licht.wissen 19 No. "Impact of Light on Human Beings"

As with food, the amount <strong>of</strong> light required
and the times when it is needed differ from
one person to another. Future lighting systems
will be mass produced but also personalisable
(mass customisation) so that
the light they emit is dosed to meet the personal
requirements <strong>of</strong> the user. <strong>No</strong>n-disturbing
ambient and body sensors could
help here.
Assistive technology
Dynamic lighting will become assistive
technology, used to help us stay healthy.
The way will largely be paved by energy
saving LED technology, which has the double
advantage <strong>of</strong> helping reduce carbon
emissions. But it would be wrong to focus
exclusively on energy efficiency. Harnessing
the non visual effects <strong>of</strong> light – which were
ignored in the past – comes at a cost. We
need to find a happy medium between
meeting human needs and cutting energy
requirements.
To help develop the market and secure
valuable empirical evidence from diverse
applications, it is now important to expand
education and training vigorously on a
broad front. <strong>No</strong>t only do we need to train
up lighting designers, architects, energy
consultants and electricians as experts in
the design <strong>of</strong> the new lighting installations;
was also have a duty as a society to channel
information through schools and companies
to disseminate the latest findings
about light’s effects on hormones – and
also to spread awareness <strong>of</strong> “light hygiene”.
i.e. the need for time without light.
Pr<strong>of</strong>. Dr. med. Dipl.-Ing. Herbert Plischke
Munich University <strong>of</strong> Applied Sciences
Faculty <strong>of</strong> Applied Sciences and Mechatronics
[82] Over the ro<strong>of</strong>tops <strong>of</strong> Vienna, research
shows foresight. In future, wherever people
spend time indoors, they will be supported
by light in the tasks they perform.
49