Consortium Studies Lighting

Staff -- Consulting-Specifying Engineer, 11/1/2000

While studies have shown a correlation between the well-being of employees and their exposure to brightness, glare and daylight, no causal evidence has conclusively linked lighting to worker productivity.

To help fill in this research gap, the Light Right Consortium, a group of lighting, building and energy organizations, is sponsoring a four-year analysis to try and show that productivity increases with worker-friendly lighting. The research project is being managed by Pacific Northwest Laboratory.

"In the past, good lighting has been undervalued in common practice. We aim to characterize lighting quality and prove its value," says Carol Jones, the consortium's market-transformation team leader.

Participating consortium members include the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, the International Association of Lighting Designers, the Alliance to Save Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.