LEISURE & RETAIL FACILITIES LIGHT FANTASTIC With lighting technology constantly evolving, realms of new possibilities are introduced to
the design process. OLED is one such evolution, and it has the potential to transform leisure and retail facilities, says Ian Drinkwater, Managing Director of Applelec.
As the old adage goes, reinventing the wheel is highly likely to be a complete waste of time, money and effort. However, when it comes to the lightbulb, it seems the opposite is the case. Lighting technology is evolving constantly, redefining what can be achieved in terms of both energy efficiency and design.
The advent of LED brought with it the possibilities to make remarkable savings on energy bills. For new projects, facility managers chose LED modules above their fluorescent equivalents, whilst in many cases retrofitting LEDs became a more cost-effective option than continuing with existing outmoded systems.
Boutiques, hotels and theatres alike swapped their fluorescent bulbs for LED and enjoyed dramatic reductions on previously eye-wateringly high energy bills, with some reporting savings of up to 85%.
From a design point of view, the light produced was brighter, crisper and more even than previously, while carbon emissions were also significantly reduced.
As LED evolved, initial niggles with the level of brightness (in some cases, street lights were so bright they kept people awake) and flicker were ironed out.
All the while, another form of LED lighting was beginning to emerge, albeit initially in a different format. OLED technology has been widely adopted for use in televisions and hand-held devices such as mobile phones. OLED – or organic light emitting diode – has revolutionised television since it was first introduced in 2013 when the perfect levels of black and excellent colour made them instantly in demand.
However, OLED also offers many benefits when used in lighting applications, both in terms of design and light quality, while matching the impressive energy saving prowess of traditional LEDs.
Slim, lightweight and flexible, OLED can be used with 3D printing techniques, built into buildings or furniture and can even be incorporated into textiles and clothes, all of which opens up a huge amount of potential for lighting designers and specifiers searching for that ‘wow’ factor.
Much of this flexibility is down to the fact that OLEDs have no backlight, therefore are significantly thinner than regular LED modules. In its flexible form, Applelec’s OLED modules, for instance, have a bending radius of 20mm and a thickness of just 0.41mm, enabling them to be made into coils or waves without adding any significant depth to the design.
Further benefits are that the modules are virtually glare- free and produce no heat, enabling classic designs to be
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reimagined safely, without the risk of burning, for the 21st century. One example of this is Applelec’s classic pendant luminaire, a contemporary take on at traditional incandescent bulb.
The modern design is reminiscent of the incandescent bulb in shape but delivers excellent light distribution, high colour rendering and is free from both glare and heat. Brighter and significantly more energy efficient than conventional decorative lighting, the pendant is perfect for an abundance of uses, from retail and restaurants to residential, bars and hotels.
As the modules remain cool to the touch, the circular OLED disk is flexible and can be rotated within the frame to direct light to where it is required. Running at just 35º C, the panels do not require heat sinking, therefore depth is not affected.
“OLED emits comfortable light that is far more akin to natural daylight than traditional LEDs.”
Kind to the human eye
A further benefit of OLED lighting is that it is essentially human-friendly. In addition to being cool to the touch, it is also glare and shadow-free, emitting comfortable light that is far more akin to natural daylight than traditional LEDs.
The light produced by OLED panels has spectral power distribution that is very close to natural daylight, with lower blue light levels than non-organic LEDs. This makes it ideal for use in settings where access to sunlight is limited.
The benefits of natural daylight have long been established. Research shows that it has a positive effect on human health, with direct links between productivity and natural light both in the workplace and in a healthcare setting. Positive outcomes include a shorter average length of hospital stay, faster post-op recovery times and reduced need for pain relief.
Meanwhile links between productivity and daylight in a work environment are also well-established. Studies published earlier this year, conducted at Cornell University, found the optimal amount of daylight reduced office workers’ headaches, blurred vision and eyestrain by 84%. Symptoms such as these all have an adverse effect on productivity, and were largely attributed to workers spending prolonged amounts of time sitting at computers or using other devices.
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