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Lighting For Schools
Schools and other learning institutions benefit significantly from proper and effective lighting solutions. There are many places within a school that require lighting. Implementing advanced lighting technologies such as LED not only cuts the electricity bill but also helps in improving learning and student safety.
Lighting school campus properly has also been shown to improve the mood of the students, reduce absenteeism and eye strain. This means that installing the best lighting solutions will have a positive impact on the learning environment, as well as on students and their teachers.
This article highlights some of the areas where lighting needs to be improved for effective learning.
Teachers and students spend most of their time in classrooms. Research shows that proper lighting could offer flexibility, comfort, and improved focus. According to one particular study on the impacts of lighting on learning, LED lighting increased reading speed by 35% and decreased hyperactive behavior by 76% during a year-long experiment.
Students subjected to the traditional lighting were compared against those subjected to classroom lighting customized for specific activities, including color temperatures and higher intensity during the test.
Switching to LED lighting eliminated the buzzing and flickering associated with fluorescent tubes, which are distracting, by the way.
The library is such a quiet place for individual studies and collaborative projects. These spaces should be light in layers to provide soft ambient light that should be further paired with table lamps for better task lighting.
Overhead lighting should be placed parallel to the library’s bookshelves for reduced eye strain and for even lighting on the aisles. Using indirect fixtures instead of parabolic ones makes the library space feel more open and lowers the glare on computers and laptops.
When coupled with occupancy sensors, the institution can keep the library lights on for students who extend their studies into the late-night while still saving on electricity bills from the unused areas.
HALLWAYS AND STAIRWELLS
A flickering fluorescent tube on a hallway might change the vibe of a school to a setting of a horror movie if you asked me. However, using more steady lighting solutions such as LED, the school can have long-lasting lights hence less maintenance for hard-to-reach yet high-traffic areas such as hallways.
When upgrading the lighting in these areas, you should also consider installing emergency lightings. Some LED panels have ballasts for emergency backup to help students and staff leave the facility safely during emergency or power outage.
The intensity of the lighting needed in a gymnasium varies. A college gymnasium might require more lighting compared to an elementary school one, for example. Sports lightings are measured in terms of light per square foot, and the unit is Footcandles. Televised sports such as university basketball might require additional lighting.
Whether you are using LED lighting or metal halide, lighting installations in the gymnasium should be impact resistant. Using glass-covered lights, for instance, would only increase the risk of frequent breakages and, subsequently, endless repairs and maintenance rounds.
However, a solution such as LED high bays have plastic lenses reinforced with a wire mesh for optimum protection from stray balls. These lights will not only last longer, but they will necessitate less maintenance as well. Other benefits include having no warm up delays hence instant full-output that is required for proper jersey illumination. As your team warms up, the lighting will not!
Students and staff should feel safe when going and coming from the campus. Area lights offer Improved visualization compared to traditional lighting technologies. This makes the parking spaces safe for both pedestrians and drivers. Wall pack lights are great at eliminating lumen bounce, reducing energy consumption, and providing long-lasting and high-quality lighting.
For optimum security, learning institutions should also install high-kelvin lights because they have less shadow contrast, offering better imagery for the school’s security cameras.
MH wall packs offer a quick drop of the initial lumens causing them to turn yellow, but the LED versions maintain their color temperature throughout their lifespan. These lights can be used in path lighting, parking decks, wall grazing, landscape lighting, and any other outdoor application.
Campus cafeterias not only serve as feeding areas, but they are also great places for meeting and relaxation. For this reason, this space should have relaxing and inviting lighting that also illuminates all the activities within the cafeteria. Due to the wide range of activities that take place in the cafeteria, it should have more lighting compared to adjacent spaces such as the corridor.
Lighting fixtures installed in the cafeteria depend on the availability of natural lighting, how spacious the area is, and the height of its ceiling. A dining hall, for example, will do just fine with large pendants, while a cafeteria with a low ceiling will need downlights or recessed LED panels.
Although the main reason for having schools is helping secure the student’s future, it would be detrimental if the teachers and other staff were not in their best mind frames. Faculty lounges play such a significant role in guaranteeing the welfare of the teachers. This is where they regroup and decompress from all the pressure that comes with running the school.
Proper lighting in the faculty room creates an environment that is conducive for lesson planning, stress relief, relaxation, and optimum focus. Well light faculty lounge also guarantees cost efficiency and effective use of teaching supplies and aids.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS) ABOUT LIGHTING FOR SCHOOLS
We will answer some of the commonly asked questions concerning LED lighting in learning institutions.
LED LIGHTS ARE EXPENSIVE COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL LIGHTING SOLUTIONS. ARE THEY WORTH THE PRICE?
The short answer is yes. LED lights might be a little more expensive, but they are efficient energy savers. This means you can cut your electricity bill by 75% by just replacing the conventional lighting with LED. They also have a longer lifespan.
ARE ALL LED LIGHTS EQUAL?
No, they are not. There are thousands of LED lights on the market, and they are all different. There are low-quality and high-quality lights, and they are priced differently. Quality LEDs have low glare, are highly luminous, have excellent color, have even light distribution, lengthy warranties, and a long lifespan.
DOES LED LIGHTING LOWER MAINTENANCE COST?
Absolutely. Conventional lighting technologies have higher maintenance costs because they are short-lived. When installed in high-ceiling places such as cafeterias and gymnasiums, replacing them can be labor-intensive and costly.
On the other hand, LEDs have a longer lifespan and can maintain 70 percent of their brightness throughout their lifespan. These new technologies are maintenance-free and will, therefore, reduce maintenance costs.
DO LEDS GIVE A COLD LIGHT COLOR?
No, they do not. This lighting technology has the best range of colors to fit almost any space. Some of the colors include cool white, natural white, daylight, warm white, among others.
DO LEDS CAUSE GLARE?
Low-quality LED lights might cause glare. This can be explained by the fact that LEDs rely on a different technology to produce light as compared to conventional lights. The intensity of each chip could make glare a problem.
However, high-quality LED lights use lenses made of clear acrylic or silicone. These lenses cover the source of the light, hence reducing glare.
LED lightings are applicable in almost any space that needs great lighting within the campus. Whether you intend to optimize classroom lighting or lighting school campus for safety, hiring the best lighting experts saves you the hassle.