Repro-Light Survey Shows: The Majority of Europeans Want Better Workplace Lighting

The survey, conducted as part of the Repro-Light project, engaged with 1100 workers across Germany, Spain, Italy and Austria. Participants were asked to consider their working environment’s lighting and what changes they would like to see that could improve their productivity, mood, and performance.

56% of end users said they would like the better work place lighting. An astonishingly high level as workspace lighting should follow a strict lighting design code (e.g. EN. 12464-1), which guarantees, for instance, that a certain level of brightness is reached in a workplace. The survey showed, that the individual requirements for the lighting differ, showing that personalizable lighting is needed to satisfy all the users.

The results go to show that women significantly more often encouraged an improvement in workplace lighting, and the workers over 50 showed a greater desire for improvement of work place lighting. It is not only the need for improved light, over 50% said that the physical luminaire aesthetics where important to them, especially workers under 30. 80% of those questioned would like to have workplace lighting which automatically adapts to personal needs, with over 75% wanting their work light to change color when it turns dark outside.

Repro-Light European work place lighting survey 2019 results details

All of these factors play a role in the greater impact of lighting on the workforce of Europe, and not surprisingly over 90% of those asked said they believe their work lighting can impact their mood, 87% said it affects their performance, and 92 % said it influence their vigilance in the work place.

As part of the Repro-Light project’s first phase the survey, conducted by consortium members Bartenbach GmbH and Mondragon University, set out to investigate what end users really want in their workplace lighting in order to develop a user-centric lighting design solution for the future.

The result came back to prove that change is required in the working environments, both industrial spaces and in offices, and that people are now ready for the next large steps in lighting transformation. They are demanding personalization, automation and adjustability to match their requirement and, most importantly, to boost productivity and general well-being.

To sign up for updates on the project, and for more information about Repro-light please visit the website www.repro-light.eu 
The full report can be downloaded from the Repro-light website https://www.repro-light.eu/downloads

Acknowledgements:

The Repro-Light project, as part of the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 work programme, will now be moving into the next phases of investigation and design iteration to develop a ‘Luminaire of the Future’ that will endeavor to meet all the user needs discovered in this recent survey.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 768780.

About Repro-Light:

Repro-light is a European research project that aims to support the European lighting industry in moving towards a more sustainable and competitive future. The Repro-light project will harness innovative technologies and materials to design a modular luminaire architecture with a smart production scheme as part of the circular economy, a reconfigurable customised LED luminaire, the ‘Luminaire of the Future’. The LED market is currently mid-transformation, shifting its focus from energy efficiency to function values. This project is perfectly timed to capitalise and lead this transformation, as it is set to change the reputation of the LED luminaire from a disposable object, into a customisable and sustainable product, with a high function value. Led by representatives and driving forces from the European lighting industry, as well as manufacturers, experts on lighting sustainability and the Social Sciences, the Repro-light consortium possesses the excellence and the influence to not only execute this project successfully, but also invoke a sustainable change in the European lighting industry beyond the lifetime of the project. As part of the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 work programme, the Repro-light project (Re-usable and re-configurable parts for sustainable LED based lighting systems) aspires to successfully initiate a transformation in the European LED lighting industry, by creating the ‘Luminaire of the Future’.

Bartenbach GmbH: Bartenbach is an Austrian lighting design and research consultancy that consists of four divisions, i.e. lighting design, research & development, lighting solutions and the Bartenbach academy. The effect light has on people is the central theme of Bartenbach's work. In the planning of daylighting and artificial light as well as in the development of innovative lighting solutions a team of physicists, psychologists, application and electronics specialists, mathematicians, architects and designers looks at light in all its facets. The starting point of every conception is always the desired appearance of a space; considering aspects of visual perception leads to a lighting concept. Man with his visual, emotional and health needs is placed at the focus of all these considerations. As part of the network of the international knowledge community Bartenbach’s research & development department is always at the cutting edge of research related to lighting. Continuous fundamental and applications oriented research flows directly into applications and product innovation. The research & development department also put this experience into the service for clients as partner for research and development. These clients across the world work in the lighting industry, are research partners and customers who want to generate additional benefits in their respective business areas. Today, Bartenbach employs about 80 people at their site in Aldrans, Tyrol, and is run by Christian Bartenbach Jr. as a second-generation family business.
MONDRAGON GOI ESKOLA POLITEKNIKOA JOSE MARIA ARIZMENDIARRIETA S COOP. Monddragon University is represented in the Repro-light project by its Innovation Design Centre. The Centre has an ongoing commitment for design knowledge transfer, which is based on a strong relationship with the business world. Within the European research framework, MON takes part in several projects29, enhancing all stakeholder participation and integrating the User Centred Design approach into the projects. Furthermore, MON works on testing, analysing and understanding the user perception of new technologies and its behaviour facing new innovative ideas, such as future lighting solutions.
Luger Research: Exploring light for a better future. Luger Research is founder, owner and publisher of LED professional and www.trends.lighting, key global publication focusing on trends and technologies for future lighting systems. Furthermore, LR organises the annual LED professional Symposium +Expo and Trends in Lighting Forum &Show. Access to the lighting sector via LR’s channels is essential for the Repro-light project communication. Luger Research fosters a global understanding of future lighting solutions. They do this by raising awareness, communicating and supporting the lighting industry and research, and by facilitating partnerships. This enables lighting technologies and trends to contribute to sustainability and well-being, for a better future