Conference room lighting is more important than you think. Meeting participants can have their attention span, memory retention, and mental alertness all impacted by the lighting level in the room. Science backs these connections, making the investment in better lighting for your conference room a sound one.
Attention Span and Lighting
The brightness level of conference room lighting has a direct connection to the attention span of those in the space. A study of various levels of LED lighting showed that to enhance attention, use the brightest light. The study showed attention was best at 1000 lx (lumens per square meter). Though attention peaked when participants were in the brightest light, it did not produce the best mental performance.
Long-Term Memory and Lighting
For long-term memory retention, the same study showed that moderate lighting of 400 lx was best, compared to 300 lx, 500 lx, and 1000 lx. This level of lighting created the best for long-term memory retrieval. Therefore, if you want meeting participants to remember what happened in previous discussions, turn down the lights.
As light’s illuminance level increased, participants’ attention also rose. Hence, 400 lx provides better attention than 300 lx. Therefore, you should find a good balance between high illuminance for attention and moderate levels for memory recall.
Mental Alertness and Lighting
Alertness and lighting are also connected. Light exposure connects to the level of tiredness people feel. For instance, darkened rooms promote sleepiness because the brain associates the conditions with nighttime. A study of lighting and alertness in the office showed that workers who had overhead or desktop circadian stimulus lights were more alert throughout the day, felt more energetic, and reported less sleepiness. You might consider lighting in your conference room or areas of the office that produce bright daylight luminance to keep workers alert and on task.
As an alternative, you may consider integrating colors and colored lights. Saturated blue colors help to boost alertness. Red colors can act as strongly as a cup of coffee to wake up people. Bright reds are also great for stimulating ideas. Blues help people relax. Harness this evidence by shining colored lights onto a white wall in your meeting room, which will “paint” the wall with the colors. This lets you quickly create the ideal atmosphere for your meeting.
Choose Experience Audio Video Inc. to Create Your Conference Room Lighting to Optimize Attention and Retention
With Experience Audio Video, Inc., you can set up conference room lighting options to adjust the brightness in the room at the touch of a button. Let us create lighting systems to help you have more productive, better focused employees during meetings. Contact us today at Experience Audio Video Inc. for commercial services.
Sources
https://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/lightHealth/LightAlertness.asp
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijo/2020/8652108/
https://commercialaudiovideoinstallationorangecounty.com/services/#conference-room
https://commercialaudiovideoinstallationorangecounty.com/