I recently submitted a great proposal for an upgrade to LED lights for a warehouse. Solid utility rebates, an excellent reduction of energy costs and return on investment (existing lights were very inefficient). Yet, the company’s Board of Directors was split. I presented the facility manager a summary of all the benefits, including that it will likely raise worker productivity. He questioned all of the findings (even as he said he was in favor of the project!), and I only then realized that this company just did not want to deal with change – even if the numbers showed it was beneficial.

After he questioned the ability of proper lighting to improve productivity I decided to look deeper into the notion of lighting influencing workplace stress. A major research study at RPI (found in the journal Sleep Health, June 2017) found that office workers who receive a significant dose of circadian-effective light in the morning, from either electric lighting or daylight, experience better sleep and lower levels of depression and stress, than those who spend their mornings in dim or low light levels. The research team investigated the connection between circadian stimulus (CS), a measure of light’s impact on the circadian system, and sleep, depression, and stress in and better overall sleep quality and mood scores, in both summer and winter seasons.

Further study has pinpointed the likely mechanism. Humans, of course, lived and evolved under the Sun. Natural sunlight contains all wavelengths of visible light and ultraviolet and infrared radiation, as well. Common office or factory fluorescent lights typically emit visible light in a fairly tight range of wavelengths. Many wavelengths our eyes and, therefore, our brains are used to dealing with are absent. This affects our circadian rhythm, as we have not dealt with such a narrow range in evolutionary history, and therefore raises stress and sleeplessness. LED lights more closely mimic the wider range of visible light, reducing the change from our natural system and, thus, reducing circadian disruption and stress.

A 2016 study of the effects on the productivity of garment workers in India working under LED lights vs. fluorescents also showed increased productivity (www.anantnyshadham.com/storage/AKN_LED_may2016.pdf). The authors believe at least some of the effects is due to the reduced heat given off by the LEDs and thus, the more comfortable temperatures in the shop. But the improvement was demonstrated.

CCES has the experts to help you implement a lighting assessment to both save significant energy costs and to raise comfort and productivity of your employees. While saving energy costs are itself great, improving worker productivity (fewer errors, more work done, fewer sick days) can make a business even more money, as well as reputation. We have lighting experts not just to replace existing lights, but to assess if lighting can be made better for your workers or to show off your products or any other reason. Contact us today at 914-584-6720 or at karell@CCESworld.com.