Lighting for education
Lighting for education
February 25, 2022
February 2022,
A number of research projects prove beyond doubt that environmental conditions in educational institutions significantly affect the health and behaviour of students. These include ventilation, acoustic levels, heating, air quality etc. However, a major contribution to an enabling environment is favourable lighting conditions and appropriate illumination. Optimum illumination, neither too high nor too low, glare reduction and smart lighting controls are some of the ways to ensure safety, energy efficiency and higher motivation among students. A lighting audit carried out at least once a year would help identify areas for improvement with the lighting plan and the potential for savings in energy costs.
Lighting for education
Client: Canadian University
Contractor: Arco Group
Consultant: WWF
An important aspect of lighting systems in Educational Institutions is to upgrade the lighting systems for a significant reduction in energy costs. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) refers to lighting upgrades as “low-hanging fruit” for schools.
Research has shown that the integration of natural light in educational institutions boosts the overall efficiency of the students. Natural light results in a feeling of being alert and wakeful. The adoption of human-centric lighting solution that works in harmony with the earth’s cycle and is programmed to emulate natural daylight would go a long way in improving the motivation, concentration and energy levels of the students.
Canadian University Dubai (CUD) was started in 2006 to bring world-class Canadian Education System to the city of Dubai. It is ranked #1 in Dubai and #25 in the Arab region. It has more than 50+ international academic partners and 40+ accredited programs and concentrations with students from more than 120 nationalities. CUD now has expanded to a new state-of-the-art campus located in Dubai’s iconic City Walk district.
CUD’s next-generation campus includes a host of state-of-the-art amenities that combine all the essential elements of technology and it aims to create a totally new experience for students, enabling more diverse academic offerings, growing student community, quality learning and recreational facilities. The newly developed campus is designed to include a wide range of laboratories for research facilities, media studios, high-tech classrooms, a dedicated student centre, and a variety of dining and entertainment options on and around the campus. Its ideal location, vibrant community and contemporary architecture make it the best place for students to learn, innovate and explore.
Creation was tasked with the design and supply of light fittings, and lighting controls. The brief was to optimize the number of fixtures to maintain required light levels and uniformity. Experiments were done with various custom fixture options in some areas such as the Library and Student breakout areas and circular custom fixtures were finally selected.
Lighting tips for classroom
A good classroom lighting scheme will make use of natural light as much as possible supplemented by artificial light where necessary. A carefully balanced lighting system will consider a number of factors, including uniformity, glare illuminance, flicker and colour temperature, in order to provide optimal learning conditions. It is also important to factor in sustainability and energy efficiency through the use of proper specifications, right design, management and controls.
