February 06, 2025

Kevin Houser - Understanding Human Centric Lighting

50 minutes

This conversation explores the impact of lighting on human health. Kevin Houser, Professor at Oregon State University and Lead Engineer at the Pacifica Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), discusses how circadian lighting and human-centric design influence well-being, the latest research on non-visual responses to light, and the industry’s challenge in balancing scientific rigor with practical application. The conversation also addresses the risks of over-quantifying lighting metrics too soon and the need for continued research and adaptation.

Two big takeaways:

Human-centric lighting is more than a marketing term – It has real implications for well-being, but the industry must be careful not to over-promise or oversimplify its effects.

We’re still in the early stages of understanding circadian lighting – While there are provisional recommendations for lighting design, ongoing research and practical application will determine how effective these strategies really are.

The Key topics are:

The evolution of human-centric lighting and its ties to circadian rhythms

The science behind non-visual responses to light and their effect on human health

The role of the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell (ipRGC) in regulating circadian rhythms

The challenge of applying lab-based research findings to real-world architectural lighting

The fine line between scientific accuracy and marketing buzzwords in the lighting industry

The future of human-centric lighting, including emerging standards and recommendations

The need for continued refinement of provisional lighting guidelines

This episode is brought to you by Nightingale Lighting, a brand that designs lighting solutions beyond expectations in healthcare environments. Learn more at nightingalelighting.com/discover.

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By Lytei

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