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Talent Blogs
06 Oct 2025
by Dan Griffiths

Lighting Beyond Compliance: Designing for Human Experience

We often think of light as a technical requirement — a box to tick on compliance, a calculation to meet efficiency standards. But light is far more than numbers on a spreadsheet. It is the backdrop to our lives, shaping how we feel, focus and connect.

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Today, most of us spend up to 90% of our time indoors. The quality of light in those spaces can either leave us tired and strained, or it can lift us, energise us, and support our health. This isn’t about lux levels alone — it’s about whether lighting is designed to meet human needs.

For generations, our relationship with light was guided by nature. Dawn signalled energy, evening brought warmth and rest, and darkness gave the body space to restore itself. These daily rhythms tuned our biology. Yet in many modern spaces, that rhythm is blurred. We lean on uniform brightness and forget the subtle shifts that make light feel alive.

What’s exciting is that we now have the tools to bring that richness back into buildings. Tuneable lighting, thoughtful layering, and careful control of glare can create workplaces and homes that actively support wellbeing. Light can encourage alertness, ease eye strain, and help people feel more comfortable in their surroundings.

The challenge is not only technical but cultural. As an industry, we must shift the conversation from efficiency alone to value — how lighting contributes to productivity, learning, healing, and even joy. Standards and regulations provide a foundation, but they must be paired with education and design thinking that place people at the centre.

Equally, there is a growing recognition that lighting must respect not just human needs but also the environment we share. Responsible design considers the night sky, wildlife, and the subtle balance of ecosystems. By designing light that is precise, purposeful, and sensitive, we can create spaces that enhance human life while minimising unintended harm.

This isn’t just a question of design taste or technical precision. It’s an opportunity for the lighting community to redefine what good lighting means — not only saving energy but also enriching daily life. By blending science, creativity and standards, we can make light work for people again.

Because lighting is not only about compliance. It is about people.

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