FEATURED
sources generally set to one light level that
approaches the light of the midday sun – no
matter what time of day or night it is. Such
artificial light can confuse our body clocks. Add
to that the artificial light from all the electronic
screens in our lives, and the result is a negative
impact on our sleep and possibly our health or
emotional stability. While artificial lighting is
essential in our modern world, it also disrupts
our circadian rhythms. Recent studies are
showing that it can be tuned to help restore
them. Enter HCL.
Essentially, the goal of these systems is to
render ideal natural light conditions through
these artificial sources. The lighting automation
controller is the brain of the operation, and as
with any technology, available solutions vary in
their capabilities. More advanced systems can
precisely determine their longitude and latitude;
automatically calculate sunrise, sunset, and
daylength; and set the lighting schedule
accordingly to replicate the ideal conditions of
daylight based on color tone and intensity
throughout the day – no human intervention
required.
46 Residential Tech Today | July/August 2019
HCL has been utilized in the residential space
in an effort to improve the well-being of
homeowners. While it’s not designed to bring
people’s body clocks in line with the position of
the sun like they were in prehistoric times – it
would be impossible to live life that way in the
modern world – HCL can help people create a
personalized circadian rhythm that matches
their lifestyle and helps them to fall asleep
more easily, wake up better rested, and be more
active throughout the day. It can also help
address the potential psychological and
physiological issues that are created by
disruptions to our circadian clock.
Outside of the smart home, HCL is
increasingly being deployed in commercial
spaces where occupants have little to no access
to natural light. In offices and schools, HCL has
been shown to increase alertness and
concentration, resulting in higher performance
and productivity from employees and students.
In hospitals, psychiatric wards, and nursing
homes, it has also been shown to improve
patient care and shorten recovery times.
Combining HCL With
Other Systems
In an integrated experience, lighting is but one
element. Think of it as the solid foundation upon
which a one-touch environment is built. In the
residential space, integrators construct that
environment through the seamless integration of
the controller with a home’s subsystems, such as
automated shading, allowing them to work in
harmony with the lighting. They can also bring
HVAC and AV systems into the mix for a more
rounded approach to “residential well-being.”
Commercial integrators can bring similar
capabilities to their clients in the workplace,
allowing them to ready the office for the day or
create the ideal environment for a presentation in
a conference room, all with the touch of a button.
As you can see, HCL systems aren’t just for the
smart home. There are numerous advantages to
incorporating them into a variety of spaces. By
taking advantage of today’s advanced lighting
controllers, integrators can easily take their
lighting offering to the next level by delivering
fully integrated, one-touch environments for
their clients at home and at work. x
HEALTH TECH Improving Our ‘Well State’
Human-centric lighting has been used in the residential space to improve the well-being of homeowners.