Improving Illumination Quality Using LED Lamps and Fixtures

This article is written by Stephen A. Roosa, Ph.D. The stated objective of this paper was
to debunk the myths surrounding light quality measurements, explores the examines the
foundations of LED fixtures and lamps, their uses, and their potential for usage in the future. The
first thing to address are the basic indicators of light quality and the physiological reactions of
humans to light. These parameters include visual comfort probability, color temperature, and
color rendering index. The development of lighting technologies is also examined, with an
emphasis on chances to switch out current bulbs or fixtures with LED ones. Also covered are
popular methods for enhancing light quality.

The first part of the article is discussing what are the Physiological Responses of humans
to light. Human eyes have evolved to adapt vision to a variety of wide-ranging light
circumstances. In terms of the physiological effects of light, the relationship between spectral
quality (with possible interacting wavelength effects from polychromatic light), intensity,
duration, timing, and photic history needs to be clarified with respect to the specific response of
interest. For translation into practice, though, outcome-wide research will be beneficial to
generalize the effects of light on humans (and their ecosystems). More studies are also necessary
for better understanding the impact of mediating factors that affect the actual light levels
reaching the retina. These include pupil responses, gaze and aversion behaviors and individual
practices (e.g. use of directly viewed electronic displays). Finally, there needs to be translational
research where objective physiological measures are assessed and compared in response to
different photic stimuli in realistic lighted applications. Humans have a very surprising response
to any light that they can see. Many studies proved that ultraviolet rays are the one that makes
people feel good. UV Rays are also the one that helps people release beta-endorphins. On the
negative side, too much exposure to high UV lights ranging 10 nm – 40 nm can also be very
harmful to humans. Aside from UV rays, there are also lamps that emits higher levels of blue
lights. This blue lights can help humans to bring out serotonin that makes them more focused on
the things that they might be doing. Lamps that emit no or lesser levels of blue light waves allow
for our brains to naturally produce melatonin, causing us to feel relaxed and drowsy. In this
article it is clearly discussed that there are positive and negative effects of lights to humans.
Ways to measure light quality

Numerous physiological processes, including as circadian entrainment and phase shifting

of the circadian system, neuroendocrine control, sleep, alertness, learning and memory, mood,
and pupillary responses, are all significantly influenced by light. The quality of lights and how it
is constructed has a huge impact that can affect human behaviors and attitudes. There are a lot of
ways on how to measure light qualities and this section intends to discuss it one by one.

The first way is measuring the color temperature. Color temperature is a way to describe
the light appearance provided by a light bulb. The lights color temperature informs us of the
appearance and texture of the light it will create. Color temperature is one of the most important
thing to consider on choosing a LED light source. The warmth or coolness of light is what we
mean when we talk about color temperature. Cooler light is more blue, whereas warmer light is
more yellow. A "standard" "White" LED doesn't exist. When buying your fixtures, you must
decide if you want warm or chilly light. Every kinds of lighting differs in color temperature.

The second way and also one of the most important way of measuring light quality is
color rendering index. The measurement of how light influences how you see color is called the
color rendering index. Your home's look is greatly influenced by your understanding of the CRI
of your bulbs and fixtures. A clear introduction and discussion of CRI is presented on the journal
article to make the readers fully understand the concept of CRI.

The third and last way of measuring light is the Visual Comfort Probability. VCP is the
rating of a lighting system expressed as the percentage of people who, when viewing from a
specified location and in a specified direction, will be expected to find it acceptable in terms
of discomfort glare. The rating scale of VCP starts from 0-100. This rating is only applied to
indoor light fixtures. In this section of the article it discusses the VCP it rates and percentage and
how it will differ from each other and also how it affects the occupants of an area.
Best Light Quality

There are a lot of things to consider before we describe the lights whether it has a Best
Quality or Poor Quality. To distinguish what kind of light can deliver the best quality lighting, it
is important to consider its luminaire and lamp selection according to Energy Engineers.
Numerous varying circumstances might make light quality challenging. Asking questions about
what light quality is considered to be perfect is kind of difficult to answer. This is due to the fact
that depending on the design criteria, different light qualities are preferable for inhabited spaces.
Actually, there isn't a light quality that works perfectly for everyone and everything. Light
quality may be complicated by a variety of variable factors.

Light Quality in the era of COVID-19 pandemic

Home offices and homeschooling are becoming more common in this period of the
global Covid-19 epidemic. It might be difficult to improve the lighting in certain settings. Many
of them were hardly ever created for these uses, and the illumination in these areas varies greatly.
To further complicate matters, current ambient lighting is sometimes insufficient for use in home
offices or classrooms, necessitating the addition of additional light sources. In this journal article
it is presented that having natural light available and providing ways to diffuse the ambient light
entering the occupied space can improve light quality. Effective solutions must avoid producing
strong shadows, illuminate the entire area without causing excessive glare or contrast, and keep
the light sources away from the duties. One of the major office providers in the nation, the U.S.
General Services Administration (GSA), is aware that each sort of work environment needs a
particular quantity of light to boost employee performance. 500 lumens/m2 is the recommended
office lighting level for a typical workstation. The GSA suggests that fluorescent ceiling fixtures
offer the best office lighting.

Fundamentals of lamps and fixtures

The need for high-quality lighting solutions encourages the lighting sector to innovate
continuously. Newer and better lights and fixtures are continually becoming accessible because
to the advancements in lighting technologies. The goal has been to gradually increase the quality
and longevity of lighting fixtures, lower the price of lamps and luminaires, as well as cut back on
energy consumption and maintenance expenses. The evolution of lighting technology over the
past ten years has resulted in significant changes that energy managers have seen. There are
different types of lamps that is presented in this journal article.

For usage in interior settings, a broad range of light technologies are available. These
include low- and high-pressure sodium, mercury vapor, and metal halide high-intensity discharge
(HID) lamps, as well as incandescent and halogen lamps (incandescent lamps that use halogen
gas), fluorescents (such as T-12 fluorescents with magnetic ballasts, T-8 and T-5 fluorescents
with electronic ballasts, and compact fluorescents), and fluorescents. These include older LED
bulbs that have a broad range of output and light color options, as well as modern LED lamps.
Watts, which simply refer to the amount of energy required to operate the bulb, are used to rate
lamps.

LED Lamps

One of the most energy-efficient lighting systems available now for widespread usage is
LED lighting. Although we often refer to LEDs as lights, this is incorrect. LEDs are really
semiconductors that, when charged by an electric current, generate infrared or visible light. An
LED lamp often has a lot of different light-emitting diodes within. LED Lamps have a lot of
benefits. There are high-quality LED bulbs available that are more durable and more compared
to many other forms of lighting, they are strong, work in more challenging environmental
circumstances, and provide equivalent or superior light quality. LED lighting sources emit more
light while consuming less power. The energy efficiency of LED lights has increased by around
50% during the past five years. They create less heat because they consume less power, which
reduces the demand for indoor air conditioning. Other advantages come with using LED lighting.
Due to their smaller weight than many other types of bulbs, LED lamps need less shipping. Do
not include substances like mercury that might be dangerous to the environment. Since they don't
require ballasts, less material will need to be recycled after their operational life is through.
Replacing existing lighting with LED’s

There are several benefits of switching to LED lighting technologies in place of current
bulbs or luminaires. The expenses of maintaining modern lighting systems rise along with power
rates. Energy expenses are just one factor that facility owners and energy managers take into
account when trying to save expenditures. The price of routinely changing bulbs and ballasts,
typically after failure, is included in maintenance expenses. When facility owners install new
lighting technologies, their goals include achieving light level and quality standards, cutting
power use and associated expenses, and also lowering labor and material costs associated with
maintenance. LED lamps are available that serve as direct replacements for many types of lamps,
including incandescent and tubular fluorescent lamps.

LED Lamps and Luminaires

Applications for LED lamps can be categorized. While diffused LED lights work best for
indication applications (pointing things out), clear LED lamps are often beneficial for
illumination (shining light onto something) [11]. Both warm white and cool white LED lights are
readily accessible and frequently used for general area illumination. Color temperatures for
warm white LED bulbs generally range from 2700°K to 3500°K. Color temperatures for spot
lighting applications can reach 5000°K in commercially available lamps. The majority of LEDs
have CRIs of 80 or more, while some manufacturers assert that their LEDs have CRIs as high as
98. LED luminaires are available for exterior lighting, area lighting, spot lighting, specialty and
high-bay lighting applications. LED lamps are capable of producing white light by combining
emitted colors and using phosphor coatings. LED lamps are available in both warm and cool
white varieties which are often for area lighting. The brightness of these lamps can be readily
controlled by varying voltage or using resisters which broadens their suitability for specific uses.

Common uses for LED retrofits include interior illumination for educational facilities,
office buildings, and governmental buildings. Existing buildings may have fixtures that employ
LED, halogen, fluorescent, or incandescent lighting. Common uses for LED retrofits include
interior illumination for educational facilities, office buildings, and governmental buildings. For
a variety of outside uses, such as landscape lighting, security lighting, parking lots, underpasses,
street lighting, wall packs, signs, holiday illumination, etc., LED fixtures are available. These
include illumination applications in somewhat moist, muggy, or chilly outdoor settings.

Trends and Opportunities for LED Lighting Systems

Although LED lights have greater efficiencies, fluorescent systems continue to be the
most used technology for lighting up commercial buildings. This makes LED lighting systems
retrofittable in the future. According to predicted trends, LED lamps and luminaires will
continue to take market share in the lighting industry that is already growing. One explanation is
that many different types of tube fluorescent bulbs are being directly replaced with LED lamps,
which are now being produced. More crucially, while costs and efficacies for rival technologies
are stagnant, LEDs' costs are falling and their performance is advancing. LED technologies are
virtually entirely employed in newly built facilities, in part because of these tendencies. The
tariffs imposed on Chinese imports that started in 2018 are in opposition to this trend; they have
driven up the price of several LED items, notably lamps.
 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15502724.2021.1872383#:~:text=The
%20physiological%20effects%20of%20light%20are%20mediated%20by%20the%20eye,1).

https://www.westinghouselighting.com/colortemperature.aspx#:~:text=What%20is
%20color%20temperature%3F,scale%20from%202000K%20to%206500K.