6. DYNAMIC & DIFFUSE DAYLIGHT

PATTERNS

DECREASE Medication Consumption (7)
DECREASE Hospitalization Stay (1, 6)
REGULATION of Body Systems (8)
DECREASE Stress (7)
DECREASE Pain Experience (7)
DECREASE Sick Leave (2)
LOWER Blood Pressure (8)
INCREASE Oxygen Saturation Levels (8)

PHYSICAL

ENVIRONMENTAL

INCREASE Preference (4)

INTELLECTUAL

INCREASE Test Scores (3)
IMPROVE Speed of Learning (3)
INCREASE Productivity (3)
INCREASE Altertness (8)

EMOTIONAL

INCREASE Preference (4)
INCREASE Feelings of Productivity & Creativity (4)
INCREASE Sense of Well-Being (4, 5)
DECREASE Perception of Stress (7)

WELL-BEING BENEFITS

(1) Benedetti, et al., 2001; (2) Elzeyadi, 2011; (3) Heschong Mahone Group, 1999; (4) Human Spaces, 2015; (5) R. Kaplan, 1993; (6) Ulrich, 1984; (7) Walch et al., 2005; (8) Zadeh, et al., 2014

“Every moment of light and dark is a miracle.”

-Walt Whitman

The Basics

THE BASICS

Dynamic and diffuse light refers to lighting effects achieved in nature. Rarely in nature would one see uniform light that does not change throughout the day. Light intensity and color changes throughout the day, and other aspects of nature interact with it (clouds, trees, etc.) Light interacts with many of the other strategies and should be considered in conjunctin with them. Care should be taken to minimize glare and adjustability by the user helps minimize discomfort (9).

Although today daylighting is a common topic in the green building rating system systems, many buildings had neglected for some time, and there are a large amount of currently standing buildings allowing no natural light.

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(9) Al Horr et al., 2016

1

st

most wanted element in the workplace (14)

natural lighting is the

64% of US workers report having no natural light in their office (14)

Photo Credit: Nicole Craanen

Research Fun Fact #15

Surgical patients placed on the "bright" side of the hospital vs the "dim" side received 46% higher intensity light on average. The patients on the "bright" side:

perceived less stress
had marginally less pain
consumed 22% less analgesic medication per hour resulting in 21% lower medication costs (15)

Research Fun Fact #16

Office workers who rated their light quality and views as poor took 6.5% more sick leave! (11)

Research Fun Fact #17

A study of 21,000 students looked at student tests scores over a school year and found:

Students with most daylighting in classrooms progressed:
- 20% faster on math tests
- 26% faster on reading tests
Classrooms with the largest window areas progressed:
- 15% faster in math
- 23% faster in reading
Classrooms with a well-designed skylight (diffused light, gave teachers control over amount of light) progressed:
- 19-20% faster
Students in rooms with windows that could be opened progressed:
- 7-8% faster than in rooms with fixed windows.
Students in classrooms with the most daylight saw:
- 7-18% higher test scores (12)

Daylight Color Changes throughout the Day

Image: Rights Released

Sleep and awake patterns
Body temperature
Heart rate
Brain wave activity
Hormone production
Cell regeneration (10)

Circadian Rhythm

A biological process often known as a "body clock" that regulates many of our systems.

It runs on approximately a 24-hour cycle and is affected by changing light and temperature (10).

Cicadian Rhythm is linked to:

Daylight changes color throughout the day, beginning with yellow in the morning, blue in the early afternoon, and red in the late afternoon and evening. Blue light helps to increase serotonin, waking the body, and red light produces melatonin, preparing it for sleep. This also shows how the blue light from electronics can harm sleep patterns. If access to windows is not possible, circadian lighting systems are available.

Research Fun Fact #18

A study of 8000 3rd through 6th grade students in 450 classrooms found daylight important for learning and offered suggestions based on the results:

Student learning is better supported with a view out of a window including vegitation, or visual information in the distance
Glare negatively impacts learning, especially in courses where the instruction is primarily visual
Direct sun is often associated with glare, thermal discomfort, and negative student performance (13)

(10) “Circadian Rhythms Fact Sheet - National Institute of General Medical Sciences,” 2012; (11) Elzeyadi, 2011; (12, 13) Heschong Mahone Group, 1999, 2003a; (14) Human Spaces, 2015; (15) Walch et al., 2005; (16) Zadeh et al., 2014

Direct Sunlight
Seasonal Light
Moonlight
Dappled Light
Moving Shadows

Simulated Circadian Lighting
Accent Lighting
Adjustable Lighting

Other Considerations

Flexible and adjustable lighting available increases satisfaction. Also consider creating visual interest by allowing light and shadows to shift over the course of a day or with changing weather patterns. Movement of light can mimic natural occurrences, like dappled light coming through vegetation, increasing complexity. Uniform lighting can increase boredom and fatigue, but drastic lighting can create distraction or glare.