Developing, implementing & testing a new human centric office lighting.
The purpose of the project
The purpose of the project was to test tthree different parts of future light solutions at Innovation Skånes office at Ideon Science Park in Lund:
- Are there any benefits to rent this type of solution?
- What are the effects of human centric light on the office workers?
- Also, is it possible to rent lighting that includes todays and future upgrades?
Chosen solution
Apart from the technology and actual light sources needed, BrainLit also provided the possibility of renting their solution for a fixed price per month, and they worked with “light recipes” to configure the light to mimic daylight (the Human Centric Light part of the project).
In the beginning, the solution covered almost our entire office space area, mainly divided into three parts with individual setting options (about 200 square meters, including meeting rooms, but excluding one smaller part that didn’t meet the requirement for installing this new light, i.e. it didn’t have a suitable ceiling).
This development project included three basic components declared early in the project:
– Development of ”light recipes” that are activity based and human centric, and updates
– Keep the option open for implementation of sensors and/or more/better light sources
– Evaluation of the office workers and how they perceive the light – before and after any changes
The following key activities were carried out:
- 2016 Installation done in April. The light could in most rooms be controlled from warm white to cold white by pressing the buttons in the panel in the wanted area. The other rooms had predefined buttons corresponding to either controlling the light level in percent or colour.
- 2017-02-14 Exchanging the troffers and introducing a motion sensor in the main corridor (Purpose: Light up the corridor automatically when the first person arrives in the morning and turn off automatically when no one is in the office.)
- 2017-04-10 Questionnaire number one sent out to our staff
- 2017-04-12 Software upgrade with a new user interface of the touch panels (design called bulls-eye). A function called ”AutoLit” was introduced and that feature activated “the dynamical light” sequence that was programmed to follow a typical sunny day in April. (Purpose: Make the solution easier to use and to help users customise the light.)
- 2017-05-29 Training and information about the new user interface with the staff.
- 2017-06-05 Upgrade of all the drivers and increase of frequency (Purpose: Try to minimise flicker).
- 2017-09-29 Questionnaire number two sent out to our staff.
- 2017-10-19 Performed an objective “measurement” using a risk assessment method for visual ergonomics, VERAM (Visual Ergonomics Risk Analysis Method).
- 2018-04-20 – Questionnaire number three sent out to our staff.
Collaborating partners
- BrainLit (light sources, upgrades, sensors, control system)
- Consultant performing measurement using a risk assessment method for visual ergonomics, VERAM
Technical specifications
(To be updated)
Measurable effects
VERAM consists of two main parts. The first part is a subjective questionnaire with questions regarding the individual’s problem such as eyestrain and headache, but also their rating of the visual environment. This is covered by the questionnaires sent out to the staff.
The second objective part is performed by the assessors and consists of
- measuring the illuminance and luminance
- rating of the visual environment and various risks (risk of glare, flicker, work task, daylight, work posture etc.)
- Feedback from the subjective part, the light measurements and the ratings
- Recommendations
Here are some of the most important results of the questionnaire:
- Many felt “tiredness” in the eyes, but that has almost completely disappeared (80% never experience this today)
- Some still feel some eye strain (but it has decreased)
- Around 15-20% feels that the light is ”too strong/sharp” and that there is glare. This is confirmed visual environment report.
- Very few experienced physical pain in neck, back, shoulder etc and as a consequence we don’t feel that it affects our work ability
- 70% thinks that the amount of light is sufficient
> For full report please visit Knowledgebase in the main menu.
Lessons learnt
- It is a lower “risk” to try this type of new lighting solution (HCL) when renting it because it is constantly upgraded. This is a real benefit and important to keep in mind, especially now when the development and improvement of LED solutions happens so fast
- The contract can be ended, and you don’t have to handle the old equipment. Just make sure to include who is demounting it after use.
- It has been hard to keep a fixed area (we expanded our office) to use for the evaluation during these two years and in our company, we have few people that are at the office every day.
- The new way of contract by renting the light seems to be a unique solution and have rendered in lots of interest, especially since we are not a private company.
- By renting the light, one part of this agreement was to upgrade the light (both hardware and software) constantly. During this time period we are now into a third generation of lighting solutions partly based on the evaluations made and partly on what has been new on the market during the time of operation.
- This office solution has been a great marketing tool for BrainLit, where our visitors got a chance to see this solution and wanted to learn more about the concept. This has been shown to our guests and external visitors approx. 50 times so far
In future projects like this it would be wise to set up a “comparison”-room to be able to compare old lighting with the new solution. We got that by coincidence, but that was just luck. We also would have focused more on the user interface of the panels and tried to make them easier to use, achieving better involvement from the office workers
Date of opening: April 2016 (probably closes or moves Q2 2019)
Visiting info
Innovation Skåne office:
Ideon alfa house
Scheelevägen 15
223 63 Lund
Other
BrainLit uses this project on their web site:
Innovation Skåne office: http://brainlit.se/en/case/kontor/innovationsbolag/
Other interesting media about bio-centric light (human centric light)
School: http://brainlit.se/en/customer-references/education/
Apartment: https://www.svtplay.se/klipp/15279773/har-ar-bostaden-dar-varsolen-skiner-varje-morgon (available until 21st September in Swedish)
The future (Is it possible to scale up? What other areas could benefit from this solution?)
Since we are moving to a new office, we hope to be able to continue with this type of dynamic light solution. The solution has proven very flexible and scalable, although we are not looking at expanding any more at the moment.
The technology has matured during the project, and we will analyse the responses from the questionnaires and the written report with recommendations and try to follow the steps to make our future office even better to work in.
We have seen some improvements, but the system still needs to change to be able to benefit from all the positive effects of the light.
An interesting effect from using a new business model, where we rent the lighting etc, where we as a tenant could get new lighting solutions even if the landlord is not willing to invest in this kind of solutions in existing buildings. This both opens a new market for future lighting solutions and also a possibility for new sources of possible value-based sources of income from users where effects other that reduction in energy use can be the new win-win solutions.
One thing we have already recognised is that we have to work on the interior as well as the light to be able to get a better overall office environment.
Contact info
Email: fredrik.malmberg@innovationskane.com
Phone: +46 735877031
Visiting address: Innovation Skåne´s office:
IDEON science park (alfa house)
Scheelevägen 15, 223 63 Lund
