What defines excellent lighting design for humans and animals? The answer to the above question is more than com­plex. It is not enough nowadays to design a project to make it aesthetically pleasing. Nor is it sufficient to create nicely lit environments, or simply to achieve the light levels required by the lighting norms or stan­dards. With the new scientific research of the last few de­cades that relates directly or indirectly...

Exposure to light is very important for human health. However, the characteristics of the light stimulus and the appropriate timing of such exposure are essential. Studies that have used monochromatic light exposure have shown no systematic patterns for the effects of blue light compared to longer wavelengths. Previous studies have shown that red light exposure increases objective and subjective measures of alertness at night without...

The paper examines using relatively recent discoveries on how evolution has embedded within all living organisms a natural sensitivity towards their native environment, in particular luminance levels and specific wavelengths of light. The studies conducted so far indicate that lighting installations that are visible after dark impact on humans, flora and fauna and influence our evolutionary dispositions, possibly with negative...