Lighting is one of the prime considerations in all types of spaces, whether residential or commercial. Similarly, when it comes to an office, the role played by lighting is very crucial to the productivity and well-being of employees.
Hence, if you are looking forward to learning more about office lighting and whether natural light is important for a workplace, this guide can give you a detailed insight. So, let’s read below.
Natural light is essential for an office, and it helps to ensure comfort and productivity among employees. Our body works according to the natural light, and our sleep-wake cycle also has an impact on it. Hence, for an office, it is very important to have some natural light, apart from artificial light.
Benefits of Natural Light in Office:
Natural light brings various benefits to a workplace that are suitable for employees as well as the office; some of these benefits are as follows:
Create a Bright and Welcoming Atmosphere
Natural light helps to enhance the overall aesthetics of the office. The space looks open and spacious. The natural light also makes the office welcoming, leaving a very impressive impression on the visitors and the clients. Hence, it ensures a pleasant working environment for the employees.
Better mood
Exposure to natural light is directly connected to the working mechanisms of the human body. It helps to produce serotonin hormone in the body, which works to enhance mood and relieve stress. Hence, employees who are working in an environment rich in natural lighting are less prone to develop depression or anxiety and have a more positive attitude and mood.
Boost Vitamin D
Sunlight is a very important source of vitamin D, and it helps maintain the health of bones; it even helps to strengthen the immune system. Therefore, when employees receive the right amount of natural light, they are more likely to beat vitamin D deficiency and have healthy bodies.
Reap the Energy Benefits of Daylight Harvesting
Daylight harvesting helps to optimize natural light usage. It means that with the help of the sensors and other controls the need for artificial lighting reduces. This leads to improved energy savings and, hence, the electricity bills and impact on the environment are reduced.
Creates a Connection to the Outdoors
The natural light and outside views allow the employees to stay connected to the outdoor environment. Such a connection helps them have a break from the monotonous environment for a while, and they feel more pleasure while working.
Increases Energy Levels
The circadian rhythms of the body are regulated with the help of natural light. It helps to control the energy levels and sleep-wake cycles. The exposure to natural light throughout the day keeps the employees’ energy levels elevated and offers them alertness. It helps to reduce fatigue, and the employees are more productive during working hours.
Greater Overall Employee Workplace Satisfaction
A work environment which is rich in plenty of natural light allows employees to have improved job satisfaction. The employees feel comfortable and valued as the environment takes care of their well-being, which leads to an increase in the morale of employees.
The Komorebi Effect
The Komorebi effect refers to a calming experience that is offered by sunlighting, which creates light and shadows. It is achieved with the help of natural light and enhances creativity by incorporating a sense of inspiration and peace. It leads to a positive attitude in high-stress working environments.
Higher energy savings
The use of natural sunlight reduces the dependency on artificial lighting which helps to save electricity consumption. Hence, businesses can benefit from reduced energy bills by incorporating natural light in their office environment. Also, a reduction in carbon footprint has been witnessed.
How to Make Your Office More Natural Light-Filled
The office can be filled with natural light in various ways, and some of these tips comprise the following:
Make Your Place More Open
Try to add openness to your space, create an open-plan office, and remove any partitions and walls that are unnecessary. When the space is open with no hindrances, the natural light will travel more into the office and brighten it up.
Setup a Transom Window
Incorporate transom windows in the office, these windows are small-sized windows that are placed above the windows and doors and allow additional natural light to flow into the office.
Design Your Workspace with Mirrors
Enhance the workspace by adding some mirrors. The mirrors will reflect the natural light across the space and position them opposite the windows or in spaces that are darker so that the light distributes evenly.
Think about the Colour Palettes for the Office
Try to keep the color palette of your office neutral; the colors used for furniture, walls, and ceilings should be lighter so that they reflect more natural light and make the space bright.
Choose Commercial Flooring
The flooring of the office must have reflective properties which includes glossy and light-colored tiles that help to bounce the natural light across the office.
Eliminate Obstacles
If the windows in the office are blocked due to furniture or other obstacles, try to remove them so that the natural light is prevented from spreading.
Not Using Blinds or Curtains to Cover Windows
Try not to cover windows using dark-colored curtains or heavy blinds; instead, try to use window treatments that offer light filtering so that the light passes without causing any glare.
Adjust the Artificial Lighting
The artificial light in the office must complement the natural light. Try to install dimmable lights and fixtures that look like daylight so that a comfortable lighting scheme is created.
Putting Up Glass Walls
Incorporating glass walls and glass partitions instead of solid ones helps to allow natural light to penetrate the office. It also creates a sense of openness in the separate work areas.
Maintain a Minimal Design
Create an approach to design the space in a minimalistic way and reduce the clutter by enhancing the natural light flow. Try to keep the workspace organized and clean and use simple furniture.
What To Do In Case Of Insufficient Natural Light?
It happens in various situations where natural light may be lacking in an office space, and to supplement it, you may need high-quality lighting solutions that are close to the natural one.
This requires keeping an eye on the lighting solution, which is equipped with brightness, color temperature, and glare, which is close to natural light. Some of these types of lighting which you can opt for are as follows:
Adjustable Lighting
Adjustable lighting, as the name suggests, is flexible lighting solutions that offer adjustable intensity and light direction. These lights consist of dimming capabilities followed by adjustable heads and arms which can be moved as needed.
Such lighting solutions are suitable for offices as they offer varying illumination levels, and employees may adjust these levels of light according to their requirements. Moreover, the adjustable lighting even helps to reduce eye strain and ensures comfort, which leads to maintaining the focus and productivity of the employees.
Task Lighting:
Task lighting is meant to illuminate the work areas, which are meant to be used for essential tasks. It offers focused light to the activities that require high clarity and precision. This form of lighting is suitable for computer-related work, writing, and reading.
Task lights are suitable for use as desk lamps, as a portable clip-on light or under the cabinets and offer adequate lighting. It is meant to ensure efficiency and productivity at work and also helps cater to personalized lighting setups.
Acoustic Lighting:
Acoustic lighting offers a lighting solution which is meant to combine lighting with materials that are sound-absorbing. These lighting solutions help to reduce the level of noise in an area by offering adequate illumination and are hence suitable for offices with open-plan.
Acoustic lighting is offered in multiple forms, including pendant lights, sound-absorbing panels, or lighting fixtures for the ceiling, which help to enhance the acoustics. The lighting can be integrated, and the sound can be managed, ensuring a comfortable and productive work environment.
Biophilic Lighting:
Biophilic lighting comprises natural elements in the lighting design which helps in creating a natural and calm work environment. This form of light is mostly included in creating a systematic lighting system that changes its color temperature to mimic natural lighting.
The materials and layouts in this type of lighting are inspired by nature which includes finishing of wood and some organic shapes. The natural elements, when bright in the office, help reduce stress and eliminate the moods of the employees.
Conclusion
Offices are spaces where productivity is the prime concern; hence, lighting solutions always play an important role. You must understand the significance of natural light in offices. If you are looking forward to the relevant lighting solution for offices, you can get in touch with OLAMLED and have the office lighting designed to be suitable for your employees.
