It’s a new year a new beginning and new learnings….with this approach a little contribution from myself in the field of lighting and lighting education.

This brief clip will inspire and guide all those who are either unaware or little aware of the approach towards the lighting for HEALTHCARE UNITs and Clinics.

I am sure this clip will be of some use to you all

An Insight:

An approach to choosing the lighting for healthcare buildings is one of the most challenging and the most formidable jobs, that’s the reason almost all hospitals are deprived of the appropriate form of health and well-being-oriented lighting parameters.

The mission of the lighting consultants is to impart the most novel ways of introducing flawless yet appropriate forms of lighting parameters and systems.

As the patients, attendees and staff are already encumbered with physiological, psychological and physical challenges must get the balanced diet of LIGHT concerning the molecular mechanism for the necessary alignments.

Inspired by many philanthropists, teachers, leaders and ancestors….

A VERY HAPPY AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!!!!

#hospital#healthcare#lighting#wellbeing#education#mission

Question: Should be worried about the knowledge of lighting designers and the manufacturers, when it is referred to our health and wellbeing from LEDs being produced, marketed and specified?

Answer is YES, largely (worldwide there are very few who possesses this knowledge – Physiology and light)

The first Cognitive Bias – Awareness
The physiological balance of the indoors cannot be achieved either with an individual or with one type of organization be it an architectural firm, PMCs, Lighting designers, interior designers, electrical consultants, planners etc.

The Second Cognitive Bias – The Misconception
Humans are made up of seven trillion trillion trillion atoms including 89 billion neurons. Thus physiology is an essential subject before anyone or any organization delve into the benefit of lighting systems for WELLBEING (circadian, behaviour, metabolism, ATP etc)

We often hear the statement that human-centric light is the mimicking of the natural form of light concerning the tunable colour temperatures (2700K to 6500K etc.). By implementing this kind of lighting system along with the equivalent melanopic lux levels and stabilizing the circadian stimulus our circadian response will be aligned to the circadian functionality. IT IS NOTHING MORE THAN A PLACEBO AND A SCAM.

Apart from the inappropriate ways of marketing circadian-based lighting system, we are unaware of the true parameters of light and the respective benefits but hardly any lighting organization are working towards this. For example, inducing NIR/FIR along with the UVB with the respective irradiance favourable values and the exposures.

The perilous ways of marketing the concept and the lighting systems will not only mislead but will negatively contribute to our health and wellbeing.

I have always advocated that the lighting fraternity is no less than the medical fraternity, thus I will use the term prescribing the lights rather than specifying the lights as the light is one of the prime zeitgebher which influences the molecular mechanisms along with the psychological aspects and behaviours.

But the large and corrupt lobby is doing nothing more than the cognitive bias of a community anxious to generate revenue only in by spreading the placebos like improving the sleep-wake behaviour of occupants with their so-called tunable white light with a full spectrum.

The created impasse can be easily dealt with once the buyer/user start doing some suggested ways like:

A. The harmful outcome of the specified/installed light along with the misleading specifications used as a placebo becomes the basis to file lawsuits against all producers/specifiers of lighting products.
B. If the circadian rhythm is already aligned then who proved the circadian lights were required and on what basis? Who did the pre and post-audit? What were the parameters?

Though the platforms like IWBI, IES and CIE are contributing a lot so that the followers, members and the people/organsiations associated with the building industries are aware of these kinds of issues, some platforms like IALD / ISLE must start contributing in many efficient and pragmatic ways rather than focusing on events and art from lighting industry (though those are important too, more important is the harmful ways of the LEDs being specified/used or being misled.)

Driving through the paths based on mythical logics, finagled by the team who are marketing the lights based on revenue generated by swathing up the lighting products (especially offices, health care units and residences) with the maquillages, and with no physiological research-based (in a holistic form) – are the reasons that why lighting is losing its credibility against other zeitgebers (knowing the fact that light is the prime zeitgeber for all the planets and our solar system)

We are heading for the crash to more serious culpability, if not outright liability for failing to respond.

Read all blogs : https://yellout.in/girish/blog/

Girish Bhardwaj is a renowned wellness and sleep specialist and also a founder of Theralicht llp company which specializes in lighting consultancy, Indoor air quality consultancy, circular economy and product design.

There are many levels of complexities and understandings from a lighting designer’s point of view (Physiology and light), thus our involvement with physiology and psychology as subjects are very important and must not be ignored or avoided.

Living in the framework of LED parameters only and overly enamoured with the aesthetics and smart controls is also one of the reasons the essence of physiology is not reaching the clients and the occupants who will suffer in the days to come.

The gamut of phenomena in which we are having either too convoluted ideas or too prosaic ways of approach.
The uprising demand for beautiful homes, creativity through light and wrongly believing the role of artificial light is only for visible applications, has crushed the essence of physiology and light. Moreover, the lighting fraternity is misleading themselves and the clients in the name of human-centric lighting / circadian-based lighting.
Some exceptionally good lighting consultants, vendors and manufacturers are being finagled by these PMCs, cost consultants, architects and interior designers including the end client of following predefined techno commercial aspects, because of which the essence of the outcome is eradicated.

There are several reasons for it, few of them are
1. Lighting has so misunderstood a subject that in today’s world everyone is a consultant or an expert.
2. Lack of knowledge of the physiological aspects of lighting
3. Health factor concerning the light quality index is missing
4. The misinterpretation on not using incandescent, fluorescent and metal halides along with LEDs. At least in 20% of the application, it can be used. I do not know who played this Chinese whisper game and we all landed up as those sources of lights as our foes and not a friend.
5. Only being concerned with Macadam, CRI, CCT, R9, Rg, Rf and efficacies.
6. Misleading the clients and the architects in the name of tuneable white light.

We were in a hustle to establish LEDs in such a way forgetting or ignoring that the arrival of LEDs has changed the DNA of our industry. There is no harm in selling a product swathed up with maquillages, however what about wellbeing and health. In the usher of circadian drive and human-centric lighting, we are either intentionally or unintentionally leaving the occupants with migraine, insomnia, bullying behaviour, REM disorder and other issues.
These are of much concern as the occupants for their whole life will struggle with / her medical bills to settle for pharmaceutical expenses or buy up some medical policies, without even knowing that they were subjected to the incorrect forms of light.
The lighting industry is for years have been condescended (sorry to say, by using cliché like It’s just a light, we know what is light, your competitor is offering the same parameters etc. ) by all the respective pool of other thinkers of the project including the purchase and the installation teams.
The lighting industry is no less than the medical fraternity which can assist the owners to differentiate their well-being and health responsibilities. The cliché that lighting is an integral part of the building is only restricted to the beautification of that aspect, why? The answer is a total lack of knowledge and conviction on the relationship between physiology and light

THE PHYSIOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF LEDs (EXCEPTIONS ARE ALWAYS THERE) ARE HAVING THE DEVASTATING OUTCOMES ON OUR WELLBEING, PERFORMANCES AND BEHAVIOURS.

THESE IMPACTS BELONG TO THE LEDs CHOSEN FOR THE SPACES,
EITHER THE LEDs CAN BE OUR FRIEND OR FOE, WE ARE THE ONES WHO DECIDES.
SO, WHAT ARE YOU DECIDING?

#climatechange #cop21 #agriculture #farmingtechnology #pesticides #soilhealth #savesoil #landscapearchitecture
#horticulture #savesoilmovement #architects #urbanplanning #townplanning #educationsystem #cop26 #organicfood #circulareconomy

Read all blogs : https://yellout.in/girish/blog/

Girish Bhardwaj is a renowned wellness and sleep specialist and also a founder of Theralicht llp company which specializes in lighting consultancy, Indoor air quality consultancy, circular economy and product design.

We need to act and participate (equally) so that we do not meet an impasse where all the smart buildings and artificial intelligence-based technologies (so-called future buildings and living) do not go in vain, it’s not our duty only but also is essential to safeguard and provide security to our soil from being degraded and being converted into the dust (an infertile form).

The knowledge regarding the relationship between the carbon, soil and the dust at every level starting from the schools till the master in agriculture etc. is a MUST.

Here is the link for the same, to participate and insight to this subject in a brief way:

https://lnkd.in/dvbBAKmR

#climatechange #cop21 #agriculture #farmingtechnology #pesticides #soilhealth #savesoil #landscapearchitecture
#horticulture #savesoilmovement #architects #urbanplanning #townplanning #educationsystem #cop26 #organicfood #circulareconomy

Read all blogs : https://yellout.in/girish/blog/

Girish Bhardwaj is a renowned wellness and sleep specialist and also a founder of Theralicht llp company which specializes in lighting consultancy, Indoor air quality consultancy, circular economy and product design.

The diameter of the Sun is about 1.4 million kilometers and the distance between the Sun and the Earth is about 150 million kilometers. In the sun’s core, the nuclear reaction in the form of nuclear fusion releases the tiny bundle of energy and that energy is being carried by the quantum particle  known as ‘Photon’.

Journey of the photon

The photon leaves the core of the sun @ 2, 70,000 Kilometres per second, and with this speed, it should reach the Sun’s outer surface in just about three seconds. But the journey of this photon takes approximately a million years. This time span of the photon to reach the outer surface of the Sun is because of the dense, hot, huge gases in the radiation as well as the convection zone of the inner part of the Sun.

The photon must pass through the PLASMA* which is the fourth state of the matter and is only present in the stars as well as in the Sun. This ‘PLASMA’ is formed by superheated dense gases at around seven million degrees Celsius. When the matter is in the plasma state the electrons are ripped apart from the atoms.

Earthy Example

Let’s share an example of plasma that we can find on our planet- it is the ‘Lighting strike’ that we witness during thunderstorms. The other fact about the plasma is that it does not last more than a few seconds, as the electrons quickly bind and vanish away.

Plasma is an electrically charged condition of particles.  When a photon leaves the core of the Sun it gets stroked with and by the gamma rays (Plasma) losing their energy, as the plasma does not absorb the atom and then transforms into the X rays, and finally, it reaches the convection zone of the Sun.

Deeper Journey

From the Radiation zone, the photon reaches the convection zone. The photon’s journey through the convection zone takes just about a week but during this week it goes from the turbulent processes of

the temperature of about 2,03,000 degrees Celsius to 5,540 degrees Celsius. In this process, the photon finally loses more energy and gets transformed from X-rays to the visible form of light. On the outer surface of the Sun the visible format is formed, but with the sunspots.

These sunspots are the photons trapped in the Magnetic Mayhem.

The other photons are finally free to travel in space at the speed of light 3X10 8 m/s and reach our planet at about eight minutes, Saturn at eighty minutes, and Neptune at about four hours. Finally, it becomes a dwarf red dot at about 1200 hours and a speck in the universe at about a thousand years.

Our photons and many like these energy particles ignite the primal fires of life on our planet. As we are aware that in the Solar system the Sun is the governor which drives the life on the planet.

“Worshiping the powerful creator of the universe -THE SUN and its descendant, THE PHOTON, is one of the best tributes a human can offer”

Read all blogs : https://yellout.in/girish/blog/

Girish Bhardwaj is a renowned wellness and sleep specialist and also a founder of Theralicht llp company which specializes in lighting consultancy, Indoor air quality consultancy, circular economy and product design.

Namaskar!

IMPORTANCE OF HEALTHY LIGHTING FOR OUR INDOOR SPACES

There is the tacit assumption that as a species we are unfettered by the demands imposed by our biology and that we can do what we want, at whatever time we choose. Since we are spending more than 80-90% of our time in the indoor spaces thus we are deprived of the most desired visible and non-visible parameters of light which are induced by the SUNLIGHT  for our immune system, circadian rhythms, cognitive skills, ATP (Adenosine Tri Phosphate), metabolism, behavior and many molecular as well as neuronal activities.

Apart from this, with the arrivals of LEDs as the lighting source, the DNA of the lighting industry changed from the heat energy to the electromagnetic energy with the spikes of short wavelengths which has lot many physiological disadvantages along with the negative contribution to the circular economy at the moment, as there are poor quality of LEDs being used / imported/ manufactured. There are many researchers and experts who are continuously sounding everyone on many platforms over the past few years (not being heard). I am one of them.

We need to strategies w.r.t. legislative (or regulations) to be proposed and implemented regarding ILQI-INDOOR LIGHT QUALITY INDEX., as there is an exponential rise in severe neuro and retinal disorders as well as the related illnesses.

Some of the effects of the inappropriate forms and sources of light that are contributing negatively to our health are:

• Retinal damage
• Brain fatigue
• Stress
• Migraine
• Insomnia
• EFD
• Cancer
• Obesity
• Age related Macular degeneration
• Skin diseases

As compared

INDOOR AIR QUALITY, INDOOR LIGHTING QUALITY IS EQUALLY ESSENTIAL TO GUAGE.

The human energy system is in a continual ever-changing & holistic state. This harmony is accomplished by constantly synchronizing our body’s atoms, glands, genes, molecules, cells hormones in the alignment of time cues- the LIGHT.

LIGHT IS THE MOST POWERFUL MEDICINE AND SUNLIGHT IS THE ONLY MEDICINE THAT CAN HEAL MANY DISORDERS- RIG VEDAS

Ultimately, the combined and interlocking effects of physiological, psychology, and psychosocial stress lead to emotional, cognitive, and physiological pathologies

Lighting (artificial and natural) is one of that zeitgebers that has direct control of molecular activities. Light is the governor of the universe and the molecular mechanisms.

Endeavouring in the quest of understanding the notion of light as a zeitgeber, I for one have no doubts as I have received the copyrights, accolades, and some recognition, etc. that LIGHT is the governor of the universe and we being the part of this cosmic world, our body is a type of little but a wholesome universe.

It’s been 200 years the artificial light was experienced by very few populations of the world initially and it’s approximately 100 years that people living in urban, suburban, and few villages have experienced the artificial form of light. Even in these 100 years, the form of light changed from Incandescent, IRC, mercury, metal halide, and now LEDs.

Sunlight is the unpolluted form of healthy lighting since our eyes, molecular mechanisms, and neuronal activities have had several million times span to optimize to the parameters of SUN than to LEDs.

It is, therefore, reasonable to proclaim that human eyes, organs, and behavior are not yet optimized to LEDs.

As it’s been only one decade, we are subjected to LEDs which does not have the Physiological – favorable parameters in the SPDs, while being used in our workplaces and the residences.

We have been bullied with the new source of light – LEDs and in return what we received is the bullying behavior, migraine, irregular diurnal process and disrupted circadian rhythms and most importantly weal immune systems.

The lighting fraternity is no less the medical fraternity that has been proven by our ancestors and Vedas.

Being tenacious and ascertaining a healthier lighting space always requires a process of trading off some aesthetical and volumetric aspects of the space for healthier future gains. However, this has been a very thick proposition from an architectural and interior point of view, especially in the office and the residential segments. It is always easier to choose the solutions from the traditional and time-tested methodologies, rather indulge with the innovations and research-based inventions or the discoveries, to meet the economy and the timelines framed by the respective project owners and the clients.

Apart from this, those (consultants, importers, manufacturers, architects, PMCs, etc) who have never bothered (or are unaware) of what kind of healthy and circular design-based solutions they are offering and are busy meeting the economical and timeline targets always gain from it.

The gain in timelines and the CBA [Cost benefit Analysis by choosing on L1, L2 basis) is at what cost? For sure compromising and trading of our health benefits. (For example lower immune system because of deprivation of NIR, Diurnal and Circadian alignment because of poor quality of LEDs/design and farcical lighting consultancies).

We are unable to witness any circular-based lighting design in India, so how an architect or a PMC (project management consultants) will achieve their Circular designs. The unimpeded methods over the prosaic ones are always driven by a sense of adopting unprecedented measures.

Every project has a limited reservoir of funds and timelines, it is our responsibility to adhere to the same but ascertain the health of the occupants. Emerging technologies may have to be learned so that we are all well prepared for our next assignments. The mundane existence to learn on wellbeing and health has to go off,

I am sure that we all must be knowing someone or the other to assist us in this direction, look for them.

Of my past experience of two decades with the experimentations, studies, research work, advisory, as an author and light therapy.

I am definitely counting on you, and the respective departments / Ministries to stand by this and take lighting as one of the most important features of offices, healthcare facilities, and the roads very seriously.

There are many levels of complexities and understandings LIGHT as a subject from Physiological point of view , thus our involvement with physiology and psychology as key indicators are very important and must not be ignored or avoided, or else we will be heading for the crash towards the health of ourselves and the generations to come.

My recommendations

1. Lighting specialized courses in all the schools from Class IX till Cass XII
2. Dedicated colleges and universities on lighting (not only manufacturing point of view or the way it is being taught in other universities but it has to be taught from the physiological point of view).
3. Low-intensity light therapy (Non-Invasive) to be promoted for treating stress, Insomnia, migraines, and muscular atrophies. I am already performing
4. The governing standards, audits and the committee to have a “Healthy lighting “in the respective offices, healthcare facilities and the roads. (The governing committee must include Physiologists, Lighting therapists and the lighting fraternity with the adequate knowledge and base of Physiology)
5. Buyback plan of LEDs and its component to manage the waste / junk components which are hazardous for the environment and the human health. The poor quality of LEDs are becoming the most unmaintainable source of light, thus negatively contributing to Circular Economy. We need a proper plan and regulation on this.
6. Since the present government has an immaculate and impeccable plans to envisage electronic industry to quadruple to $300 billion by 2026 and lighting is going to play an essential role, thus the sources and the components of LEDs are to be regulated.

None of your government, as well as Indian Private Offices, have given importance to LIGHT. Saving energy, contributing to global warming are not the only key to addressing lighting specifications. We need to balance the demands and the design between SMART LEDs and HEALTHY LEDs, Fluorescent and incandescent lamps. Allow the brainstorming sessions, we still have not gone that far from where the return is impossible.

I do not know how much I could explain to the reader, who is going to take this letter to the highest levels, but I need a chance to meet the influencers and the decision-makers.

Life did not begin at our birth and nor shall it end with our departure, all that matters is our contributions before our departure.

आदित्यहृदयं पुण्यं सर्वशत्रुविनाशनम् ।
जयावहं जपं नित्यमक्षयं परमं शिवम् ॥

Thanks & Regards
Girish Bhardwaj

Managing Partner

Read all blogs : https://yellout.in/girish/blog/

Girish Bhardwaj is a renowned wellness and sleep specialist and also a founder of Theralicht llp company which specializes in lighting consultancy, Indoor air quality consultancy, circular economy and product design.

Bit confused as to what is LQI? Never heard of it?

Before we delve into this, let us acknowledge once again, that why light is important to us?

It’s been more than 200 years the human beings are subjected to the world of artificial lights, yet a common person’s knowledge is far from the real world of this subject – THE LIGHT. Out of these 200 years the maximum time has been spent under the fluorescents by the urban population as compared to past one decade with LEDs)

As I am writing this article, one of the repetitive question asked by many (including architects, PMCs, lighting enthusiasts, interior designers and the occupants) to me is, that how light as a zeitgeber influences the molecular mechanism are sensing the environment for the time cues? How circadian is disrupted or aligned, what is the connection between immune system and light, why there are chances of being prone to some types of cancer-with relation to light, how retina gets damaged, effects of white LED exposure on retinal pigment epithelium, relationship of metabolism and muscular atrophy with respect to light and many of these inquisitiveness.

The fact and the answer is that there has been thousands of researches and the establishments of researches, but most of the human beings are unaware or have lack on subject (including the people from lighting fraternity), as they have not undergone in depth towards the relationship between physiology and light which is so true to be criticized or ignored. I for one have no doubts now after going through this over the past six years.

The idea that there can be an “unambiguous technique” for human-bio favorable lighting like tunable white with the absence of other non-visible and visible parameters is totally unrealistic, because of the tremendous variability between individuals based on their age, genetics, environmental factors, individual physiology, eating habits, and wake up or the sleep timings and our behavioral aspects.

The harmony of the glands is accomplished by constantly synchronizing our body’s atoms, glands, genes, molecules, cells hormones in alignment of time cues- the LIGHT.

Being tenacious and ascertaining a healthier lighting space always requires a process of trading off some aesthetical and volumetric aspects of the space for healthier future gains.

However, this has been a very thick proposition from an architectural and interior point of view, especially in the office and the residential segments.

We need to strategies w.r.t. legislative to be proposed and implemented regarding ILQI-INDOOR LIGHT QUALITY INDEX., as there is an exponential rise in severe neuro and retinal disorders as well as the related illnesses. This is due to the inappropriate forms and sources of light that are contributing negatively to our health are:

• Retinal damage
• Brain fatigue
• Stress
• Migraine
• Insomnia
• EFD
• Cancer
• Obesity
• Age related Macular degeneration
• Skin diseases

As compared INDOOR AIR QUALITY, INDOOR LIGHTING QUALITY IS EQUALLY ESSENTIAL TO GUAGE.

We are being misled in the name of Human centric lighting, tunable circadian lighting in a very absurd and unethical ways, The greed and the unawareness of hazardous factors we are being played with respect to our physiological parameters levied by our body (Our body is not a machine but an assembly of molecules- Seven trillion trillion trillion toms and 89 billion neurons)

The inclusions and the audits of these inclusions of healthy parameters of lighting like IRC*-IRB*-IRA*-Mitochondrial and other related benefit, The mimic of Blue, Bluish white and Bluish grey sky- limbic ways and psychological benefits / low energy dissipation / luminance balance, Inclusion of UVA* Solitrol activation etc. is must apart from industry specific and guidelines like: Percent Flicker (IEEE Std 1789- 2015, IES: RP-16-10, CIE: TN-006) /

Flicker Index (IEEE Std 1789-2015, IES: RP-16-10, CIE: TN-006) / Pst LM Short Term Flicker Severity (CIE: TN-006, IEC TR 61547) / Full CIE S 026:2018 metrics / Blue pump/accordance wavelengths & red pump accordance wavelengths / PAR PPFD μmol/m2/s / Ratio functions, e.g. red/F far red / Programmable weighting functions / Melanopic irradiance / TM-30 parameters

What is light?

Light is electromagnetic radiation within the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that can be either perceived or might not be perceived by the human eye. Light sometimes refers to electromagnetic radiation of any wavelength, whether visible or not. In this sense, gamma rays, X-rays, microwaves and radio waves are also light. Light exerts physical pressure on objects in its path, of velocity, wavelength & frequencies. (There is a definite process of thermodynamics in the light.)The photon is a type of elementary particle. It is the quantum of the electromagnetic field including electromagnetic radiation such as light and radio waves, and the force carrier for the electromagnetic force.

LIGHT IS THE GOVERNOR OF THE UNIVERSE AND THE MOLECULAR MECHANISM

Misconceptions about light.

The biggest misconception about light is that we only believe that light means he visible spectrum which has no physiological effects.

For example X ray is the form of light which has advantages though getting an application of imaging, but at the same time too much exposure to X rays can lead to DNA rupture, cancer etc. Similarly with UVB/UVC.

On the other hand the IRB or NIR, FIR or IRC are very much beneficial for human being and many creatures. The existence of light starts from the cosmic ray, gamma rays, X rays, UV, VIBGYOR, NIR, FIR, Microwaves. Radio waves and the broadcast waves

Why is natural light important

Let’s reveal the benefits of the Natural light – The sunlight

Immune system: The immune system boost up when we are exposed to the sunlight but not too much of exposure. The presence of near infra-red and infra-red light waves strengthens and boosts our immune system.

Good for Bones: Our bones need lot of Vitamin D and it’s the SUN which can help in an enormous way to impart vitamin D. The presence of UVA (Ultraviolet-A) imparts Solitrol which is also known as the Sun hormone.

Alignment of our sleep: The sleep and the wake cycles are governed primarily by the light and most importantly by Sunlight. The alignment of our circadian rhythm is totally dependent on the sunlight.

Energy production: MITOCHONDRIA, in these we have specific molecule known as Cytochrome C oxidase, which is responsible to produce energy within MITOCHONDRIA. This means Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), which is the end product of energy correlation and is the fuel our cells need for transporting irons for metabolism. If ATP production is stopped, we can die in 15-20 seconds. Our body produces 30-100 KG of ATP in 24 hours depending upon our weight, height, age etc. The other hidden fact is that only 1/3rd part of the energy in our body comes from the food rest 2/3rd comes from the radiations and the light, and especially the Sunlight.

What Is LQI?

The LQI is the term coined by me, after being fed up by witnessing the AQI-Air Quality Index, WQI-Water Quality Index. It was a clear indication that most of the human beings are unaware on the subject LIGHT and taken the light for granted as a subject.

There are many levels of complexities and understandings (Physiological point of view and light as a subject, thus our involvement with physiology and psychology as subjects are very important and must not be ignored or avoided.

Thus the quality parameters in the environment where the light is subjected (especially in the offices, homes and on the roads) are from physiological based rather only industry standards like lux levels, Rg, Ra, CRI, MacAdam, T1/T2, EML Lumens, efficacies etc.

How does the LQI works?

The DNA of our lighting industry changed with the arrival of LEDs. Thus our parameters w.r.t. the biology has to be restructured. The LQI primarily works on the contribution of lighting parameters (visible and non-visible) on human (the occupants) physiology and the psychology.

What do the LQI values mean?

The purpose of the LQI is to help you understand what Light Quality is contributing to our health.

For example: As NIR light photons reach these molecules, this stimulates the cells’ mitochondria (colloquially termed the “power generators” of cells) to produce more adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which fuels cellular energy production.

This, in turn, energizes all cells irradiated by the light

To make it easier to understand, the LQI is divided into DIFFERENT levels of health concerns like

1. Effects of different spectrums on human health
2. By an appropriate use of lighting controls, tunable white light blending with biored* and bioblue* lights to induce replica of the nonvisible and visible parameters of light { dawn, full sunny day & dusk timelines.}
3. Combination of appropriate forms of LEDs.
4. Avoiding the direct view of light sources, incorporating a lighting design to reduce the number of lights in a pragmatic manner.
5. Allowing the maximum parameters of Sunlight through the glass enveloped buildings

And many like these….

What is unhealthy light?

I would like you all to recollect and hold on to one fact that the DNA of LIGHT has changed with the arrival of LEDs. Previously light was in the form of heat energy but now it’s not.

Thus as the DNA has changed, so our way of approach on managing the parameters of light must change as well. We have to brainstorm and reinvent the thinking process, to better our obsolete methods of lighting consultancy and offer the best to the users (office goers, residences, hospitality & health care).

As we are spending more than 90% of our times in the indoors, it is essential to know that general the emission of short wavelength produced by LEDS from computer screens, smartphone, television, and tablet screens apart from the general lighting fixtures (exceptions are always there) for our homes and workplaces are giving rise to many disorders like sleep disorder, migraine, insomnia obesity, retinal damage, brain fatigue and many.

The continuous triggering of cortisol is detrimental as not only it hampers the immune system but also resulting in our bullied behaviors.

What are the health effects?

The severe disorders and the illnesses the inappropriate forms and sources of light that are contributing negatively to our health are:

• Retinal damage
• Brain fatigue
• Stress
• Migraine
• Insomnia
• EFD
• Cancer
• Obesity
• Age related Macular disorder
• Skin diseases

 One of the examples (As many of us are aware and struggling in our daily lives)

Sleep: Sleep is the form of the paybacks to be fatigues of mind and body working throughout the day. Light is the only source which can disrupt the sleep wake cycle known as circadian rhythm? The Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells [ipRGC] communicates information directly to SUPRACHIASMATIC Nucleus that forms our biological clock mainly responsible for our CIRCADIAN RHYTHM. A central circadian clock, located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus, through negative Transcription-translation feedback loop (nTTFL),

The improper forms of LEDs (whether the product or the way these are installed) are giving us migraines, retinal fatigue and many other disorders. Nevertheless LEDs have far more advantages too. (Again I am referring to office, healthcare and residential lighting sector only)

A food for thought:

The fluorescents were so easy to recycle (though there were certain protocols). They had good UV in them, they had a better version of balancing luminance/illuminance. Whereas LED waste easy so carcigenous and land filling which is against circular economy.

However, my point is that, we still have places where we can use fluorescents and incandescent lamps which are very beneficial for human physiology and our circular economy. Though there are now several organizations who are working on these parameters like NIR and F through LEDs.

We need to balance the demands and the design between LED, Fluorescent and incandescent lamps. No one is going to be crucified, no one should be ashamed of specifying the combination of these. Let’s give it a try not only for our biological benefits but also to contribute in circular economy, saving bio diversities.

From the research work, light therapies, experiments, implementations, going through various research platforms, books, journals and the relevant courses.

(Girish Bhardwaj- www.girishbh.om)

Read all blogs : https://yellout.in/girish/blog/

Girish Bhardwaj is a renowned wellness and sleep specialist and also a founder of Theralicht llp company which specializes in lighting consultancy, Indoor air quality consultancy, circular economy and product design.

To me there is no best practice, but appropriate and specified practice for respective lighting fixture’s applications. To get benefitted from the outcome in a lighting installation, we need to understand the walls, ceilings, the floors, the topography, the weather and the users other than knowing the product or its final outcome. When we calculate the cost of lighting fixtures and the installation, in many of the cases and assessment of the terminology- The total cost of ownership is not considered.

The TCO (total cost of ownership) includes capital cost, maintenance cost, operational cost and the cost of handling the product after its end of life.

An unacceptable outcome of lighting effect, its proper functioning and maintenance is not necessarily because of suppliers have furnished all the information needed or not, but it is more to do with the fact that the most important parts of the application chain, probably never been apprised exactly what they are dealing with and what is required out of them – these important people are the Installers, Maintenance Contractors and the Users.

One of the most important factor is the time (here the time is referred to the light fittings well before time and is synchrony with the civil and the electrical advancements). This particular factor is jeopardized many a times by the purchase department (again which can be due to the time take by the PMC, cost consultants, the client or purchaser busy in negotiating to bring the cost without realizing that even the best product is purchased well below the budget, the product and its installation is in vain)

Thus it is mandatory that the involvement of these people / agencies / organizations as part of the team. Not only the designers but the Installers, Maintenance Contractors and the owners/End Users must acknowledge the close loop flow of information with the regular feedback systems about the lighting products they are using.

I coin it as CCCI- Flow of information in CRISP- COMPLETE – CLEAR & IN TIME

Read all blogs : https://yellout.in/girish/blog/

Girish Bhardwaj is a renowned wellness and sleep specialist and also a founder of Theralicht llp company which specializes in lighting consultancy, Indoor air quality consultancy, circular economy and product design.

Sleep is the form of payback towards the fatigue & we certainly have to repay this towards the proper functioning of our body and the brain.

In today’s world, the nights are days and the days are nights for many of us.

We are exposed under one type of Static / dynamic LED (which have the high frequency and short wavelength- a blue light) lighting for hours together in our respective offices expecting maximum efficiency & an appropriate behaviour.
While selecting the lights for our offices and homes, a little attention has been given to the understanding on ipRGC which are particularly sensitive to the absorption of short-wavelength (blue) visible light and communicate information directly to SUPRACHIASMATIC Nucleus that forms our biological clock mainly responsible for our CIRCADIAN RHYTHM.
(Humans receiving high CS during the entire workday exhibited reduced depression and better sleep quality compared to those receiving low CS.)

Now-a-days we are being subjected with a placebo known as Human Centric Vision Lighting (HCVL). Many organizations & consultants are misusing HCVL as a tool for selling their inappropriate solutions.
According to me, it must be endorsed or backed up by concerned physiologist or neurologist as the term is self-explicit – “HUMAN CENTRIC”
Poor lighting sources, farcical lighting designs & unacceptable interiors – A damaging effect

For example:

• Retinal damage
• The brain fatigue
• Migraine
• Behavioral issue.

Lighting for the deliverance & how can we achieve this in our respective offices, hospitals & residences?

• Circadian Rhythm- By an appropriate use of lighting controls, tunable white light blending with red and blue lights to induce replica of the dawn, day & dusk timelines.
• Combination of appropriate forms of LEDs.
• Avoiding the direct view of light sources.
• Incorporating a lighting design to reduce the number of lights in a pragmatic manner.

Read all blogs : https://yellout.in/girish/blog/

Girish Bhardwaj is a renowned wellness and sleep specialist and also a founder of Theralicht llp company which specializes in lighting consultancy, Indoor air quality consultancy, circular economy and product design.

Before discussing further one question, are you aware of any living creature who produces waste? [Waste here is referred to any such material (biological or any form which no one can use.]. The answer is “Human beings”. Since no other creature produces the waste which cannot be reused. We have many examples like cow dung, algae, and fungi fossils.

On one hand we have to support the innovations and the technologies but on the other hand we have to help our mother nature to reduce the burdens caused by our material and energy consumption. It can help protect ecological goods and services from the pollution and wastes we generate. This strategy can also help us limit our overall demand for resources per capita so that there are enough for the wellbeing of all.

There is one very simple logic to move ahead with this principle of circular economy:

“IF WE DO NOT THROW WASTE ON THE GROUND WE DO NOT HAVE TO PICK IT UP”

Girish Bhardwaj

Similarly if the processes is conceptualised of not producing any waste* [Waste here is referred to any such material (biological or any form which no one can use.], then no one has to worry on the waste management. However this is at the moment seems impractical, thus our designs for choosing the raw material to manufacture the goods have to be very thoughtful in line with the drive towards preserving the biodiversity.

The appropriate and any forms of circular economy can ensure securing our resources for our societies to function and develop. Achieving a circular economy needs the engagement of all the individuals at all the given levels.

There is no escape for anyone. There can be multiple strategies that can be accepted to ensure that products and materials remain within the economy without ending up in the biosphere.

This evolution also needs new thinking, new social systems, new forms of engagement, and new institutions. The concept of Circular Economy allows us to focus on issues of resources and how they are used and managed in a business context. In the current scenario of economy and pandemic circumstances, we are consuming too many resources, too fast, and we are not reusing them all.

Over the last one decade in the field of lighting LEDs have made a huge contribution towards the new applications, creativity, reduced energy, climate change and programs like net zero energy. There is a huge boom in the lighting industry.

However there are several unintentional concerns as the major disadvantages from LEDs especially in

1. Physiology,
2. Being unmaintainable luminaire,
3. The poor life cycles of the respective components. (The difference between the bad and the best was minimalistic (commercially)
4. Increased dependency on some nations only and primarily CHINA. Thus the Offshoring and mileage (burning of fossil fuels etc). there were local manufacturer in almost all the nations
5. No policy on buy back or the waste management by the manufacturers.(It was there with the Fluorescents)
6. There are lot many issues on addressing the same from lighting industry towards the contribution in circular economy movement and programs

Myself along with the team of Theralicht LLP are trying to optimize the design in line with the circular economy way. We are exploring and implementing the ways of integrating the maximum parameters (governed by certain international organizations and the platforms) required for the given applications, product design, lighting design and the project management.

LEDs are to be used and we are confident that the LED organisations are improving on the respective parameters of LEDs, but with no doubt, we have to bring back the Fluorescents to support many concerns which LEDs cannot suffice. (With certain guidelines, protocols and regulations)

Here are the POLL results on the same topic, which I did on LINKEDIN

Should Fluorescents (36 W- 4ft triple phosphorous type) be back for many needed office and residential lighting applications?

1. YES, Circular Economy & waste mgmt.                   8%
2. YES, Physiology and wellbeing                                  58%
3. No not at all                                                                   17%
4. YES, Maybe                                                                    17%

According to CEI– Technical materials include fossil fuels (i.e., petrol, oil, and natural gas), minerals, metals and plastics (e.g., polyester, nylon, and other plastics usually found in clothing, electronics, packaging and regular housewares).

According to the researchers along with the organizations like CIBSE (TM66), SLL and CIE, the first is biodiversity and the threats of toxicity. Lighting products are designed in such a fashion that they are very difficult to reconstruct and so the most toxic of materials within are discarded to the biosphere.

One of my projects to contribute towards the circular economy was done in association with ALTO INDIA to use their product and services for an office in Ahmedabad, Gujarat- INDIA. The aim of this project (D P Analytics) is to impart benefits to customers as well as the manufacturers

1. By adopting a manufacturing process of the housing of the luminaires from the scrap but with a longer shelf life.
2. By collecting the non-functional luminaires- reverse logistics phenomenon, its accessories and re use these parts with the help of respective factories.
3. By offering AMC at a very low price.
4. Offering a lease option to the client rather offering him a purchase option. With this the ownership of the luminaires is with Alto India. This has allowed them to work in sync with the respective client for the reasons
   1. In case the client wants to move his office to another place after some years then in that case Alto India will either help them in uninstalling and reinstalling these fittings with the upgraded version.
   2. In case the client seeks the new range of the luminaires either from them or someone, then, Alto India will use the parts of the luminaires either for the furbishing or to be used for their other respective purposes (R&D, some other applications or parts to be sold to the respective factories to be recycled)

5. Apart from this we are carrying out the audits so that the retrofit models can be upgraded and the buyback products are used at the places where it has an appropriate use till the end of the life.

Our hope is that we can prove that these types of radical circular business strategies work in the real economy!

Read all blogs : https://yellout.in/girish/blog/

Girish Bhardwaj is a renowned wellness and sleep specialist and also a founder of Theralicht llp company which specializes in lighting consultancy, Indoor air quality consultancy, circular economy in India and product design.