As trivial as the act of flipping a switch and lighting up a room may seem, we've had to come a long way to have safe and reliable light sources. It is estimated that the first lamps were invented 70,000 years ago, consisting of hollowed out stones or shells filled with an absorbent material soaked with animal fat that could be ignited. The Egyptians, on the other hand, used decorated ceramic vessels filled with oil, which provided a constant flame. Candles were popularized during the Middle Ages, made of tallow (animal fat) or beeswax, and could be burned in simple candlesticks and chandeliers. It was in the late 19th century that Thomas Edison and his team invented an incandescent light bulb that could be mass manufactured and was economically viable, soon becoming the dominant form of lighting for much of the 20th century. Although it was a revolutionary invention at the time, we are now aware that these lightbulbs are not very efficient, and they were eventually replaced by fluorescent and, more recently, LED bulbs. But if we have already advanced so much in such a short time, what can we expect for the future of lighting, and more specifically, how will our interiors be lit in a few years or decades?
Although lighting technology has already evolved significantly, there is still room for future advances. For example, perhaps a technology that is already in widespread use could be modernized to become even more efficient: the light-emitting diode (LED), a semiconductor device that emits light when an electric current flows through it. One of the main reasons why LEDs are so efficient is that most of their energy is used to create only light, rather than creating light and heat, as with incandescent bulbs. In the future, the industry is expected to develop even more efficient, long-lasting, and versatile LEDs that can be customized to meet specific design and functional requirements.
But there are already other technologies that may become viable in the coming decades. OLED (organic light-emitting diode) technology, used in some TV models, uses organic materials to create light, emitting light from a thin, flexible film rather than a bulb or tube, allowing for greater design flexibility and energy efficiency. Another promising development are quantum dots (QDs), which use nanocrystals to produce light in a specific color, allowing greater control over the color output of lighting fixtures. Researchers have been betting on this technology even for use in medical applications, such as contrast agents to identify cancer cells and improve targeted drug delivery.
There is also research exploring ways to harness the light that is naturally produced by certain organisms, such as fireflies, bacteria, fungi, and sea creatures, as part of their metabolic processes. Although this technology is still in experimental stages, it has the potential to revolutionize the way we light our homes in the future, as it releases no carbon or heat, making it safe and energy-efficient.
In the French coastal town of Rambouillet, for example, cylindrical tubes emitting a turquoise blue glow have been installed to illuminate the waiting room of the Covid-19 Vaccination Center. Basically, these are large aquariums filled with salt water with nutrients and the locally collected marine bacterium Aliivibrio Fischeri. The light is generated through internal biochemical processes that are part of the body's normal metabolism, and require almost no energy to run. To "turn off the lights," the air is simply cut off, interrupting the process as the bacteria switch to an anaerobic state, where they do not produce bioluminescence. The mixture is developed by the French company Glowee, which focuses on biological lighting as a real alternative to artificial lights.
But when it comes to the different ways of lighting spaces, there are some trends that are likely to take hold in the next few years, focused mainly on practicality and promoting health for the occupants of the spaces:
Connecting devices to increase convenience and save energy
An emerging trend is that of smart lighting, capable of adapting to the needs of users and the environment. It refers to a lighting system designed to be more convenient and customizable than traditional lighting systems, working by connecting devices such as smart bulbs and switches with sensors, which can be controlled remotely via a smartphone or voice commands. Its benefits encompass energy savings, but also convenience and enhanced home security. These systems are already becoming more common in homes and commercial buildings, and in the future we can expect to see even more advanced smart lighting systems that can respond to environmental factors, user preferences, and data inputs to provide optimal lighting conditions.
Mitigating the harms of inadequate lighting
Human-centric lighting (HCL), on the other hand, is an approach to lighting design that takes into consideration the impact of light on human biology and behavior. These systems seek to mimic the natural cycles of daylight and support the body's circadian rhythm through changes in color temperature and intensity throughout the day. For example, lighting can be programmed to gradually change from cool white light in the morning –which keeps us alert–, to warmer light in the evening –which relaxes the body for a restorative night's sleep. According to this article by Stan Walerczyk, a researcher on the topic, proper lighting has impacts on improved sleep quality, increased alertness and productivity, and decreased symptoms of mood disorders, and can even reduce public health costs.
HCL systems typically use LED lights that can change color temperature and intensity throughout the day to mimic that of the sun. Found in some hospital settings and nursing homes, these systems have now also been deployed in office buildings and even schools. They are also becoming increasingly popular in smart homes, where they can be controlled via a smartphone app or voice assistant.
This is the case of LAVA's project for an office in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. The idea was to develop an installation to respond to the movements and activities people perform in the space. Using a network of sensors and advanced algorithms to detect human presence and adjust the lighting accordingly, the system was divided into zones, each of which contains several fixtures, using this information to determine the most appropriate lighting level and color for each zone based on the time of day, weather, and other environmental factors. The system uses energy-efficient LED lights, which can be controlled via a smartphone app or a central control system, and as well as providing adequate lighting, creates an aesthetic appeal to the environment.
Returning to nature
Another up and coming trend is biophilic lighting, which seeks a connection with nature by incorporating natural elements such as sunlight, vegetation and water into indoor lighting design. In this case, the lights pass through or are reflected by a plant or water feature, forming a more organic and natural pattern. Some concrete examples of biophilic lighting include the installation of vertical gardens with integrated lights in offices, hotels, and hospitals, or the use of fixtures that mimic natural sunlight, with varying colors and intensity throughout the day to simulate the natural cycle of light. These biophilic lighting practices offer benefits for people's health and well-being, and improve the design and aesthetics of interior spaces, bringing a little more contact with nature even in dense and chaotic cities.
In the future, therefore, lighting is expected to be increasingly used to promote the health and well-being of the occupants of spaces, with technology becoming more personalized and adaptable to individual needs, especially considering that humanity has spent extended periods in artificially-lit interiors. From primitive animal fat lamps, to today's LEDs, to tomorrow's living lamps, lighting is constantly evolving along with ever-faster technological achievements.
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Light in Architecture, proudly presented by Vitrocsa the original minimalist windows since 1992.
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