Light of day

Lighting is no longer just about being functional and creating a visually stunning and inviting atmosphere. Technology and environmental concerns have impacted the way we use lighting and displays in today’s market.

Lighting is a crucial element in any fitout, creating both a functional as well as an aesthetic appeal in a shop, office or hospitality destination.

There are a several fast-moving trends making an impact in retail and hospitality. A shift from bright direct light to accent and indirect lighting is the most common trend, offering retailers the advantage of using shadow and light to create a focal point or path, leading consumers to specific products or areas with subtle highlighting, explains CoLab Lighting’s Adam Addario.

Accompanying accent and indirect lighting is lowering unified glare ratings (UGR). A lower UGR reduces glare from the luminaire making it easier for consumers to view the products on display—it’s like a pair of sunglasses without reducing light, protecting the viewer from harsh light.

Next, a higher colour rendering index (CRI) reproduces light to match the colour as the product would normally be seen under natural lighting conditions, only indoors.

Lastly, motion sensors can be programmed to reduce light emittance until triggered, giving the consumer a feeling of a red-carpet entrance solely for them, at the same time drawing attention to the product or area.

The combination of all four trends allows retailers and hospitality settings not to only guide consumers but give them the best viewing experience, adds Addario.

The shift towards hybrid workplaces and the growing emphasis on mental wellness have significantly impacted both the commercial and public environments within the lighting market.

More human centric lighting is designed to support the body’s natural rhythms and promoting wellbeing and productivity.

“For example, lighting systems that can adjust the intensity and colour temperature throughout the day,” says SAS Supplier Group’s, Tiffany Huang.

“An office setting with cool, bright lighting in the morning can enhance alertness while warmer softer lighting in the afternoon helps to reduce eye strain and encourage relaxation.”

Hospitality industries are also leveraging lighting to enhance their overall customer experiences by creating personalised, mood enhancing environments. For instance, restaurants might use lighting to create intimate or relaxing atmospheres while hotels incorporate lighting to help guests unwind after a long day of travel.

However, one of the most important trends we are seeing in lighting is definitely the use of low glare or glare-free luminaires, comments Aura Lighting’s Jamie Hood.

“There has been a lot of research in recent times looking into the effect that harsh LED sources can have on people’s eyes and also their general wellbeing. We are finding that a lot of customers and specifiers are only wanting to use luminaires that will achieve the correct glare level in that particular space.

“Our best-selling product by far is our low glare inset LED down light (MOON). This is a great luminaire that we use in all fitouts from retail to office lighting and incorporates a single COB LED chip that sits higher in the luminaire—the lens is covered by a slight frosting which contributes to the low glare factor and hides the LED chip from direct view.”

Commercial premises and offices have been under scrutiny to provide the best possible working environment, adds Addario. Some of the issues raised are visual and non-visual flicker, how it can cause seizures—if epileptic—or general headaches and migraines. Quality products and correct installation can minimise and even fix visual/non-visual flicker.

“Equally important are the effects of artificial light in the working environment, remembering natural light changes over one 24-hour cycle, known as circadian rhythm. Technology exists to mimic circadian rhythm, sky lighting has been developed to replicate the blue sky with the ability to manipulate lumen output and CCT (correlated colour temperature) programmed to match your time zone, reducing the effects of insomnia due to artificial lighting.

“In conjunction with a lower UGR and a higher CRI lighting, wellness can be increased within the workplace. For the home office, there are alternative options, using a dedicated floor lamp (desk mounted options) with the same functions as previously described is the non-permanent choice.”

Indeed, human centric lighting is getting more popular in large workspaces. Using this technology with daylight harvesting and local control creates a more flexible workspace with wellness and mental health being at the forefront of this thinking going forward, says Hood.

Embracing efficiency and sustainability

Increasingly, brands are opting for sustainable and recyclable materials for display construction. There is also a focus on minimising energy consumption with displays that use low-power states when not in use or integrate with solar energy systems, says Huang.

“As technology is advancing and everyone is pivoting more to a technological approach, high end retail and public spaces are adapting more to LED display screens. It allows businesses to blend the physical and digital environments together, for instance, displaying promotional videos that can be easily and frequently changed. In the long term it is economically friendly with the reduced need to produce seasonal print promotional material for shopfronts and interior displays.”

Also, as sustainability concerns grow alongside rising energy costs, people are looking for solutions that balance impactful lighting with cost efficiency.

Sustainable lighting and display options like LED technology and solar powered solutions offer numerous benefits for commercial spaces, adds Huang, by consuming significantly less energy than traditional lighting, leading to substantial cost savings.

“LEDs have a longer lifespan, reducing the need for frequent replacements and lowering the overall maintenance costs, making them a smarter financial decision. Prioritising sustainability and energy efficiency aligns with the increasing demand for sustainable business practice and positive business branding. Meeting environmental goals is becoming increasingly important to customers and stakeholders.”

Solar power has been available for some time now, says Addario, and the benefits speak for themselves. As newer technology comes to light, the benefits can only increase.

Energy efficient lighting products should be considered during the design stage, accommodating the necessary equipment and space needed to meet the requirements. Adding a simple sensor with programming can significantly shift the complete structure of the system implemented.

“For example, programming luminaires to dim or turn off completely when not in use will reduce long term energy consumption, while extending the life of the LED. Combine that with lower UGR and higher CRI ratings and carefully planned/placed lighting schemes including correctly lit function areas, the use of accent and indirect lighting all add to the overall benefit.

“Introducing these features will not only be cost effective in the long term, but it will also increase wellness within the workplace, something you can’t put a price on,” says Addario.

As the NCC – J6 energy efficiency requirements get stricter, the need for lighting control is getting more popular. In some cases you can only achieve the correct and desired lux level by having to implement lighting control systems. Using Casambi or traditional control systems like DALI is becoming more popular.

“These are generally daylight harvesting systems with movement sensors and dimming control. In retail situations these systems are not very common as you do not need daylight harvesting, we are generally trying to get the highest lux level possible with what luminaires we can use,” says Hood.

“Glare free and low glare lighting is dominating in workspaces and is a requirement of AS1680 in Australian standards. If these spaces and buildings also want to meet particular environmental ratings, then the use of this technology is paramount.”

Back to the future

The amalgamation of AI, sensors and the forementioned lighting trends invite live consumer data collection. Gone are the days of having to wait for the end of month or even later in some instances for data collection of sales.

Live consumer data collection allows retailers and hospitality settings to not only account for sales, but consumer viewing and consumer direction on a weekly, daily or hourly time frame, enthuses Addario.

“It empowers retailers and hospitality businesses to take advantage of instant information, knowing what could sell better (if) known through consumer behaviour.

“Knowing how close a consumer is to making a purchase while pausing to view a product could be the difference between stock sitting or moving. We’ve heard how sound and smell add value to consumer experience and visual is just another one of the sensors that can be further enhanced and used for a sales benefit and consumer interactions.”

Hood believes the biggest challenge in lighting is trying to achieve the desired lux levels (In some cases extreme) with the technology and J6 restrictions that are in place.

“I can only see those restrictions getting more and more restrictive, however, with the advancement in regards to efficacy with LED lighting (lumens per watt) the industry is rising up to the challenge.

“We are seeing lighting installations using LED technology that I thought would never be possible.
As the technology and advancement with luminaire design and LED technology progresses, we will be able to create the right environments and striking lighting designs now and into the future.”

In the next five to 10 years, lighting and displays are looking to become more integrated, intelligent and sustainable, creating environments that are more highly responsive to human presence and needs, adds Huang.

“Displays are becoming more immersive with advanced technologies, transforming retail, entertainment and educational experiences, harvesting ambient energy and further reducing the reliance on external power sources. The challenge may be the strain on businesses to keep up with the rapid pace of technological advancements in terms of continuous investment and adaption of lighting products.”