The modern office is not just a workplace where we sit at our desks. We jump between meetings, workshops, creative sessions and relax area for coffee breaks and networking. The flexible way of working has new requirements for the modern office and the lighting required within.

This is critical, given that the average office employee spends approximately 90% of their day indoors. The human body relies upon the circadian rhythm; an instinct based on the natural light that tells us when to sleep and when to be awake, and constant exposure to artificial illumination has a counteractive effect.

For that reason, more and more workplaces have embraced smart lighting, and in doing so, enabled a more comfortable environment for employees. Smart lighting boosts productivity, creates a functional and welcoming atmosphere, and enhances comfort and mental health. 

Human-centric lighting, or HCL, is an important term within the professional lighting world. Significant research has been dedicated to studying the effects of lighting to our well-being. To this end, an increasing number of businesses are investing in human-centric lighting. The global market value of this technology is expected to reach $3.91 billion by the year 2024.

This is money wisely spent, as human-centric lighting is critical to keeping up with our ever changing lifestyle. Until around 200 years ago, human beings spent 90% of our waking hours outside, enjoying natural light. This has now been reversed, with 90% of the time now unfolding indoors – under the glare of artificial illumination.

Indoor lighting remains essential, but so is the quality of light. Inappropriate or low quality light settings can have a severe impact on our health and wellbeing

Offices today are being designed and built differently than ever before. With sustainability, wellness and smart building applications as three of the main driving forces behind “today’s” building, it is necessary to provide infrastructures that allow for these goals to be achieved along with providing a backbone that will allow for the built space to easily adapt for the demands of tomorrow. Since 2010, the smartengine platform has been helping customers enable their space to have an infrastructure that does just that.

In a world of constant change, the concept of sustainability is increasingly incorporated into our daily lives. And not least into construction projects – where exciting new approaches to green building design and refurbishments aim to reduce environmental impact and gain alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. A building is no longer simply a structure prepared for human activities, but also a place designed to optimize space and material use while actively improving its occupants’ health and well-being.

Occupancy sensors detect the motion or presence of an individual to control lights, adjust temperature and/or ventilation. In more sophisticated solutions, occupancy sensors can do much more.

COVID-19 has focused in on what the office is now for, as well as making the strengths and limitations of at home work environments visible. As hybrid workplaces take a broader shape, companies need to think about how to facilitate meetings and collaboration with a mix of in-person and remote employees. Telepresence tech, flexible spaces and work pods.

Ashrae Standard 90.1 has been a benchmark for commercial building energy codes in the United States and Canada. It offers, in detail, the minimum energy efficiency requirements for design and construction of new buildings and their systems, new portions of buildings and their systems, and new systems and equipment in existing buildings.

The Crestron SolarSync Photosensor (GLS-LCCT) is a daylight sensor with a correlated color temperature (CCT) and luminous intensity meter. When mounted outdoors or in an area with plenty of natural light, the Crestron SolarSync analyzes the ambient light’s color temperature and directs the indoor lighting to match the detected color.

A standalone lighting controls system is a single or group of devices to control the lighting within an isolated space or area of the building. Networked controls system allow for the communication of the wireless or wired control devices in a single space via a wired backbone to other areas of the building. What does this mean to you?

Wireless lighting systems are made up of physical devices and a communications network that securely collects data and controls the system. The light fixtures are still hard-wired for power, but all communication and data to the in-room devices is done wirelessly. This go-to solution for contractors is relatively new and has pros and cons that come with it.