Tips From The Top

If you need evidence how the quality of light affects people’s well-being, just take a look around Jackson Hole these early spring days. It may still be cold, and there’s still snow, but we’re all walking a little lighter – because, well, there’s so much more light.

Lighting designers like Lutron are making a strong case for the power of “Human Centric Lighting” to improve well-being and increase productivity. And while there’s some debate about the actual definition of the term, Human Centric Lighting is generally seen as a holistic understanding of the way light can be designed to best complement our lives. In general,people prefer spaces with daylight availability. Visual connections to the outdoors have been shown to decrease stress, improve memory, and increase attention. Human Centric Lighting uses the basic idea that lighting changes throughout the day and the year, and then mimics that change with indoor lighting to naturally balance our activity.

With a Lutron human centric lighting system, personal controls and streamlined automation create the exact environment for the people in the space. Lutron's intuitive Vue software runs the automated system. Sensors adjust lights and shades to meet pre-set environmental conditions automatically. Lights turn on and off automatically, and shades raise and lower, depending on the pre-set requirements for the day. Changes can also be made on the spot. The system is operated with one control, wired or wireless, available in a range of designs. Shades work with the lights to save energy, take advantage of natural daylight and views, and alleviate glare. Indoors, Lutron’s Ketra Natural Light mimics sunlight, shifting in intensity and color temperature throughout the day.

Not surprisingly, Human Centric Lighting can make a huge difference in productivity and comfort in the workplace – while saving energy, too. Early studies show that, in workplaces where Human Centric Lighting is utilized, productivity increases in measureable, significant ways. At the American Society of Interior Design’s new headquarters inWashington, D.C., the lighting program adjusts the lighting based on the season and sun positioning, weather conditions, naturally occurring daylight, and how many people are in the room. The attention to lighting is worth it – the ASID reports their light bill has reduced by almost 80%, using this combination of natural daylight, light tuning, sensors, and user control.

To learn more about how your home or business can benefit from Human Centric Lighting, call us at Jackson Hole AV. We’d love to discuss the possibilities.