores
There is also growing evidence that LED lighting itself may improve academic performance.
A 2016 study investigated the effects of light on two classrooms of students taking math tests; one classroom was equipped with standard fluorescent lighting, and the other classroom had LED lights that were fitted with an artificial “daylighting” option that mimics natural daylight, similar to the one mentioned previously.
The result: students were more alert and scored significantly higher on tests in the classroom outfitted with simulated daylight-like lighting.
Save Money (and the Planet)
This is usually the first argument for a lighting upgrade in any facility. Energy costs are the second largest operational expense for school districts and lighting accounts for as much as 30 to 50 percent of those costs. A lighting upgrade could potentially cut energy used for lighting by half – in some cases up to 70% — and another 10 to 20 percent for cooling, further reducing energy costs! LEDs are the best “bang-for-your-buck” in terms of a lighting upgrade. You won’t have to worry about replacing yours for years or possibly decades to come. With the price of LEDs dropping more than 85% in recent years, making the switch is easier and more cost-effective than ever, and also provides a much shorter payback period—in some cases payback occurs in as little as three years!
Let us create a better perception of a university lighting scheme by having as example the ‘University of New York Tirana’, the first private university founded in Albania in 2002. We are delighted that they have chosen Vitalux to design the lighting of their new project, which includes the following products:
• Pendant and ceiling professional LED profiles
• Cylindrical downlights and recessed spots
• LED panels
• Track lights with spots
• LED strip
• Recessed LED profiles
The reception area
The recessed profiles, which look great with the wood on the wall, are one of the elements that help to draw attention to the brand. The reception area is the focal point of any project and should receive all of the attention it deserves. Tracklights with adjustable spots are an excellent choice because they can be moved to mix with the project. It is worth noting that one of the most appealing aspects of the University of New York Tirana are the large windows that allow the use of natural light during the day.
Relaxation area
Professional profiles in a ‘Y’ shape are used in the relax area and are also decoratively related to university study programs. The coordinates are represented by ‘Y’ to match programs such as architecture. It is critical in school settings to have enough lighting to accommodate any type of activity that students or academic staff may engage in. And which product can do better than LED profiles that have high lighting efficiency?
Classrooms
The LED panel is a product that is frequently recommended for producing optimal illumination, is inexpensive, and (when used properly) does not harm the eyes. Excellent for increasing focus, improving learning, and seeing everything clearly. Another intriguing feature are the tables and multiple seats that this university thoughtfully placed in the labs to encourage student collaboration and interaction.
Corridors
To avoid disrupting the project, the lighting in these areas is limited, even though some parts of the corridors are lit with spots that “focus the illumination” on the shelves and closets, as well as to the side of the rest benches, to help students orient.
Because it was planned in details ‘University of New York Tirana’ is one of our company’s best lit projects.
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