Poor lighting is one of the common problems faced by schools around the world. No wonder, substandard lighting conditions are observed in many Indian educational institutes as well.
Improper illumination causes eye fatigue for pupils and obstructs concentration. As a result, students fail to grasp the lessons or what is being taught to them. The only way to overcome this problem is to integrate a good indoor LED lighting system. LEDs are adjustable, cost-saving, energy-efficient, and eco-friendly with anti-glare and colour-accuracy properties.
Today, there are different types of LEDs available in the market. Not only this, but solar lighting is also a kind of lighting to illuminate spaces by harnessing the energy from the Sun.
However, installing them in a classroom needs planning, size evaluation and many other things. In this write-up, we have covered everything to know about classroom lighting. Look further to get better insights on the same.
Table of Contents
Things to consider for an ideal classroom lighting
- Uniformity:
One of the important factors to keep in mind while illuminating classrooms is uniformity. Achieving the mandated illuminance of 500 lux is necessary to make the space clearly visible. For this, artificial and natural lighting must be taken into consideration.
LEDs are the prime source of artificial illumination within spaces. Classrooms must include modern LED lighting which is cost-effective, sustainable, energy-efficient, and glare-free to promote a great teaching and learning experience. Wider windows can also be installed into the space to welcome natural lighting. Even solar lighting can be availed by installing solar panels to reap maximum benefits in spaces where natural lighting is not available.
By using different types of illumination sources, one can brighten every nook and corner of the classroom uniformly.
- Colour Accuracy
Colour accuracy is essential for classrooms to appear soothing. For this, referring to the CRI (Colour Rendering Index) to measure the ability of a light source to reveal the true shades of objects is recommended.
Sunlight has a power of 100%. Usually, classrooms have a CRI of 80%, except for some which are used for art and painting. Such rooms require a CRI of 90%. Hence, installing the luminaires with the right colour temperature or accuracy is crucial to the objective of the space.
- Beam Angle
Classrooms must be filled with multiple luminaires with small beam angles. This will have an indirect lighting effect which will further prevent glaring and distracting shadows that might develop concentration challenges.
Furthermore, optimal lighting will be achieved in the classroom even when the desks are rearranged during certain learning activities.
- Visual Comfort
Indoor lighting systems must provide visual comfort to the students, teachers and other staff members. The light emitted by the indoor lighting fixtures should be glare-free with the right colour temperature.
Many schools are now considering smart LED solutions with data monitoring, motion sensors, and connectivity to control illumination accordingly. Even Human Centric Lighting is taken into account to regulate the circadian rhythm of students and employees. This works as the light enters the eye, wherein it travels through the hypothalamus, which regulates the circadian rhythm by secreting various chemical messengers like cortisol, etc. This cycle has a positive impact on the physiological and psychological aspects of human bodies and minds.
As a result, students will not feel sleepy during class or within the premises. Top lighting manufacturers offer Human Centric Lighting systems. One such destination is Wipro Lighting. Their inSync ™ is a great lighting solution to stimulate energy and alertness and create a great synergy between mind, body, and light. One can check the website to explore the products and get to know a whole new world of sources of advanced illumination.
